The Gibraltar Vikings relied on its running game to capture its first football conference crown in 45 years Friday night, defeating the host Wausaukee Rangers 42-13.
The Vikings got off to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to rushing touchdowns from Luke Steebs and Alex Laughlin. After the Rangers' Hayden Reinkow found Brandon Shigouri for a 20-yard touchdown pass, Laughlin found the endzone again from 20 yards out on the ground to make it 22-6 at the break. Laughlin would get his third rushing touchdown of the game on a circus-like recovery of his own fumble for the only score in the third quarter. After the Vikings' Brandon Stillman punched in one touchdown from the one-yard line to open the fourth quarter, Reinkow would score one of his own from the same distance for the Rangers. Sam Lindenberg threw a touchdown pass to Spencer Krause to end the scoring for the evening with less than a minute remaining in the game.
The Vikings eclipsed the 300 yard mark rushing as a team for the second time in as many weeks, led by Laughin's 170 yards. The Vikings must now wait to see who, where and when they will play as the playoff field gets set on Saturday.
