Four Sean Neal touchdowns were not enough to erase a 27-0 halftime deficit as Gibraltar lost to Oneida Nation/NEW Lutheran 43-26 Friday night in Fish Creek.
The United jumped on the Vikings early when Kenji Lange nearly took the first carry to the house from 50 yards out, only to have Hayden Schultz finish the job from one yard out to make it 6-0. Bairen Lhost picked him off, but Schultz responded with touchdown passes to Cashe Martin and Brett Gajeski on either side of a 20-yard touchdown run by Evan Monfre to make it 27-0.
After the team honored their parents, the Vikings got off to a fast start courtesy of Neal's legs. Neal opened the half with a four-yard touchdown to put the Vikings on the scoreboard for the first time before he doubled down with a 51-yard score to make it 27-14.
Schultz broke up the Vikings' run with a short touchdown run to extend the United lead out to 35-14. The Vikings scored 12 consecutive points following a Parker Gallant interception, thanks to touchdown runs of five and 13 yards to trim the deficit to 35-26. Schultz put the game on ice for the United when he scored the game's final points on a 60-yard touchdown run.
Neal led the team with 225 yards rushing on 26 carries, with Gallant adding 82 yards and Mercier 59 yards on the ground. Wyatt Bultman led the Vikings with two catches for 29 yards, including a 25-yard gain on the team's final offensive drive. Neal led the team with eight tackles while Finn Bremer added six in the loss.
The Vikings are back in action next Friday when they travel to Institute to take on Sevastopol. 105.1 The GOAT will carry the cross-county matchup beginning at 6:45 p.m. followed by the kickoff at 7 p.m.
