FeedsVikings baffle Ypsilanti, 49-7
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Inkster senior wide receiver Eric Williams makes a diving catch and falls into the end zone for a Viking touchdown on Saturday. _Photo by Jeff Novak_If the Inkster Vikings weren’t firing on all cylinders before, they sure are now.
Saturday’s homecoming match with visiting Ypsilanti was a scoring smorgasbord for the Vikings, who put Ypsi away, 49-7.
“We played well against a good team,” said Inkster Coach Greg Carter. “It’s about time that we played the way we are capable against a good team because they have a lot of weapons and are physical but we played a really good game.”
Ypsilanti was poised to make the playoffs this year but it was Inkster that took another step closer. The Vikings improved their record to 5-1-one game away from securing a playoff berth.
The story of the day was the Vikings offensive line that bought junior quarterback Devin Gardner time to complete 9-of-16 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns and opened holes for his 132 rushing yards and senior running back Alan Freeman’s 83. Each scored two touchdowns.
“The offensive line is growing up,” Carter said.
Inkster only needed four plays to get on the board in the first quarter. Freeman broke loose for a 43-yard jaunt to make it happen. Gardner scored the two-point conversion with a keeper for an 8-0 lead just 1:32 into the game.
The Viking charge stalled after that. Ypsi stacked the box and controlled the ground game Senior defensive back Al Backey even snagged an interception to halt an Inkster drive.
Ypsi looked like they were going to put up a good fight until Gardner cut out of the backfield on a counter that went 76 yards to pay dirt with 10 minutes left to play in the half. The score put Inkster up, 14-0, and was the turning point of the game.
The Inkster stopped 14-play Ypsilanti drive to regain possession. Four plays later, the Vikings were in the end zone again.
Gardner’s 40-yard pass to senior wide receiver Cameron Gordon set up a 23 yard run by Freeman for the score. Gardner carried in the two-point conversion for a 22-0 advantage with 3:31 left in the half.
Inkster defense stepped up again when Gordon nabbed an interception at Ypsi’s 29. On the ensuing play, a fully stretched senior receiver Eric Williams snagged the touchdown pass for a 30-0 lead with 3:05 left.
There was plenty of time left for the Vikings to not only score once but twice.
Gardner pushed in for a one-yard score with 19 seconds left to play to put Inkster up, 36-0. Then, 12 seconds later, sophomore safety Donavan Lindsay scooped up a fumbled Ypsilanti snap in the end zone to make it a 42-0 game at the half.
The second half wasn’t as eventful, but Gardner threw a two-yard strike to junior receiver Jonathan Taylor for a 49-point lead with 9:23 left to play.
Ypsilanti’s avoided a shutout when junior quarterback Terrance Moore ran one in with 2:55 left to play.
Carter was impressed by his quarterback’s progress over the course of the six games.
“Devon is getting there,” he said. “He’s picking his spots when he runs the ball. I think earlier in the season he didn’t have a lot of confidence in the offensive line-we were struggling-so he was just taking off. I think he’s starting to really make some good decisions for us now.”
Along with the offensive line stepping up, Gordon helps Gardner’s case, too. Gordon caught six passes for 132 yards.
Carter said the defense is the offense’s greatest asset, though.
“I think what really helps our offense is the defense is starting to play and turn the ball over,” he said. “We’re not giving up the super long drives we were in the beginning of the season. We couldn’t tell how good our offense was because we were always on the sideline. So our defense is playing a lot better along with the offensive line improving is the reason we have been successful recently.”
The last time these two teams met Inkster lost, 36-35, after leading 21-0 in the first quarter. He reminded his team of that game at halftime.
“That was a reminder that you have to play every second that you’re on the field,” Carter said. “We were 0-2 against them and it’s nice to get the homecoming win so the kids can enjoy the dance tonight. The homecoming dance isn’t fun when the home team loses the game. We wanted to make sure that the kids enjoyed their weekend.”
Inkster is at Melvindale at 7 p.m. on Friday.
“We have to play great defense because they are explosive,” Carter said of the impending battle. “They are huge and they are physical and we’re going to be at their place, which makes a lot of difference. So we have to come out and play great defense and give our offense a chance to score.”
