There was a lot of orange in Steele Canyon stadium on Friday night. Fans arrived early and were treated
to a thrilling come-from-behind victory by the Junior Varsity team. They kept coming... and coming... until
the Standing Room Only crowd stretched all the way around the east endzone.
After a dominant first-possession Norsemen drive stalled deep in Cougar territory, Steele Canyon consumed most
of the first quarter and part of the second in a ground-based attack which culminated in a trip to the endzone,
putting the Cougars on the board first, 7-0.
The Norse offensive unit returned to the field and put together a stunning aerial and running assault,
scoring on a 9-yard T. Brown rushing touchdown in under two minutes. At the end of the first half: VHS 7, SCHS 7.
As has become typical, the Norse defense came out strong in the third quarter, shutting down a frustrated
Cougar offense quickly. However, starting from their own 40-yard line, the Valhalla scoring unit was once again
able to drve deep into Cougar territory, only to stall at the Steele 13-yard line. A missed field-goal attempt
put the ball back in Cougar hands on downs.
On their next possession, the Cougars finally went deep through the air, connecting with a receiver at Valhalla's
30-yard line. But hard-hitting Hansell Wilson (#20) forced a fumble during the tackle, and an alert Dillon Talia (#5)
scooped up the loose ball and returned it to the Norse 38-yard line. Sensing a golden opportunity, Peter Thomas tossed
a perfect pass to wide receiver J. Heston (#83) who put on an awesome second effort to beat two Cougar defenders to
reach the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown.
Throughout much of the remaining third and fourth quarters, Valhalla's defense was able to stymie the Cougar run game
while completely shutting down the pass. But as the clock began to wind down, the Cougars drove deep into Norsemen territory,
and on what looked to be a game-tying drive the Norsemen D-line came up huge, causing a Cougar fumble at the 8-yard line.
With the clock standing at 2-minutes, Valhalla's offense seemed well in control, but a holding penalty backed the ball up
to the 2-yard line. VHS managed to move out of the danger zone, but a strong Cougar defensive stand forced a Norsemen punt
from their own endzone.
At this point it didn't matter that there was a standing-room-only crowd: every fan was on their feet. With just over a minute
left to play, Steele Canyon took control at the Valhalla 43-yard line. Now forced to go deep on every play, the Cougars managed
to connect at the Valhalla 25... only to have the play called back on a holding penalty. Now working from their
own 43, Steele Canyon went deep one last time. But Kweishi Brown (#22), with a gravity-defying vertical leap, snatched the ball
with a thrilling interception at VHS's 32-yard line. With half the Valhalla fans yelling "DOWN THE BALL!!!" and the other half
yelling "GO ALL THE WAY!!!" Brown scampered all the way back to Steele's 25-yard line. However, with two holding penalties
called during the runback, the ball wound up back on the Valhalla 37.
No matter: with under a minute left to play Steele Canyon had consumed all of their time-outs. After a couple kneeling plays...
VALHALLA NORSEMEN 14, STEELE CANYON COUGARS 7. The Jamacha Helmet remains at VHS for another year, and for the second time in as
many years the Norsemen turn in a school first, this time by clinching the Grossmont South League Title: the first such title in
THIRTY FIVE YEARS of football at Valhalla.
CALLING ALL NORSEMEN FANS - NOW IS THE TIME TO SUPPORT YOUR TEAM!!!
COME TO STEELE CANYON THIS FRIDAY AND BE PART OF THE HUGELY IMPORTANT 12th MAN
"What's a 12th man" you ask? In a word - it's the home crowd (ok, that's two words), and it can be an enormous part of any game.
This Friday's Jamacha Helmet Showdown could be a history-maker for Valhalla High School... and as luck would
have it, it's a road game at Steele Canyon High. We need each and every VHS fan to make the short (only 4-miles!)
trip over to Steele Canyon High and cheer your Norse warriors on to victory.
You know the Cougar fans are going to show up in force - and you know they'll be cheering their team every step
of the way. We need to take that advantage away from the Cougars and give it to our Norsemen... so COME TO THE GAME
AND CHEER FOR YOUR TEAM!
The rules are simple:
- try to wear something orange
- show up early - kickoff is at 7:00PM and this promises to be a well-attended game
- when our defense is on the field, CHEER ALL THE TIME
- when our offense is on the field, CHEER AFTER EVERY PLAY
That's all there is to it.
Don't underestimate the impact you as a fan can have on this game! Come be the 12th man
and help your VHS Norsemen into the history books -
SEE YOU AT THE GAME
WEEK 9 - NORSEMEN TOPPLE HIGHLANDERS!!!
Yes - YOU READ THAT RIGHT... our Norsemen defeated the #10-ranked Helix Highlanders for
only the third time in school history, turning in a dominating 28-14 Homecoming performance.
The Orange Crush scored first and fast, with the defense' S. Pennix recovering a Highlander fumble deep
in Helix territory to set up a 2-yard T. Brown scamper into the endzone.
This turned out to be a preview of things to come: Brown would rush for 132 yards and pick up a total
of three touchdowns before the clock wound down. Thomas did what Thomas does best, throwing for nearly
250 yards, completing 21 of 31 total attempts on the night.
On the other side of the ball.... remember back during summer ball there was hushed talk and even
some printed articles predicting how the VHS defense was going to be the season's weak link? Well guess
what? Thru week nine, your Norse defense leads the Grossmont League South with the fewest Points Against
(139), with the next closest competitor (Mt. Miguel) sitting up at 165.
So, enjoy the night, savor the victory, but GET READY TO RUMBLE. What is turning out to be the Showdown
of the Season will be this Friday night as the Norsemen (6-2-0) travel to Steele Canyon (5-2-1) in what could
be the decisive match for the Grossmont League South crown - something that has eluded VHS throughout its entire
history. Valhalla fans will remember last year's drubbing of the Cougars - twice - and you can be sure
that Steele Canyon remembers too.
CONGRATULATIONS NORSEMEN ON YOUR VICTORY OVER THE HIGHLANDERS!
WEEK 8 - NORSEMEN SCORE THIRD SWEEP OF THE SEASON, OVERWHELMING MONTE VISTA
This week VHS traveled to the recently refurbished Matador Stadium in Spring Valley to take on Monte Vista
for our second Grossmont South league matchup. The Junior Varsity team took control early and never looked back,
turning in an impressive performance on both sides of the ball.
Varsity took to the field at 7:00PM in what turned out to be a slightly chilly, slightly damp - but overall perfect
- evening for football. From the outset the Norse defense held up to their "bend-but-don't-break" philosophy, holding
the Matadors scoreless thru the first quarter. Not to be outdone, the Matador defense played the same sort of game...
and for what may have been the first time this season the Norsemen scoring unit came up empty in the first quarter.
However.....
early in the second quarter the Matador defense came up big, with a hugely uncharacteristic pick-6 to draw first blood.
However.... (notice a recurring theme?)
on the ensuing kickoff Valhalla's Special Teams kick return squad came up huge with some key blocking, allowing
Hansell Wilson to scamper 90 yards for the tying touchdown. A relentless aerial attack netted the Norsemen
another touchdown late in the second, and the teams stopped for halftime with score standing at 14-7, Norsemen.
The third quarter belonged to Valhalla, with the offense scoring two (actually three, but one was called
back) touchdowns, while it looked like the defense was going to shut down the Matador scoring effort.
However...
late in the quarter, from 4th and long, Monte Vista faked a punt, instead executing a direct snap to standout Shamar Barnes,
who tossed a perfect ball downfield for a 50-yard touchdown play, bringing the score up to 28-14, Valhalla.
The fourth quarter was far from dull, with turnovers on both sides of the ball, but as is becoming characteristic
of the Norse defense, the Matadors were held scoreless while Valhalla finished the night with a final ground-based scoring
drive, final score: Valhalla 35, Monte Vista, 14.
Hold onto your hats, because these last three regular-season games promise to be exciting. Helix comes to Valhalla Stadium
this Friday for VHS Homecoming. If recent history is any indicator, this game promises to be a hard-hitting, down-to-the wire
nail-biter. Following the Helix matchup, Valhalla travels to red-hot Steele Canyon for the third annual Jamacha Helmet Classic. And finally, Valhalla
closes its season with a road trip to Granite Hills, where an unpredictable Eagles team promises to make the Grand Finale
a thriller.
Be sure to come out to each of these games and show your Norsemen Pride!
CONGRATULATIONS NORSEMEN ON YOUR THIRD SWEEP OF THE SEASON!
WEEK 8 - FRESHMEN DOMINATE MONTE VISTA
The visiting Monte Vista Monarchs aren't likely to forget this week's matchup anytime soon... although they
probably wish they could. Despite some outstanding personal performances by the Monarchs, it was a night in
which nothing seemed to go right for them. And when you're playing a team as hot as the Norse freshmen, that's
never a Good Thing.
In contrast, Valhalla was firing on all eight cylinders - offensively moving the ball on the ground and through the
air, building up a first half lead of 20-7. Defensively VHS was able to apply nearly continuous pressure in the
backfield, in addition to causing turnovers from fumbles as well as interceptions.
By the time the last second ticked off the clock, the final score was 41-13, and our Frosh team advances to an
outstanding 6-1-0 record. As we head into this season's home stretch, the team faces a very tough schedule: Helix,
Steele Canyon, and Granite Hills, all of which have formidable teams. If you haven't had a chance to come out on
Thursday evening to watch these young men, MAKE ROOM ON YOUR CALENDARS NOW - these guys put on a fantastic show.
Final score: NORSEMEN 41, MONARCHS 13. ANOTHER SUPERB PERFORMANCE FROM THIS FRESHMAN TEAM!
NORSEMEN COMPLETE SECOND SWEEP OF THE SEASON, DEFEAT MT. MIGUEL MATADORS
The Frosh team put on a convincing show (see below) while Junior Varsity hung on in a hard-fought duel to
outlast the visiting Matadors for a 12-6 victory.
The Main Event kicked off at 7:00PM at Valhalla Stadium, with the Norsemen winning the toss and deferring
possession. In the week leading up to this match, certain sports sites heavily touted the game and predicted
a Matador victory. Although Valhalla drew first blood easily, the rest of the first
half belonged to Mt. Miguel. With a half-time score of 21-10 in favor of the Matadors, VHS fans uneasily
wondered if the predictions would hold water.
HOWEVER... football games consist of two halves, and much like last year's match, the Norse team which took to
the field in the second half had a distinctly different agenda than that of the first half: to control the ball and the
opponent, and win the game. Offensively, VHS put up four unanswered touchdowns, bringing the score to 36-21. On the
other side of the ball, the defense stood tall and punished the Matador offense, shutting down the passing game and wreaking
havoc in the Matador backfield.
Late in the 4th quarter, a Matador touchdown pushed the score to 36-27, and a well-played 2-point conversion made it
a one-possession game, 36-29 with just over 4-minutes remaining. But... the VHS defense snuffed out any hope of
a Matador comeback with three straight losses in four plays, giving the ball and the game to the Norsemen on downs.
Despite a slow start and some significant setbacks in the first half, your VHS Norsemen showed they are worthy
of their namesake: they ignored the predictions, overcame their own weaknesses, and never gave up the fight.
WELL DONE TO ALL THREE TEAMS - KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
WEEK 7 - FRESHMEN COME UP LARGE AGAINST MT. MIGUEL MATADORS
The frosh team hit the road Thursday, traveling to Spring Valley to take on the Mt. Miguel Matadors where they
provided a truly entertaining game for the VHS fans.
The Norsemen won the toss and deferred, giving the Matadors first possession. Fans became a bit nervous when,
on their first series, the Matadors marched down the field with apparent ease, using a combination of sweeps and
quarterback keeps. However, upon reaching the 2-yard line, Mt. Miguel committed two errors on subsequent plays,
moving backward 15-yards. Combined with a defense that suddenly stood tall, Mt. Miguel stalled and gave the ball
over on downs.
From that point on, it was Valhalla's evening, with the Norsemen scoring on all but the last two possessions
of the game, using a well-balanced mix of run plays, options, and deep strikes. And the defense, although giving up
some significant yardage, held the Matador scoring unit to a single touchdown... and a failed 2-point attempted PAT.
And let's not forget an outstanding interception and some forced fumbles.
Final score: NORSEMEN 28, MATADORS 6. WAY TO GO FRESHMAN - YOU GUYS ARE FOR REAL
NORSE HAMMER STRIKES SEASON'S FIRST SWEEP AGAINST FOOTHILLERS
Following the wild Frosh game on Thursday, the JV and Varsity teams left no doubt that Orange Nation is here,
scoring respective victories of 21-3 and 34-7.
Photos of all three games vs. Grossmont are now online.
From the main menu, select MULTIMEDIA -> PHOTO GALLERIES [2009], then the team of your choice. Then click "Grossmont"
to view the gallery.
Thanks to Ruth Mims and Don Demars for their great photography of the last two weeks. Be sure to check out Don's
Shutterfly galleries for additional photos (clicking on these links will direct you to a different website):
.
FRESHMEN EDGE GROSSMONT 50-42 IN A WILD MATCHUP
The Norse frosh team traveled to Grossmont Thursday afternoon for what turned out to be a hugely entertaining
(for the fans... I can't speak for the coaches on this one) game. Our Norsemen jumped out to an early lead, moving the
ball at will both on the ground and in the air. Thanks to some key turnovers, at the half it looked like the
game was destined to be a yawner.
HOWEVER... after the half the Foothillers came out gunning and quickly made up the scoring deficit and took the lead
for the first time in the game. The final two quarters of play were a wild seesaw of scoring, including
runbacks, fumbles, interceptions - pretty much everything you could hope for in a football game, including
a nail-biter finish.
Meanwhile, over on the sidelines the cheerleaders did a great job keeping the crowd wound up (although let's be honest
girls... your push-ups could use a little work). Finally, the fans were treated to a surprise cheer/dance routine put
on by several VHS Varsity players - these guys clearly missed their calling as cheerleaders. We won't name
names (
Shane, Hansell, and several others) but you know who you are.
WELL DONE FRESHMEN!!!
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL???
The
2009 CIF SAN DIEGO SECTION 7th ANNUAL KICKOFF CLASSIC is coming soon -
REAL soon.
On Friday, August 29th (that's THIS SATURDAY, folks!) Valhalla will be hosting the following scrimmages
(10-minute quarters):
- 2:30PM - Foothills Christian vs. Catholic Central of Alberta, Canada
- 5:00PM - Mount Miguel vs. Calexico, and
- 7:30PM - VALHALLA vs. WESTVIEW
This is it people: the 2009 VHS football season is HERE. DON'T MISS IT!
WEEK 0 GAME COMING UP!!!
Unlike last season when the teams had a bye in Week 0, Varsity will be going head-to-head against
a strong east coast team - Our Lady of Good Consel. Don't let that name fool you, this team is
highly ranked in Maryland, and this will be an excellent test of the '09 squad right off the bat.
JV and Freshmen will be going up against the Bonita Vista Barons - see the Schedules page
(Schedules | Games from the main menu) for game times and additional details.