The season opener for the Menlo Atherton Vikings is Sunday, Sept 2 at St Francis High School in Mtn View, with the Vikings hosting the perennial powerhouse East Bay Warriors. Admission is free. Game times are:

* Tiny Mites: 8:30

* Mitey Mites: 10am

* Jr Pee Wees: Noon

* Pee Wees: 2pm

* Jr Midgets: 4pm

The Vikings season opener is at St Francis, as the new field at MA High School is not yet complete. The Vikings appreciate the generosity of St Francis High School in offering their beautiful facility as an alternate field.

The Vikings come off a stellar 2011 campaign with strong performances at all age groups. The Vikings Jr PeeWee team was undefeated in the 2011 regular season, winning two playoff games before falling to local rival RWC in the Peninsula Conference Championships. The Jr PeeWee's easily handled the top Nevada team in the Pacific Northwest Regional Championship consolation game.

The Vikings PeeWee team had an even more successful year -- competing in the Pop Warner 2011 National Championships in Orlando, Florida. Following a successful undefeated regular season the PeeWees stormed through the playoffs leading to a closely watched Peninsula Conference Championship match with local rival RC Jr 49ers. After beating the Jr 49ers in an entertaining game, the PeeWees dispatched teams from both Richmond and Washington State to claim the Pacific Northwest Regional Championship and earn a shot at the national title at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Disney World.

Broadcast on ESPN3, the Vikings represented our community in stirring fashion, beating a Rhode Island team, while succumbing in a last second loss to the College Station (TX) Raiders, to end their dreams of bring the 2011 national championship back to the Menlo Atherton community.

Sunday, a new season begins. The Vikings play the 'best of the best' this year, opening with games against the East Bay Warriors. The rest of the season is filled with opponents representing Berkeley, Santa Clara, Coyote Creek, East Bay, Almaden, Morgan Hill, and Cambrian Valley. The highly anticipated rematch of the Peninsula Championship happens when Redwood City visit the MA Vikings in two weeks. Stay tuned for details.

The Vikings Cheer squads are busy preparing for their season opening event, the Peninsula Cheer Jamboree on Sept 8 in Morgan Hill, followed by the Cheer Invitational at Shoreline Amphitheater in October.

Come join the fun!