Pop Warner football: Vikings fall to Almaden Pop Warner football: Vikings fall to Almaden (November 17, 2004)

The Vikings' Pee Wees shocked the powerful and undefeated Almaden Chargers with a couple of first-half touchdowns, but ultimately dropped a 43-18 season-ending decision Sunday in the Peninsula Conference Pop Warner championship game.

Almaden had toyed with a succession of Peninsula opponents all year, and stormed to a 7-0 lead early in the title contest. But Chris Gaertner took a 20-yard scoring pass from Josiah Paye, and a subsequent Paye quarterback sneak gave the Vikings a 12-7 lead.

A key Charger interception and runback abruptly changed momentum, however, and Almaden put the game away.

The Vikings got one more score on a Jack Brody four-yard run behind crisp blocking from Ian Ritchey and Anthony Tran, and Brandon Gibson made some outstanding defensive plays as the Vikings concluded a memorable season. -- Jim Gallagher, Viking Boosters

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