VALE – The bottom line in the Vale-Baker prep football contest last Friday, Sept. 20, was simple: The Bulldogs could not stop Vale’s running game.
Vale running back Kase Schaffeld put in another virtuoso performance, racking up 289 yards on 29 carries while scoring three touchdowns as Vale cruised past Baker 48-19 in the nonleague game.
The Bulldogs kept it close in the first half but watched Vale’s relentless power run game take over in the second half to clinch the win.
“We didn’t execute very well in the second half,” said Baker coach Jason Ramos.
Vale’s Landon Haberman piled up 105 yards and ran for three touchdowns as the Vikings improved to 4-0.
“I think our defense put a lot of pressure on their quarterback and we played well on offense,” said Vale defensive lineman Jake DeVos.
The Vikings amassed 481 yards of total offense in the game and held the Bulldogs to just 21 rushing yards during the contest.
“We ran the ball at will,” said Vale coach Jeff Aldred.
Baker kept the contest close in the first half – powered by a kickoff return for a touchdown by Rasean Jones – and trailed 16-13 at intermission.
Vale took control early in the third quarter, producing a 10-play, 78-yard scoring drive that ended with Haberman’s 18-yard scoring sprint. Schaffeld ran for the point after, giving the Vikings a 24-13 advantage.
Jones ran the next kickoff back for a touchdown to cut the Vale margin to 24-19 but Schaffeld’s touchdown with 6:18 to go in the third stanza pushed the home team ahead 32-19.
Haberman’s touchdown late in the quarter gave the Vikings a commanding 40-19 lead.
“I thought we executed extremely well,” said Aldred.
Schaffeld is on the way to an historic performance for the Vikings. Over four games, he ran for 787 yards on 91 carries for 10 touchdowns.
After the game Schaffeld said the Vikings “started out slow … but we picked it up.”
Vale will travel to Lakeview on Friday, Sept. 27, for a nonleague contest.
Thomas Rodriguez finished the night with 72 yards on eight carries for the Vikings.
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