LYNDON- This time last year the Lyndon Institute Vikings football team was sitting at home licking their wounds after being eliminated from playoff contention. Now, one year later, they are playing for the Vermont Division II State Championship.
The 2012-2013 Vikings season shouldn't be considered a bad run but, also shouldn't be considered a good one either. The Vikings wrapped up the season with a middle of the pack 5-4 record and finished tied for 5th in the standings without making a strong playoff push.
The 2013-2014 season for the Vikings on the other hand was one that should be considered a great success. After finishing the season with an outstanding 8-1 record the Vikings dominated in their division and cruised to a first place finish. In the first round of the playoffs the Vikings disposed of the Fair Haven Slaters 50-24 securing themselves a bid to the state championship game against Rice.
There is one common sense within the Viking locker room as to why the team has had such a remarkable turnaround.
"Seniors, plain and simple. We have 15 of them, they were very hungry to make the playoffs and make some noise in the playoffs. The mission has been a state championship from day one and they're just following through on a goal that they set and it is fun to be a part of it," said Vikings head coach Dan Nolan.
Senior quarterback James Shufelt knows the bitter taste of defeat all to well and does not want his fellow seniors, or himself, to have to taste it again.
"We have 18 seniors on the team and we hate to lose and we aren't going to lose again. We will come out here and absolutely kill ourselves and smash our bodies just to win," said Shufelt.
Junior running back Josh Guyer is one of those players who is trying to help this senior group not have to taste the bitterness of defeat again and insure that they go out on top.
"They're just saying this is our last chance, this is our last chance to do it, to prove that we can do it, so lets get it," Guyer said.
This turnaround by the Vikings is one that is driven by a senior laiden team that is determined to give it their all in order bring home a state championship to Lyndon. Lyndon Institute can reach their goal this weekend when the Vikings take on Rice Memorial for the state championship game. The game will be played on Saturday November 9th, at 2:00pm at Rutland High School in Rutland, Vermont.