Rogers Takes Victory Over Skippers 34-6

The North Kingstown High School football team suffered yet another tough loss and remain winless on the season after falling to a tough Rogers High School team 34-6 on Friday night at home. With the victory, the Vikings improved to 9-1 while the Skippers fell to 0-10. 

In a now familiar theme this season, the Skippers fell behind early and dug themselves a hole too deep from which to emerge, this time due to an inability to hold onto the ball.

The tone was set on the second play of the game when North Kingstown fumbled deep in their own territory. In total, the Skippers turned the ball over six times in the game – four in the first half alone – which fed the Vikings offense to prime field position time and again allowed Rogers to take a dominating 27-0 lead by halftime.

"We put the ball on the turf way too much tonight," said Skippers coach John Horsman. "Between that and interceptions, turnovers killed us. We haven't had a win and you can't turn the ball over like that and expect to win, especially against a really good football team like them. After watching the film on them all week, we knew they were real talented. They're a good program."

The Vikings scored first when running back Christian Cancel broke free for a 34-yard scamper across the goal line with 2:33 remaining in the first quarter. When the Skippers fumbled again on their next possession, the Vikings crafted another steady drive downfield, ending with a six-yard rushing touchdown by the other standout in the Rogers backfield, Christian Savage. 

After a stalled drive and a punt by North Kingstown, the Vikings marched downfield again from their own 32-yard line. Culminating a nine-play drive, Cancel found himself in the end zone again with a five-yard touchdown rush with 3:20 remaining in the half.

Twenty seconds later, the Skippers turned the ball over again as Vikings linebacker Austin Browner hauled in an interception through a crowd of Skippers. Taking the ball over at the North Kingstown 40, Rogers had an easy time crossing the goal line in four plays and ended the half up 27-0.

It was more of the same to start the third quarter as the Vikings overcame three penalty calls against them and drove 55 yards downfield for a one-yard rushing score by Savage, increasing the Rogers lead to 34-0 after a successful extra point kick with 4:48 to go in the third quarter.

After yet another fumble by North Kingstown on their next drive, the Skippers defense was able to dig in and forced the Vikings to turn the ball over on downs on their final two drives. 

Late in the fourth quarter, North Kingstown at last lit up the scoreboard with an electrifying 64-yard dash to the end zone by Alex Sabitoni with 1:54 left in the game. A missed extra point attempt left the score at 34-6, after which Rogers took over the ball and drained out the game clock.  

After the lopsided first half, some Skippers fans found solace in the team's far closer second half performance, but Coach Horsman's view was more measured.

"I was encouraged, but we still turned the ball over a couple times in the second half," he said. "You can't win when you do that. You just can't win."