MOSCOW – In a non-conference game between Riverside (3-0) and North Pocono (2-1) it was the Vikings winning over the Trojans 24-21 Friday night.
The game will be remembered as a classic battle. You could see after the game the emotions on the Riverside players’ faces. This lived up to its billing.
Riverside stuck first when Nick Rossi scored on a 48-yard touchdown run making it 6-0 Vikings.
In the second quarter Armillay caught his first touchdown pass and the Vikings led 12-0.
North Pocono would take the lead 14-12 on a pair of touchdowns by Nick Bell. Bell scored on a 49-yard touchdown run and a 13 yard touchdown pass from Marquill Eggleston.
Riverside answered back and put together a 16-play drive capped off by an Armillay touchdown catch giving the Vikings the lead. 18-14.
North Pocono would take the lead in the fourth quarter on a one-yard sneak by quarterback Jack Williams. North Pocono led 21-18.
The Vikings would fight back in the fourth quarter. Trailing 21-18 with 3:53 remaining, Riverside got the ball back on a partially blocked punt.
Talerico would make key runs in this drive, but cramps would take him down. In came Senior Nicholas Dranchak in relief.
Dranchak made two big runs on third and fourth down. Talerico returned after a one-yard gain by Dranchak.
After a couple more runs by the Vikings they stood on the 22-yard line as the play clock ticked away.
Talerico threw the ball up to Armillay. North Pocono’s Frankie DePietro tipped the ball up into the air and Armillay made a amazing catch to give the Vikings the go ahead touchdown.
The Vikings failed on the two-point conversion. They did not make any all night.
Armillay said, “Corey just put it where only I could get it.”
Talerico said, “This just shows how much team chemistry we have. We have been playing together for most of our lives.”
The Trojans had one last chance with 10 seconds remaining, but Talerico stepped in front of the pass and sealed the win for the Vikings.
