As Ft. Zumwalt West fans rushed the field and chanted at the 50-yard line, the once-exuberant Howell fans silently reflected on a record setting season.

The Viking’s 34-28 loss over the Jaguars ended their historic playoff run, but the Vikings still had their name on the map as a contender in Class 6, being ranked sixth in the state.

The game started with a series of fortunate plays for the Vikings. A kickoff recovery led the Vikings to a lead just nine seconds into the game, with another touchdown soon following.

The game then turned for the Jaguars, leaving the Vikings down a touchdown 21-14 at the half.

The Jaguars left the locker room strong scoring another touchdown, but the Vikings turned around and tied the game with just minutes left to play.

The Jaguars then drove the ball down the field and outran Viking defenders to score a touchdown with seconds left in the game putting them up by six.

Despite the Jaguar’s missed extra point, there still wasn’t time for the Vikings to move the ball down the field into touchdown range. The game ended with a series of laterals and an eventual drive out of bounds with no time left on the clock.

The low-margin victory brought an end to the Viking’s playoff run, but the season as a whole saw immense achievement by the Viking program. With a victory over Pattonville Oct. 29, Howell claimed its first district title in 11 years and their victory over Jefferson City Nov. 6 brought the first sectional win in over a quarter century.