Heading into Friday’s PIAA quarterfinal round game against Archbishop Wood, Whitehall knew it had to keep the Vikings offense off the field if they wanted to advance to the next round.

And during that first series when they had the Vikings facing 3rd-and-11 from their own 25-yard line, it looked like their game plan was coming together. But Wood quarterback Jack Colyar found running back Raheem Blackshear for a 24-yard gain. That allowed Wood’s other back, Shawn Thompson, to take the ensuing handoff for a 49-yard score and a 7-0 lead.

The Vikings rode that dynamic duo to create their own version of keep away as the Vikings gobbled up yards faster than Joey “Jaws” Chestnut knocking back yams at a Thanksgiving buffet. They finished the game with 505 yards on the ground, including five touchdowns, and that formula propelled them to a 56-13 win at Northampton’s Al Erdosy Stadium last Friday night.

Wood’s powerful running game was on display last week in their 61-18 win over Simon Gratz, and Whitehall head coach Brian Gilbert knew they had to be prepared for a well-balanced team that could light up the scoreboard.

“We needed to make stops and we didn’t,” said Gilbert. “And when we stalled on offense, it just made for a long night.”

With the win, the Vikings advance to the 5A semifinals to face Academy Park, while Whitehall season ends with the loss.

Blackshear and Thompson proved too potent a combination, with Thompson gaining 280 yards on 13 carries, while Blackshear added 135 on his 13 carries. And when those two weren’t chewing up real estate, Colyar found a way to get his other playmakers involved as he went over the top with a bomb to Mark Webb who glided under the ball, and then hit another gear for a 71-yard TD.

That score put the Vikings up 14-0, but the Zephyrs were able to answer on their next possession. It began when Kasai Harrison gave them great field position, returning the kick to midfield. From that point, they mounted an eight-play, 50-yard drive, with Zach Gilbert finding Dez Boykin on a post pattern to cut the Vikings lead in half.

Gilbert said that punching it in to bring them within a touchdown showed their moxie, something they’ve displayed all season.

“To get down and not panic and get back on track was good,” said Gilbert. “That was a good response by our guys.”

Now, they had to stop the Vikings.

But the Vikings, who never punted during the game, just kept feeding the ball to Blackshear and Thompson, scoring on their next drive when Blackshear capped a 70-yard drive with a 14-yard TD run, using brute force to get across the goal line.

The Zephs had other scoring opportunities, most notably a nine-play drive that put them on the doorstep of the end zone midway through the second quarter. But Tavion George’s dive for the pylon fell just short, leaving the ball at the 1-yard line. However, they lost yardage on their next play and Wood later stuffed Ethan Parvel on a fourth-down keeper to end the drive.

That series effectively ended their momentum, but the Zephyrs kept trying to claw back into the game. They were able to move the chains all night, racking up 12 first downs against a strong Viking defense. And they got those yards through the ground and the air, as Zach Gilbert threw for 134 yards and one TD, while their backs rushed for 104 yards.

But those drives would eventually stall, and once Wood got the ball, Blackshear or Thompson would find a crease and the Vikings would have another six points.

Defensively, they made some nifty plays, notably Devin Castro’s interception on a deep ball intended for Webb. But they couldn’t get off the field as the Vikings converted on all their fourth down opportunities.

Gilbert said that they knew their playmakers were as advertised, he was just hoping they could stay with them. And while Boykin was able to chase down Blackshear from behind on a few carries, the Vikings just had too much speed from too many guys for Whitehall to handle.

The Zephyrs final score came when Zach Gilbert scored on an 8-yard run.

While the season ended with disappointment in the state playoffs, it was a successful year for the Zephyrs who finished at 9-5 and won a district championship.