VIKINGS LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK IN 2025

HEITSHCMIDT, OPAT, MILLER PROVIDE SENIOR LEADERSHIP

By Staff   

         LINDSBORG – The Smoky Valley football program returns 13 starters, six on offense and seven on defense, from a team that struggled while finishing 2-7 in 2024 and finishing with a first-round playoff loss to Rock Creek.

         Viking head coach Tim Lambert has been on the sidelines for ten seasons where his record is 47-48 while overall it is 212-120 covering 33 seasons as a head coach. Assisting him on the sidelines will be Jason Drouillard, Allen Meier, Ben Elliott, Caleb Lambert, and James Henderson.

         First thing to address his replacing 1,706 yards in rushing covered by graduated running backs Gavin Stambaugh (1,229 yards on182 attempts, 13 touchdowns) and Ezekiel Baker (477 yards on 114 attempts, six touchdowns). That is 87% of last year’s running attack, plus Baker (47), Stambaugh (38) and Geno Luis (41) were the top three tacklers on the Viking defense.

         In 2025 six seniors will again lead the wing style offense. Quarterback Ty Heitschmidt is a brawny six-foot-four, 210 pounds beginning his third season leading the team while Jack Opat is the top returning runner and tight end Toren Miller is the top returning receiver. Marik Anderson also starts in a double tight end set while Brock Gengler and Conner Smith-Bolin return on the offensive line at center and guard, respectively.

         Four seniors and three juniors all return to manage the 3-4 defense, led by linebackers Toren Miller, Auley Baughman, and Crew Elliott. Miller, a senior,  will team up with Elliott, a junior,  on the outside with Baughman, a junior,  manning the middle where the three combined to record 93 tackles, 49 of which were solo stops.

         Other key returnees on the Viking defense will be seniors Andrew Lochard, Brock Gengler, and Jack Opat along with junior Hunter Koehn.

         While coach Lambert shared his concerns of “although we have a lot of experience, it has been  without much success. We need to build some depth at several positions as the team looks to find some early success to gain some confidence.”

         In concluding his pre-season reflections, Lambert noted, “We have a lot of experience as these young men have already played a whole bunch of Friday night football. In 2025 we are stronger and bigger than in 2024 which means we should be more competitive.”

         The Vikings will open the season with a pair of road games at Larned on Friday, September 5 and Belle Plain on Friday, September 12 before holding their season home opener on Friday, September 19 when Haven comes to town.

VIKINGS 2025 SCHEDULE:

Friday, September 5 = at Larned (league game)

Friday, September 12 = at Belle Plain

Friday, September 19 = hosting Haven (league game)

Friday, September 26 = at Wichita Trinity (district game)

Friday, October 3 = hosing Hesston (league/district game)

Friday, October 10 = at Andale (district game)

Friday, October 17 = hosting Nickerson (league/district game)

Friday, October 24 = hosting Hillsboro (league game)

Class 3a State Playoffs

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)