cdumler@theviewnewspapers.com

A big boost for the confidence of Mt. Hebron High School varsity football will be billowing those Viking sails when the team takes the field tonight, Oct. 3, in a game against the Centennial High School Eagles. The two teams will play for the Ed Holshue Cup, established in 2002 to recognize the contributions of Holshue, who coached football at both schools over his career.

Two weeks ago, Hebron ended a 19-game losing streak -- spanning three seasons including the current one -- in a comeback game defeating the Atholton High School Raiders at Atholton, 28 -21 after having been down 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.

"It was the largest deficit we ever had to overcome," said Ross Hannon, head coach for the Vikings, finally giving Hebron a win they absolutely had to have before they could move on. Everything came together for the team, said Hannon, who is five games into his first season as head coach. To come back from 21 points down takes the entire team playing together, he said.

"Thirty-six kids and seven coaches worked hard to make it happen," he said.

Hannon said the football culture he is working to create at Hebron is exactly what the boys aspired to on the field that night: a team playing hard, believing in winning, and working together.

The team is young, the coach said.

"The starting line up includes one sophomore, nine juniors and one senior. We are laying the ground work for the future," he said.

The first score of the game for Hebron came midway through the second quarter when Hebron junior Clint Huber in his first year as varsity quarterback, hit wide receiver Mike McCarthy, a junior, who went 11 yards for a touchdown.

"The (offensive) line did a good job," Huber said.

The team was playing good football despite heading into the locker room with a half-time score of 21-7, said junior Brody Tennant, who like a lot of the boys plays more than one position on the field. "We knew we were a strong team and the touchdown energized the team," he said.

Early in the third quarter, the defense forced a fumble, recovered by Tennant, playing linebacker.

"It was a big stop," Hannon said, giving Hebron very good field position. At fourth down on Atholton's 9-yard line, Hannon decided to go for the touchdown rather than the field goal. Huber and McCarthy connected again for the Vikings' second touchdown reception of the game, inching Hebron seven points closer to the Raiders.

"I didn't hesitate at all to go for the touchdown on fourth and goal. I believed in the kids and in playing to win," Hannon said.

The momentum was going Hebron's way.

"Once we got one good play, then we got a few good plays, then we got a lot of good plays," said defensive coordinator for the team, Phil Zacharius. His son Jamison Zacharius, a senior playing defensive back and running back, said everyone on the team started stepping up.

"Once we got on a roll it boosted our confidence," Jamison Zacharius said. His dad said it's been tough on all the boys and especially the seniors who have played through two losing seasons and started off the 2008-09 season 0 and 3.

"It would be easy to let down," Phil Zacharius said.

Deep into the third quarter the Vikings were still down by a touchdown and Atholton had the ball. Once again, the defense stopped them on downs forcing a punt to Hebron, giving Hebron the ball. Huber then made his "best pass of the night" said Tennant, this time hitting wide receiver Spencer Wilkins for six points. The point after touchdown made it seven, and the game was tied at 21 -21.

"That set the place on fire," Hannon said.

"You would have thought the team was in a national championship," Brody Tennant's mom, Sally Tennant said.

The entire team from the defense to the offense to the special teams were playing together, Hannon said. "One fed off the other."

Mike McNicholas whose son Patrick, a senior, plays middle linebacker, said he finally saw the boys come together.

"It was about we, not I," he said.

And then there was the 12th man -- the parents and students in the stands who attend all the games, the wins and the losses, said Phil Zacharius.

"It's a good feeling when people stay with you," he said.

McNicholas said Hannon has put a lot of effort into restructuring the team and developing more opportunities for off-season conditioning, training and practice.

Preparation and attention to detail are keys for Hannon. Punctual for practice, accountable for your actions on and off the field, self discipline are all qualities he takes very seriously.

He wants to restore pride to Hebron football, added Sally Tennant. "There's no sport more demanding with such commitment."

The work started in March when Hannon started a weight-lifting program for the boys. Over the summer he organized a summer football camp at Salisbury University and a day-long seven on seven tournament, bringing in some of the elite high school football teams in the area.

Tie breaker

With six minutes left in the fourth quarter the game was tied 21-21. Patrick McNicholas said all of the off-season practice and conditioning exercises gave Hebron the edge.

"We had more stamina" he said. Once again the defense forced Atholton to punt. Hebron got the ball on the 20-yard line and after three consecutive passing touchdowns, quarterback Huber handed the ball off to his running back Tennant who stormed down the field 80 yards, putting Hebron in the lead, 28-21.

The game was finally all Hebron's when Patrick McNicholas intercepted a pass deep in Atholton territory with 30 seconds left in the game.

"We knew we could come back and believe in ourselves. It's the greatest feeling in a while," McCarthy said.

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