OAKWOOD — East Hall is peaking at just the right time.
The Vikings won for the third time in four games after an 0-3 start with a 24-14 victory over Johnson in a non-region battle at Billy Ellis Memorial Stadium Friday night.
The surge comes as the Vikings (3-4, 2-1 Region 7-AAA) prepare for a three-game sprint to the finish and a possible playoff berth that begins next week against Franklin County in Carnesville.
East Hall coach Bryan Gray said the tough early-season schedule (Class AA No. 4 Wesleyan, Class AAAA Pickens, and Jackson County) is paying dividends.
"We purposefully played some rough teams early because I wanted the young guys to learn. I think it payed off tonight for us," Gray said. "This was a big win for us."
Vikings quarterback Austin Parker was 15-of-30 for 211 yards and one touchdown with Markese Jackson and Jacquen Hopkins making some key catches to help them build a 21-14 halftime lead and then turn things over to the defense, which shutout the Knights (2-6) in the second half.
Jackson had 7 receptions for,124 yards and Jacquen Hopkins added 5 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown -- a 29-yarder to give East Hall a 21-14 lead with 3:32 left in the first half.
"We didn't have a lot of continuity on offense," Gray said. "It took some miraculous catches for us to move the ball."
Johnson had 191 yards rushing in the first half but could not get much going in the second half.
The only scoring after halftime was a 25-yard field goal by Victor Romero late in the third quarter.
"Our defense really started to settle down (in the second half)," Gray said.
The Vikings find themselves right in the thick of the playoff race in Region 7-AAA and plays three teams -- Franklin County, Fannin County, Banks County -- that are either tied or ahead of them in the standings over the final three weeks of the season.
Johnson has a bye next week before traveling to Franklin County in two weeks.
