GAINESVILLE — Sonoraville pounded out 508 yards rushing and ran away from East Hall for a 49-28 victory Friday night in the first round of the Class AAA playoffs at East Hall Stadium.
The Phoenix (8-3) had a pair of 200-yard rushers for the game. Quarterback Cody Long had 231 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries and Hunter Lay added 205 yards and two scores for Sonoraville.
Sonoraville jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead in the first quarter and maintained its lead the rest of the way. The Phoenix looked to be in firm control taking a 28-7 lead into halftime.
The Vikings (6-5) got a 45-yard touchdown run from Jiel Vargas and a 15-yard scoring run from Markese Jackson to cut into the Sonoraville lead in the third quarter but could not catch the Phoenix.
Vargas finished with 89 yards rushing and a pair of scores to lead East Hall. Sophomore quarterback Austin Parker was having a huge game with 216 yards passing and one touchdown pass, an 82-yard bomb to Noah Dyer in the second quarter. But he was knocked out of the game late in the first half and did not return.
Jackson finished the game at quarterback and was 9-of-14 for 98 yards for the Vikings.
East Hall coach Bryan Gray said it was a tough matchup for his young Vikings.
"They're a great team," Gray said. "They ran the ball exceptionally well on us. They were just, you know, they were better tonight, but our kids never laid down and quit. Even when Austin went to the hospital, our kids continued to rally and compete."
Despite the disappointing ending, Gray said things are heading in the right direction for the Vikings.
"It's the first time in 23 years to go back-to-back in the playoffs, first time in 14 years to host a playoff game. To me that sounds like a lot of progress, and we're excited," Gray said. "We've got a very young group of kids that, if they put their mind to it, I think they can only continue to improve. I see our future as very bright."
