By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
PLYMOUTH — After graduating most of their starters from the 2007 NCHSAA 1-A state championship team, this year’s upstart Vikings have been on a roll lately as they have won with shutouts in their last two games.
On Friday, the rising Vikings hit a hurdle, and that hurdle’s name was Ricky Krainiak.
The Camden quarterback threw for 137 against a staunch Plymouth defense, and made plays with his legs every time the Bruins needed one in their 31-20 victory.
Krainiak’s last big play may have been the most important, as he torched the Vikings’ defense for a 70-yard TD run with under four minutes left in the game, The score extinguish any hopes the Vikings had of completing a comeback.
The win vaults Camden a game ahead of Plymouth in the Albemarle Conference standings, as both teams came into the matchup with perfect 4-0 Conference records.
The Vikings trailed the entire game, and could not take advantage of some early opportunities.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Vikings (6-2, 4-1) forced a fumble on a Bruins’ punt return and recovered the ball on Camden’s 21-yard line. However, they could not come away with points.
Bruins’ running back Byron Brooks helped put Camden on the board first, when he ripped off a 39-yard TD run to take a 7-0 lead.
Krainiack helped keep the points coming. After the Bruins forced and recovered a Plymouth fumbled on the next possession, Krainiack hooked up with Doug Reese for a 47-yard TD pass to take a 14-0 lead.
Anthony Sealy kept the Vikings hopes afloat, as he returned the ensuing kickoff 80-yards for a score. The run back was Sealy’s second in as many weeks.
Up 14-7, the Bruins got the ball back with under four minutes left in the half, but Brooks and Krainiak were able to lead the Bruins down field for another score before the break.
The Vikings’ got some good play from running backs Elmer Cooper, Ronnell Blount and Dylan Watts. Both Cooper and Blount scored TDs in the second half.
While their running game was affective, the Vikings couldn’t not get anything going threw the air, as quarterback Akiem Cooper was 0-3 with two interceptions.
Camden Plymouth
9 First Downs 15
37-227 Rushes-Yards 49-245
137 Passing Yards 0
6-13 Pass-Comp-Int 0-3-2
3-34 Punting 2-29
3-2 Fumbles-Lost 2-1
8-50 Penalties 11-90
Camden 0 21 3 7 — 31
Plymouth 0 6 8 6 — 0
Scoring Summary
C — Byron Brooks 39 run (Nick Blackwell kick), 5:32, 2nd.
C — Doug Reese 47 pass from Ricky Krainiack (Blackwell kick), 4:02, 2nd.
P — Anthony Sealy 80 kick return (two points failed), 3:47, 2nd.
C — Brooks 2 run (Blackwell kick), :21, 2nd.
C — Blackwell 31-yard field goal, 7:18, 3rd.
P — Elmer Cooper 2 run (Ronnell Blount two points), 7:18, 3rd.
P — Blount 3 run (two points failed), 5:29, 4th.
C — Krainiack 70 run (Blackwell kick), 3:59, 4th.