‘Resilient’ Valparaiso loses at semistate
Vikings made postseason run despite missing 4 games due to pandemic
Senior Cooper Jones addressed his teammates after Valparaiso’s Class 5A semistate game at Zionsville, speaking about loving every moment and enjoying the opportunity to play with “your brothers.”
Moments later, Jones and Valparaiso coach Bill Marshall embraced in a big bear hug. They exchanged words about the personal and team progress over these four seasons.
Jones, a defensive lineman/tight end and Indiana recruit, offered perspective following the Vikings’ 27-9 loss. He remembered getting called up to the varsity team as a freshman, with those seniors taking him under their wings, before emerging as a three-year starter, with each senior class serving as role models.
“I had great guys before me teach me leadership skills, and I tried to learn a little bit of all that,” Jones said. “I knew when my senior year came, I’d have to step into that role and try to be a great leader.
“I’m just so proud of these guys. It sucks to lose — it really does. But we were resilient. We fought hard all year, through cancellations, through not knowing if we were going to play. … But I love all these dudes.”
Valparaiso (8-1) has made three straight semistate appearances and reached the state championship game last season. This season, however, Zionsville (7-5) will advance to the state final, its first trip since 2000, against Indianapolis Cathedral (12-1).
Marshall sung the praises of these seniors, noting their freshman season was marked by coaching turnover.
“The first word that comes to mind for this group is ‘resilient,’ ” Marshall said. “They believed in it. They believed in the process. They believed in the brotherhood.”
Valparaiso led 9-7 at halftime behind quarterback Logan Lockhart’s 26-yard touchdown run and Liam Shepherd’s 42yard field goal. But Zionsville scored 20 straight points in the second half.
The Eagles drove 93 yards on the opening possession of the second half, capped by quarterback Josh Stone’s second 1-yard TD run.
Zionsville then came up with an interception, setting up Stone’s 18-yard TD run to make it 21-9 with 5:04 left in the third quarter.
The Vikings responded with a promising drive, but they fumbled at Zionsville’s 17-yard line. The Eagles turned that recovery into AJ Vinatieri’s first of two field goals, this one from 38 yards with 1:22 left in the third quarter. Vinatieri is the son of NFL kicking great Adam Vinatieri.
“We had some inopportune turnovers, and that happens,” Marshall said. “You run against teams where you’re evenly matched, if you turn the ball over, you’re not going to fare very well.”
Jones had four catches for 64 yards for the Vikings. Hayden Vinyard ran for 93 yards on 14 carries, and Lockhart added 51 yards on nine carries. Tommy Burbee had 23 yards on 10 attempts.
“They’re a very stout defensive line,” Marshall said. “Their two inside tackles are 300-pounders, and their two defensive ends are very active as well. They kind of stymied the run game for a little bit.”
Colin Price rushed for 153 yards on 26 carries for Zionsville, and Stone added 76 yards and three TDs on 21 attempts.
The Vikings missed four games because of the coronavirus pandemic. But they remained focused and disciplined throughout the uncertainty.
Jones recalled sitting in his room in March, thinking there wouldn’t even be a season. And he pointed out other states indeed have not been playing.
“It was crazy,” Jones said. “I look at it, every game was a blessing.
“We had an opportunity. … We just lost to a really good Zionsville team. At the end of the day, we controlled our own destiny, and we lost. There’s really not much more you can ask for.”