It was a good run for the Santa Monica High School football team. Coach Travis Clark had his team in position to contend for the Ocean League title, which they fell just short. The Vikings earned a berth into the postseason after finishing second in the Ocean League, losing only to eventual league champs Culver City in overtime.
Samohi then went out and claimed a first round playoff victory at home. But the Vikings’ postseason run ended Friday night in the second round of the CIF playoffs. After posting a shutout win against Channel Islands in the first round, the Vikings found themselves on the short end of a 42-10 road defeat to Lompoc.
The key to the contest was that Samohi’s strength as a unit was used against them. The Vikings have had a strong rushing attack all season, plowing through opposing defenses with ease. Running back Kwame Duggins has been the main cog for Samohi’s rushing engine this season.
Against Lompoc, however, it was the other way around for the Vikings. Lompoc had three players rush for 100 yards or more enroute to amassing 440 yards on the ground for the game. This wasn’t a game where the opponent sort of wore down on the Vikings.
Samohi was hit with Lompoc’s version of “Fast and Furious,” as the Vikings found themselves trailing 21-7 at the end of the first quarter. That would be all the points that Lompoc needed to win. Samohi managed a field goal in the second quarter, but the scoring stopped after that. The Vikings were blanked in the second half.
The only other time the Samohi gave up 42 points in a game this season was in a loss to Mater Dei back in September. Samohi finished its season with a 7-5 overall record. The Vikings recorded a 4-1 Ocean League record.
