DANG! I was hopin' Hart had run out of ammo for those six-shooters. But no, it turns out that the Indians put in a year's supply and a lot more guns as well. Talk about shootin' one's self in the foot! ARGHHH.

Now to the game. First, as to Valencia. I was very impressed with the Viking offense. Terrific balance. Lots of weapons. Generally superb execution. Right now, I'd rate Tartabull as the best receiver ever at Valencia (ahead of Shane Morales who probably has most of Valencia's records) and one of the best I've seen in this valley in the last few years.

Viking defense: not nearly as impressed. Better than Saugus but very beatable under the right circumstances.

The very short summary. Hart played poorly in the first half with two turnovers yet it was only 14-7 at half time.

Valencia scored easily on the opening drive of the second half on 5 running plays (carrues by Thompson, Tartabull, Vereen, Solley and then back to Thompson for the TD -- see what I mean about lots of weapons).

On the next series, Hart took it down to the Valencia 5 on a 75-yard run by Souza (biggest play of the season for Hart) -- then run for -4, incomplete and interception in the endzone and that was pretty much it. Hart had 1 lost fumble, two fumbles more that were recovered by Hart for losses and 4 INTs including two in the endzone. Valencia had one INT and two fumbles but recovered both (for gains no less!). Not gonna win too many games with a 5-1 deficit in turnovers.

Now for the details. Hart took the opening kickoff and started at the 20. The first pass was a quick slant but not caught (probably should have been). Next play was a short pass to another receiver and a flatout drop. We did not see another quick slant or similar pass the rest of the night. WHY NOT!? Third play a run for 11 by Souza and a first down. Then 3 and out.

Valencia: 3 and out. The series included a holding penalty and a SACK.

Hart, buried at the 4 on the punt, went 3 and out. The ensuing Hart punt was the best punt of the season. There was a flag even before the punt came down for an illegal block. A second fkacg on the return for another illegal block but then a third flag against Hart (not sure what it was for) at the end of the play -- so instead of having Valencia way back down the field, it was offsetting penalties and Valencia got a 31-yard return by Tartabull on the second go-round down to the Hart 26.

Valencia: run by Tartabull for 7 and then run by Thompson for 19 and the TD. 7-0 at 3:57 in the first.

Hart started at the 20 and moved the ball very nicely out to the 49 when Souza was hit as he tried to pitch on an option play (this was not a big hit by the Valencia tackler but rather a very poor decision to try and pitch it). FUMBLE. Valencia recovered back at the Hart 38 and scored 5 plays later on a 3-yard Thompson run. 14-0 at 11:19 in the second quarter.

Hart at the 27: incomplete, run for -1 and then on a long throw down the field (not in the least a Hart strength this year) and INTERCEPTION by Vereen returned to the Hart 35. Valencia got down to the Hart 7 but Diamond INTERCEPTED in the endzone and returned it to the 30.

Hart: 3 and out on a sack (fumbled exchange) and two incompletes.

Valencia: 3 and out with a sack.

Hart started at the 38 and scored on 12-play drive (which included another Hart fumble recovered by Hart) and ended with a 20-yard pass to a wide open Allmond in the endzone. 14-7 at :21.4 left in the half.

First half stats: Souza was 3 for 13, 39 yards, 1 INT and 1 TD. Note: about half the misses were drops by the receivers. Some of the others were very close to INTs. Souza had 10 carries for 8 yards (there was a fumble in there and I'm not sure who'll get charged with it or the yards lost but I put it -5 for Souza on the play). Stephens had 29 yards on 7 carries. Diamond had 6 yards on 3 carries.

Solley was 2-4 for 5 yards and an INT. He had 14 yards on 5 carries and was sacked twice. He also got caught pass from Tartabull for 18 yards. Tartabull had 1 run for 7 yards. Thompson had 58 yards on 8 carries and 2 TDs. Vereen had 1 reception for 2 and Bishop had 1 for 3.

Second half:

Valencia started at the 27: all running plays - Thompson for 7, Tartabull for 9, Vereen for 37, Solley for 15 and Thompson for 5 and the TD. 21-7 at 10:02 of the third quarter.

Hart at the 16: run by Stephens for 3, run by Souza for 1 (flushed), run by Souza for 75 down to the Valencia 5. Run by Diamond for -4 (was there ANYONE who didn't know this was coming?); incomplete and then INTERCEPTION to Tartabull in the endzone. (Again more a poorly conceived and poorly executed pass than anything else). This play seemed to really kill the intensity on Hart.

Valencia t the 20. Valencia got down to the Hart 24 on 5 plays been then got called for a hold and then unsportsmanlike conduct after the play ended which moved the ball back to the Valencia 47. No problem -- pass to Vereen for 53 and the TD. Valencia 28-7 at 5:43 in the third quarter.

Hart: 3 and out.

Valencia: starting at the 48, Valencia got down to the 4 but what was signaled as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty got backed up 11 yards (huh?) to the 15 where the Vikings ended up kicking a field goal. Valencia 31-7 at 11:53 in the fourth.

Hart started at the 20 and got to the Valencia 49 fairly quickly but then another INTERCEPTION in the endzone by Jabari Howard ended the drive.

Valencia started at the 13 and scored 4 plays later on a 72-yard run right up the middle by Thompson. Valencia 38-7 at 7:45 in the fourth.

Hart started at the 20 and moved down to the Valencia 13 (with 2 FUMBLES along the way and then threw another INTERCEPTION in the endzone to Vereen (not particularly close to the receiver).

Valencia moved the ball otu the the Hart 42 taking a knee to run out the time.

Second half stats: Souza was 4 for 11 for 52 yards and 3 INTs. He ran for 93 yards on 8 carries (two fumbles along the way that were not lost). Stephens had 9 yards on 3 carries. Diamond had -4 on 1 carry. Allmond had 1 reception for 0 yards, Borland had 2 for 40 yards and Brendan Cox had 1 for 12 yards.

Solley was 5 for 5 for 117 yards and a TD. He ran for 70 yards on 7 carries. Thompson had 128 yards on 11 carries. Vereen had 1 carry for 37, Tartabull had 1 for 9 and Bishop had 1 for 2. Tartabull had 3 catches for 60 yards, Vereen had 1 for 53 and a TD and Thompson had 1 for 4.

As is fairly apparent from both the score and the stats. The teams were fairly even in the first half with neither offense looking too sharp. In the second half, Hart's inability to stop the run really started to show up. And the "shot myself in the foot" interception in the 3rd quarter seems to have really deflated the Indians and energized the Vikings.

Big game next week for the Vikes for the lead in the Foothill. Big game for Hart for playoff purposes.