HAYFIELD -The gridiron fans in Hayfield haven’t seen a football team like the 1999 squad in years.

Sunday, September 12, 1999

HAYFIELD -The gridiron fans in Hayfield haven’t seen a football team like the 1999 squad in years.

Friday night in its home opener, Hayfield used a three touchdown spree in the last four minutes of the first half to rip open the tilt with Zumbrota-Mazeppa and go on to a 39-6 victory.

Running back Justin Oakland had a big game for the Vikings. The first of his three touchdowns came on a 13-yard run to cap off Hayfield’s second possession of the ball game. That was just a taste of things to come.

In the second quarter, Oakland (18 rushes, 177 yards and two TDs, and 1 reception for 61 yards and a TD) broke up the middle and dashed 47 yards for a an apparent touchdown. The score, however, was nullified by an illegal blocking penalty. After a holding penalty which set the Vikings up with a first and long at the 29, Hayfield coach Vince Reynolds had seen enough yellow flags, so he called for a pass. Junior quarterback Jon Severson (6-10-176, 3 TDs) delivered with a strike to Seth Mattison down the left sideline for the TD.

On the ensuing kickoff the Cougars return man was met by a wall of Hayfield tacklers and he coughed up the football. Hayfield recovered at the 29. On second down Severson struck again with a pass over the middle to Korey Holtan. with 1:36 remaining in the half.

The Vikings had one more chance to score in the half. On third and nine from their own 39, the Vikings went for it all. Oakland ran a fly pattern down the right sideline. He broke past his man and Severson slung it to him in stride and Oakland trotted in for the score with just four seconds left on the clock. The halftime score was 26-0.

"That was the nicest pass," Oakland said. "I just stuck out my hand and just ran under it."

Severson threw for his third touchdown in the third quarter. The play went for 25 yards and Brent Young got the score.

Oakland closed out the Hayfield scoring in the fourth quarter with another long distance strike. This time he did it on the ground. He broke an off tackle play for 68 yards with 10 minutes left in the game.

"There was great blocking on the play," Oakland said. "There was just a big hole with an open view of the field for me."

The score made it 39-6. At the start of the quarter the Cougars scored their only touchdown of the night on a 21 yard run by Beau Ryan on a counter play.

"We got a great game from our defense with only that one scoring drive," Reynolds said.

Indeed they did, giving up 151 total yards, 87 on the ground even though they were without their top three linebackers who were injured in last week’s game.

The Vikings play their final non-conference game against the HVL Blue Division when they host Lake City next Friday.