WELL DESERVED...was a CCC Championship as Max Current and the Miami East Vikings stepped up to every challenge in 2008.

By Dwaine Maxson
OCTOBER 24, 2008 - CASSTOWN
Miami East completed a historic regular season with a 48-0 victory over Arcanum and as a result became the outright CCC Champions in their 50th year of football making it truly golden. It was the fifth shutout for the Viking defense this season and it was the first time since 1982 that they have had five or more in a season. They also tied the school record for wins in a season becoming the fifth team to win 9 games and the first since 1984. Miami East completely controlled the game by gaining 507 yards in total offense while holding the Trojans to just 187 total yards.

"We played great both offensively and defensively tonight. Our defense did a great job of stopping their running game," Viking Head Coach Max Current later said.

After stopping Arcanum on their first possession the Vikings scored on their first offensive possession with a Sam Smallwood 52 yard run. Later Tyler Dunivan scored on a 62 yard run and after the conversion run by Brock Smith they lead 14-0. Miami East's final score of the first quarter came on a 21 yard pass from Justin Baker to Rod Sotzing.

Brock Smith came up big in the second quarter with a 72 yard run for a touchdown and later catching a 39 yard pass from Baker for another score. The Vikings lead at the half 34-0. In the third quarter Smith again caught a 39 yard pass from Baker for a touchdown. Tyler Dunivan scored Miami East's final touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 16 yard run.

Again the Vikings had three 100 yard rushers in a game. Sam Smallwood had 115 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown. Brock Smith had 108 yards on 8 carries to go along with his two catches for 78 yards and three touchdowns. And the Vikings leader rusher on the night was Tyler Dunivan with 167 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. Dunivan also got over the 1,000 yard mark for the season to give the Vikings two 1,000 yard rushers in the same season (Smallwood being the other who now has 1,417 yards on the season). It is the first time in East's history they have had two 1,000 yard rushers in the same season.

Before the game Viking Coach Max Current said about the possibility of getting Dunivan over 1,000 yards, "We just want to get the win secured first." After the game he said, "We knew before the game he had a chance at it , so after we got a good lead we checked to see where he was at. We saw he was close, so we gave him some more carries. He finally got over 1,000 in the fourth quarter. It is a great accomplishment for both our line and for Dunivan."

As the game ended the players gave Coach Max Current a cold Gatorade shower. When he first took over the program in 1999 he was just trying to restore pride in a program that had fell on hard times, but in 2008 he has taken it to the top of the standings and accomplished his greatest coaching thrill by leading the Vikings to a league championship (that had eluded him 28 years ago as a player at Miami East). "This is a great accomplishment for our players. They had set their goal to win the league and go back to the playoffs. And they have done that. The entire community is excited," he later said.

Miami East quarterback Justin Baker also had a good night by completing 4 of 6 passes for 111 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Vikings also finished 5-0 at home for the first time since 1983 and for only the third time in school history. With the win they make a return trip to the playoffs, but will have to wait till Sunday to find out who they will play next week.

Score by quarters:
....................1.....2.....3....4......Final
Arcanum.........0.....0.....0....0..........0
Miami East.....20....14....7....7.........48

Scoring Summary:
ME-Sam Smallwood 52 yard run (kick failed).
ME-Tyler Dunivan 62 yard run (Brock Smith run).
ME-Rod Sotzing 21 yard pass from Justin Baker (kick failed).