FWB focuses on finishing against a Pace team that's beat them three straight times

By TRAVIS DOWNEY

Florida Freedom Newspapers
(850) 315-4476 | travisd@nwfdailynews.com

 FORT WALTON BEACH - Before Fort Walton Beach (9-1) had gone through its first practice, Vikings coach Mike Owens already had a clear objective for his team last spring: To become a more physical football team.

Entering tonight's 4A regional semifinal playoff game at Pace, Owens feels that despite his team's pass-happy offense that relies on quick passes more than it does bulldozing runs, the Vikings have done just that as they prepare to face a Patriots team known for its physicality.

"Pace is a physical team," Owens said. "They're going to try to run it at us ... we have to play physical.

"I feel good about it. I think we match up pretty we match up pretty good."

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. tonight at Pace (6-5), where the Vikings will try to exorcise the demons of past failures against the Patriots.

Each of the last three meetings between the two schools has ended the same - with the Vikings saddled with a loss.

In 2005, the Vikings fell to Pace in both team's season opener, 21-14 before later coming up short to the Patriots once more in that season's regional semifinals, 32-28.

Pace would advance all the way to the state semifinals before losing to eventual 4A State Champion, Nease, who was quarterbacked by a young man by the name of Tim Tebow.

Fort Walton Beach and Pace met again the following fall to open the 2006 season - and a brand new Steve Riggs Stadium - where once again the Patriots edged the Vikings, 35-34 in a game that still causes Owens to wince in pain.

"Dadgummit, we did everything right, we just didn't finish the deal," Owens recalled.

Earlier in the week, Owens showed his team film of that 2006 loss, a game in which this year's seniors saw first hand as sophomores, in hopes of reminding them of the pain that loss brought with it.

It worked.

"Revenge is big," quarterback Luke Barnes said. "We're trying to come back and get revenge on them.

"They're physical and they have some speed, we know (their) offense is going to score so we have to put up some points, too."

Pushing around the Pace defense will require the type of physical play up front that Owens hopes to have by now instilled in his team.

According to Viking offensive lineman Jayce Holley, it's not always the biggest that wins the battle.

"None of us are really big," Holley said. "We're not as big or as strong as some of the linemen we face, but we make up for it in technique and other ways."
 

FORT WALTON BEACH (9-1) at PACE (6-5), 7:30 p.m.

Last week: Fort Walton Beach defeated Tate 44-21. Pace defeated Crestview 41-7.

Last year: Not applicable.

Players to watch:

FWB: Luke Barnes, QB; Trent Williams, WR; Rashad Smith, LB.

Pace: Aaron Munoz, QB; Tyler Bousson, WR; Travis Scott, RB.