VWith new coaching staff and new players, fans of the Puyallup Vikings football team were unsure how this season might have turned out. But seven weeks into their season, they find themselves in the number one spot in the 4A division in Washington.

One contributing factor to why they have the spot they do is due to the win against the Sumner Spartans 58-22, Oct. 4. Sumner was a top five ranked team going into the game and was one that the Vikings had chalked up on their calendar since the offseason.

The Vikings put their faith in new transfer quarterback Noah Smith who led them to victory in a game that they weren’t favored in.

“I mean first start brought some nerves,” Smith said. “[And] they’re a top team, but I just went out and played that underdog role.”

Going into halftime of the game, the Vikings were up 31-0 in a score that shocked everybody in the crowd. But for Smith and his team, they were just getting started.

“That locker room experience was great,” Smith said. “But we always say at halftime, it’s a 0-0 ballgame and still can be anyone’s game.”

Smith threw for 349 yards and four touchdowns, hitting multiple of his receivers throughout the game. Even though this was Smith’s first game throwing to his receivers during a game, there has been much offseason work that has been put in for this success to happen this late in the season.

“We’ve been throwing since Summer,” Smith said. “Pretty much every day as much as possible to get that chemistry together before we played.”

Smith said his offensive line was a big factor in the victory.

“[Those guys] kept me safe the whole game,” Smith said. “They let me run the ball and put me in the best position to play as I could be.”

With the success of the team, the Vikings look to close out their regular season with a victory against their rival, the Rogers Rams tonight at Sparks Stadium, to send them to the postseason to compete for a State championship.