They are, as one might expect, big and strong. They have a propensity for being fast and striking quickly. They are Vikings.

In this case, they are Charlo High School Viking and they are leaving many area football teams wrecked in their wake.

So it was for Plains High’s Horsemen when they wandered into the Viking village and experienced it for themselves as the senior laden Vikings cruised to a 50-6 win over Plains Friday night in Charlo.

Plains got the ball first and could not move forward against the large Charlo defensive line. The Horsemen’s initial set of downs ended just over one minute into the game when they were intercepted and the Vikings took possession on their own 15 yard line. The ensuing drive, which included a Charlo fumble they recovered to keep the drive alive, ended four football minutes later when 6-5 senior tight end/defensive lineman Wesley Anderson hauled in a 25 yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Hayden Hollow. The points after touchdown (PAT) run was good, and the Vikings were off to an 8-0 lead.

Following the kickoff, Plains had the ball deep in their own territory but were forced to punt after one set of downs, setting Charlo up at their own 36.

But Plains quarterback/defensive back Darren Standeford stepped in front of a long Vikings’ pass for an interception at the Plains six yard line.

Three downs and a punt later, Charlo got the ball back on their own 40, thanks to a 40 yard return. The Vikings moved quickly downfield and capped a drive with a two yard touchdown run by senior running back Tayre Brown. The PAT kick was good and as the final seconds of the first quarter wound down, Charlo held a 15-0 lead.

The second quarter was much like the first quarter with Charlo picking off another Standeford pass, this one by Hollow, who returned it to the Charlo 35. With 6:45 to play in the first half, sophomore Ryan Sharbono crashed over the goal line from the one yard line, giving the Vikings a 22-0 lead when the PAT kick split the uprights.

The ensuing kickoff was returned to midfield by the Horsemen, who once again could not move forward against the stout Charlo defense and were forced to punt. The snap from center was not good and the Vikings took control on the Plains 24.

A few plays later, Sharbono burst through the Plains defense on a five-yard touchdown run. The PAT try was no good, but the Vikings lead rose to 28-0.

Things kept getting worse for the Horsemen, whose next possession ended in a safety when Standeford was tackled in the end zone. The free kick by Plains as part of the safety was returned by Brown to the Plains 38. Two plays later Hollow broke free on a 34 yard keeper, setting the home team up on the Plains four. Two plays after that one of the Vikings' large size linemen, Jacob Tomlin, took a hand off from Hollow and bulldozed into the Plains end zone. The PAT kick was good, giving the Vikings a commanding 37-0 lead as the first half headed for closure.

Before the intermission, Charlo was back in business, this time on the Plains 36 yard line. On the next play, Hollow completed a 44 yard pass that gave the Vikings the ball on the Horsemen five yard line. On the next play, Charlo’s appropriately named lineman, Titan Inman, crashed over the Plains goal line from one yard out, boosting the Vikings lead to 43-0 after the PAT kick was blocked.

As time was running out in the first half, Standeford took advantage of a Charlo fumble that gave Plains the ball on the Charlo five. On the next play, Standeford hauled in a five yard touchdown pass, putting Plains on the scoreboard for the first time. The PAT try was no good and as the first half came to an end, Charlo held a 43-6 lead.

At that point the Mercy rule was in play, and the game clock ticked away the entire second half.

Charlo added another touchdown in the fourth quarter on a two yard run by Donovan Daniels, bringing the Vikings’ scoring raid to an end with Charlo in front, 50-6.

The win upped Charlo’s record to 5-3 overall and 5-2 in the Western 8-player conference play.

Plains, which has already topped its win total for the past three years, is now 2-6 overall and 2-5 in Western 8 action.

Plains has one game remaining on the 2023 regular season schedule, a road game this Thursday (October 19) in Darby. Charlo wraps up its regular season with a trip to Troy this Friday (October 20) to take on the Trojans.