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The football team dropped to 0–2 after a 48–26 loss against the Landon Bears Friday night.

The Vikings opened the game with an impressive drive, which included a fourth-down conversion on a fake punt, and culminated with a diving touchdown catch from receiver Alex Hilsenrath.

However, the Bears responded with two scores of their own, ending the first quarter with the lead.

Despite getting into the red zone several times in the first half, the Vikes were unable to finish many of their drives.

After another Landon touchdown early in the second quarter, the Vikes retaliated with a score of their own, a trick play that resulted in a touchdown pass from receiver Jack McClelland to Hilsenrath, who finished the game with 107 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Hilsenrath attributed the team’s success through the air to a shift in how the receivers lined up.

“We changed our receiver alignment so [tight end] Austin DeRamus and I were on the same side of the ball,” he said. “This allowed us to work off each other and get open more easily.”

DeRamus, who also starts at linebacker, had a great night playing on both sides of the ball, receiving for 55 yards and a touchdown on top of making several key defensive stops.

Trailing 27–12 at halftime, the Vikings kept the game within reach in the third quarter, decreasing their deficit on a touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Clayton to DeRamus.

However, Landon dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring the Vikings 21–8. Whitman’s thin roster was a major weakness, with several receivers and Clayton having to be subbed out periodically due to cramps.

Clayton, who passed for 229 yards in the contest, rushed for the Vikes’ final touchdown on a quarterback sneak.

The Vikings’ next game is Friday at 6:30 against Einstein (0–2).