Vincent Massey Vikings 2014 Hall of Fame Class
2004 RMFL Championship Team
2004 was a very special year for the Viking Football team. After a heart breaking loss to the Neepawa Tigers in the 2003 final the Vikings were looking forward to the start of the 2004 season. The season did not get off to a great start as the Vikings got trounced in the opening game by the Dauphin Clippers 36-0. The loss to the Clippers galvanized the team and they did not lose again the rest of the year as they went on to beat the very same Dauphin Clippers 28-24 in the RMFL final.
The Vikings were heavy underdogs heading into the final game against the Clippers who had dominated their opponents all year long with a relentless offence. The Vikings, after beating the Crocus Plainsmen in a tough semi-final match, knew they were in for a real challenge. The Vikings would also have to face the Clippers offence without two of their starting linebackers. Chase Fiegal was chosen to play for team Canada in a rugby event in Europe and P.J. Campbell couldn't play due to an illness which he got just hours before the game. P.J‘s illness forced our backup quarterback Thomas Weber to step in to play linebacker a position he had never played.
The final game was a very tightly contested battle and it wasn't until late in the game that Tyson Snelling broke the game open by making one of the most memorable plays in Viking History. The Vikings gave up a TD with 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter making the score 21-17 Vikings. It appeared that momentum had swung to the Clippers. The Clippers attempted an onside kick that was picked up by Tyson Snelling who ran it 60 yards into the end zone giving the Vikings a 28-17 lead. Although the Clippers scored a late touchdown the Vikings hung on to the lead and captured their 4th RMFL title in 6 years. The team had adopted the saying “What’s the most important play in football? The Next one!” and it was often heard on the sidelines - especially when things were going against the team. The mantra gave the team focus on what they could affect and not what had just happened. Tyson Snelling’s play was a perfect example of how the team never gave up and always looked towards the "NEXT PLAY!".
The team is being recognized by the Viking Hall of fame not just because of the championship but also because of the team’s commitment to character and its ability to overcome obstacles. What made the team so special was how hard they worked for one another. Each player was willing to give of themselves so that his teammates and team could have success. The team epitomized the “Viking Way” and set the standard for every team after them. The 2004 football team and all of its members are worthy entries into the Viking Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014.
The Vikings were heavy underdogs heading into the final game against the Clippers who had dominated their opponents all year long with a relentless offence. The Vikings, after beating the Crocus Plainsmen in a tough semi-final match, knew they were in for a real challenge. The Vikings would also have to face the Clippers offence without two of their starting linebackers. Chase Fiegal was chosen to play for team Canada in a rugby event in Europe and P.J. Campbell couldn't play due to an illness which he got just hours before the game. P.J‘s illness forced our backup quarterback Thomas Weber to step in to play linebacker a position he had never played.
The final game was a very tightly contested battle and it wasn't until late in the game that Tyson Snelling broke the game open by making one of the most memorable plays in Viking History. The Vikings gave up a TD with 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter making the score 21-17 Vikings. It appeared that momentum had swung to the Clippers. The Clippers attempted an onside kick that was picked up by Tyson Snelling who ran it 60 yards into the end zone giving the Vikings a 28-17 lead. Although the Clippers scored a late touchdown the Vikings hung on to the lead and captured their 4th RMFL title in 6 years. The team had adopted the saying “What’s the most important play in football? The Next one!” and it was often heard on the sidelines - especially when things were going against the team. The mantra gave the team focus on what they could affect and not what had just happened. Tyson Snelling’s play was a perfect example of how the team never gave up and always looked towards the "NEXT PLAY!".
The team is being recognized by the Viking Hall of fame not just because of the championship but also because of the team’s commitment to character and its ability to overcome obstacles. What made the team so special was how hard they worked for one another. Each player was willing to give of themselves so that his teammates and team could have success. The team epitomized the “Viking Way” and set the standard for every team after them. The 2004 football team and all of its members are worthy entries into the Viking Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014.