Vikings Athletics
Upper Merion Area School District
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Posted 9.0 years ago @ 2:36AM
Championships are Forever!
The clock ticking inside of 5 seconds, Great Valley with the ball trailing 20-19, Junior Quarterback Anthony Parker-Boyd rolls out of the pocket to the far side of the field, looking for an open receiver. He keeps the ball himself, and is brought down by Shane Frymoyer. The clock reads zeros, and at long last, it is official. The sights and sounds of November 19, 2004 will forever be immortalized in Upper Merion lore, but the long and winding road toward a District Championship began some 3-months prior, underneath the setting sun at Viking Field.
It was a season of new beginnings for the Vikings who were led by 1st year Head Coach Ed Helenski. The season began against a familiar crosstown rival, the Norristown Eagles. Upper Merion opened the season with two convincing wins before losing a heartbreaker to Quakertown. Upper Merion began its league season with a string of victories over Wissahickon, Cheltenham in overtime thriller, and Upper Moreland, pitting them against Central Bucks West in a game to decide the league championship.
Upper Merion’s second loss of the year meant that one more would eliminate the Vikings from the postseason. The Viking responded in a big way winning 28-20 on their homecoming and eventually finished the regular season at 8-2 clinching the 3rd seed in the District 1 playoffs.
A 1st round victory over Upper Perkiomen sent the Vikings to their 2nd District Championship game in 3 years but this one had a much different outcome as Upper Merion held off previously undefeated Great Valley to clinch their first ever District 1 Class AAA Championship.
The senior leadership was pivotal to the success of the team as was the comradely of all the teammates. The seen on the field and the celebration that followed at the high school that night in November, will remain a part of Upper Merion history, as will the entire 2004 Viking Football season, which produced the programs 1st ever District 1 Championship trophy in Football.
UPPER MERION AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
2004 DISTRICT 1 CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON RECAP
Opponent Location Score Win/Loss
Norristown Area H.S. Home 28-14 Win
H.D. Woodson H.S. Home 36-14 Win
Quakertown H.S. Home 15-21 Loss
Wissahickon H.S. Away 34-20 Win
Cheltenham H.S. Home 36-35 Win
Upper Moreland H.S. Away 36-8 Win
Central Bucks West H.S. Away 12-42 Loss
Plymouth Whitemarsh H.S. Home 28-20 Win
Upper Dublin H.S. Away 41-12 Win
Methacton H.S. Home 26-7 Win
PIAA District 1 AAA Playoff
Upper Perkiomen H.S. Away 40-14 Win
PIAA District 1 AAA Championship
Great Valley Away 20-19 Win
PIAA State AAA Quaterfinals
Berwick H.S. Away 16-47 Loss
OVERALL RECORD: 10-3
COACHING STAFF: Ed Helenski - Head Coach, Mike Fabrizio, Frank Karkoska, Brian Kennedy, Nick Rotondo Jr., Jim Sharkey, Eric Shrader, Brett Wolski