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By Jim Gallagher of the Vikings Boosters.

"Orlando, here we come." That's the mantra this week for the Menlo-Atherton Vikings Pee Wee footballers (ages 11-12). They earned a trip to the Pop Warner National Championships in Florida with a 20-6 victory on Saturday, Nov. 26, over the Cowlitz County (Washington) Colts at Woodside High.

Vikings Coach Steve Stenstrom, whose total offense record at Stanford would be topped later in the day by Andrew Luck, saw his team trailing 6-0 after a first-quarter touchdown by the visitors, a hard-hitting, well-coached group from the Longview area.

The Vikings struck back in the second quarter, however, on two touchdown passes from quarterback Blake Stenstrom — 18 yards to Tate Tussing and 63 yards to Jack Devine, who also had an effective run at the quarterback position.

Another touchdown pass — Stenstrom to Tussing in the second half — put the game away for the locals. A placekick conversion by Lucas Andrighetto, who also had a critical first-half interception, added two points to the Vikings total.

Some two dozen Vikings players, their coaches and families will fly to Orlando on Thursday, Dec. 1, prepared for a first-round game on Saturday. Another game is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 6.

If they're successful, the Vikings will play for the national championship the following Friday. ESPN will televise many of the games from the network's iconic Sports Center in Orlando.

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