SALT LAKE CITY -- The Viewmont Vikings finished their three-games-in-eight-days odyssey by traveling to South Salt Lake to tangle with the state's number one ranked football program Saturday. The occasion was the first round of the 2004 state playoffs against the Brighton High School Bengals. The Vikes won the first two of the three-game stretch, but the Bengals were too much to handle as they thrashed Viewmont 45-13 Saturday afternoon.

The game was immediately in the Bengals' favor. Brighton, led by quarterback Taylor Gleave and running backs Mike Wilkinson and Rand Carter, scored on their first possession to go ahead for good, 6-0.

The Viking defense looked strong at times during the game, especially during the second and third quarters. Viewmont went into the second quarter already down 15-0 on two Brighton touchdown passes from Gleave to wide receiver Andrew Cannon and another to Wilkinson. The Bengals also received a gift from Viewmont star quarterback Cole Miles when he was called for intentional grounding and a subsequent two-point safety when the infraction occurred in the end zone.

Viewmont tried all they could to spice up their attack. They tried everything from reverse kickoff returns to long bombs from Miles, which is somewhat of a rarity for Miles and the Viking offense.

None of the gimmicks seemed to work as Brighton showed why they are undefeated and considered the best team in the state. When both teams lined up against each other, the Vikings were overmatched.

Brighton's menacing offensive line continually opened up holes for Wilkinson and Carter. Wilkinson led the running back tandem with 119 yards on just 16 carries. Carter assisted on the short yardage downs and gained 54 yards on 16 rushes for the game.

Gleave was the real star for Brighton. The senior quarterback not only passed for two touchdowns and 95 yards, but he also led the Brighton running attack with 140 yards. All in all, the Brighton offense produced some 325 yards on the ground and Gleave's 95 yards through the air en route to an overall output of 477 yards.

Miles was the lone Viewmont threat for which Brighton had no answer. Miles scored both Viking touchdowns while passing for 83 yards and running for another 29.

Miles' touchdown run in the second quarter got the Vikings to within 22-6, but the two-point conversion failed. In the third quarter, the Viking defense came out of the locker room determined to shut down the Brighton offense.

The defense did just that, and then the entire Viewmont entourage got a shot in the arm when Miles ripped off a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown that brought the Vikes to within 25-13.

The Miles return, coupled with some inspiring Viewmont defense, had definitely swung the momentum in the Vikings' direction.

Brighton came right back and doused the Viking fire, but for just a brief second. Gleave shook off some would-be Viewmont tacklers for a 63-yard run but was brought down from behind on a great play by the Vikings' Mike Nielson. Nielson lodged the ball loose from Gleave's hands on the play and Viewmont recovered the fumble at their own 20-yard line.

Viewmont was again methodical on offense after the turnover. They weren't moving the ball when Miles went to the air on a crucial third down play. On Miles' release, Brighton's Brent Grunander broke for the ball and intercepted the pass at the Vikings 30-yard line.

That interception iced the game for Brighton as it was literally all Gleave from the 30-yard line in for a big 32-13 Bengals lead.

Brighton picked up two more token touchdowns to finish out the rout. The last touchdown was rather unnecessary, as the Bengals could have taken a knee from the two-yard line with 10 seconds left to run out the fourth quarter clock. That last score from two yards out left the score 45-13 in Brighton's favor.

Viewmont's offense has had trouble all year scoring. This game was no different as Ryan Higley, the offensive star for Viewmont the last two weeks, was limited to only 13 yards on six rushes. The Viking offense only gained a total of 116 yards for the game. Miles gained the majority of those yards. The Bengals completely shut down the improved Viewmont running game led by Higley and fullback Hema Heimuli.

It would have been great to see both Miles and Gleave on more of an equal playing field. Both looked electrifying on the field. If Viewmont had linemen like the Bengals threw out there, Gleave and Miles would have had a duel for the ages. Both are equally fast and can score a touchdown from anywhere on the field.

Miles showed in the game that it wasn't just Region One that couldn't find ways to stop the wide receiver turned quarterback. Brighton's defense had no answer for number 24. It was just Viewmont's ineffectiveness on offense that stopped Miles. The Viking defense was very good in the middle two quarters of the game. One thing that really hurt Viewmont's chances was the early loss of senior safety Braeden Schlehuber. Schlehuber hurt his left shoulder during the very first series of the game and returned for only a brief stint late in the first quarter before re-injuring the shoulder.

Without Schlehuber, it was up to Marshall Milligan, Tony Mitchell and Higley to right the defensive ship. They nearly did, but eventually got worn down by the bigger Bengal offensive line.

Many of the second and third stringers were inserted halfway through the fourth quarter and that's when Brighton got their last two scores. With the win, Brighton moves on to host Clearfield this coming up Friday at 3 p.m. The game will be a rematch of an earlier preseason match-up in which the Bengals smashed the Falcons 30-14.

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