UNIONVILLE – The Community Middle Vikings used their running game to control time of possession and took advantage of two Forrest Rocket turnovers as the Vikings closed out their season with an 8-6 win over the Rockets in a DRVC contest Thursday night.

The Vikings stopped the opening drive by the Rockets as Jax Latta recovered a Rocket fumble at the Community 30-yard line.

Latta ran for 33 yards while Peyton Martin rushed for 13 yards as the Vikings moved into the red zone.

A 15-yard touchdown run by Latta put Community on the scoreboard. Martin followed with an important 2-point conversion as the Vikings took an 8-0 lead with 2:28 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Vikings started the second quarter at their own 39-yard line and maintained possession for all eight minutes of the quarter.

The possession included two fourth down conversions and three penalties, including one penalty that negated a 57-yard touchdown run by Latta. Community appeared ready to up its lead, but a pass attempt from the Rocket 7-yard line on the final play of the quarter fell incomplete in the end zone.

Caleb Smith of the Vikings highlighted a scoreless third quarter by gaining possession after wrestling the ball away from a Forrest runner.

After the Vikings failed on a fourth down conversion, Forrest took over at the Community 46-yard line. On third down, the Rockets ran 41 yards for the touchdown to get within two points of the lead. After a 5-yard penalty, the try for two was unsuccessful, leaving the Vikings with an 8-6 advantage with 3:42 remaining in the game.

Community took over possession at its own 47-yard line. With the help of a 24-yard run by Martin, the Vikings marched deep into Rocket territory. A rush for a first down by Martin on a fourth-and-one sealed the win as the Vikings went into a victory formation to close out the final seconds.

Forrest 0 0 0 6 - 6

Community 8 0 0 0 - 8