Thanks to a huge game from star, wide receiver John Hendershott, DVC won a shootout Friday against rival Los Medanos College, 63 – 40.

Hendershott accounted for 24 of the Vikings’ 63 points.

He finished the game with five catches for 92 yards and three touchdown catches, while also running a kickoff back in the first quarter for a touchdown, all this while playing sparingly in the fourth quarter, the game already in hand.

 “I just did what the coaches have taught me all year long,” Hendrickson said. “Fortunately it worked out for the best, and I was able to get into the endzone.”

But it wasn’t just DVC’s offense that put points on the board. The Vikes also got another kickoff return for a touchdown by freshman, wide receiver Daniel Adler.

While giving up 40 points, DVC’s defense forced three turnovers, two interceptions and one fumble recovery.

With this win, DVC brings its non-conference record to 2-1, with wins over LMC and Contra Costa after losing to Sierra in the first game of the season.

After the game DVC was presented with a trophy after beating both of its sister colleges, LMC and CCC.

 “This was the idea of a coach at Contra Costa back in 2001, and goes to the team from the district that wins out among the three schools,” explained coach Darr. “It will never leave DVC as long as I am here.”

For the first time, DVC won’t play LMC in its conference schedule, since the Vikings are moving from the Golden Gate Conference to the ultra-competitive NorCal Conference.

 With this move, the Vikings will play for the state championship, if they win the conference, instead of just a bowl game.

The recurring theme throughout the game for DVC was missed, extra points, finishing the game 2-10, connecting on only one kick of six attempts and one two-point conversion out of four.

Both defenses started the game strong, allowing zero points through the first 11 minutes.

But after an LMC punt and penalty against the Mustangs, DVC started a drive on its own 33 yard line.

After a 37-yard catch by wideout Kava Tyrell and a late-hit penalty against LMC, the Vikings lined up in Mustang territory.

 A 17-yard scramble by quarterback Kyle Havens set up a 3-yard touchdown pass to Hendershott with 3:14 to go in the first quarter.

After a failed two-point conversion, the Vikes led 6-0. LMC was undisciplined the entire first quarter, committing three penalties, two of which led directly to DVC’s first touchdown drive.

LMC looked to have gained all the momentum after defensive back Kevin Williams intercepted a pass from Havens and ran it all the way in for a touchdown with 28 seconds to go in the first quarter.

But the penalty bug bit the Mustangs again, as Williams was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for jumping into the end zone.

The Vikings shut down the Mustangs’ rushing attack, keeping LMC’s rushers out of the end zone until late in the third quarter. LMC’s leading rusher Thomas Hampton came into this game the eighth leading rusher in Northern California, averaging 104 yards per game, and DVC limited him to just 38 yards.

 “We knew the backs were pretty quick, so we knew we had to come downhill and stop them, and once we did that we knew our corners could shut down the passing game,” said Jordan Atkinson, DVC’s stud linebacker who was named a preseason, second-team All-American.

LMC’s passing game gave the Vikings fits, connecting multiple times for passing plays of more then 30 yards and leading to three touchdown passes in the second quarter alone.

The second half started out slow just like the beginning of the game, with both defenses making halftime adjustments to slow down each other’s offense.

But with 6:53 remaining in the third quarter Havens connected with Hendershott once again for a 36 yard touchdown.

“Its nice to have a guy that you know you could put it out there wherever you want, and he’s going to go get it,” quarterback Havens said about Hendershott after the game.

With LMC pulling within 11 late in the third, the Vikings put the game away after running back Joe Jointer broke a 58-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 57-40 with 6:58 to go in the game. Jointer finished the game with 105 rushing yards on only eight carries.

The Vikings continue their non-conference schedule when they play West Hills College at home tomorrow. Jordan Atkinson and the DVC defense will look to keep the West Hills offense in check.

“We are going to keep them under 40 next week, for sure,” Atkinson said.

“You can bet on that.”

 Game time is 7 p.m.