Vikings shutout Olympians 35-0 at season opener

Chase WohrleStaff Writer The Samo Vikings were victorious over the Leuzinger Olympians 35-0 on Friday at SMC, starting off their season undefeated.Senior quarterback Christian Salem vividly displayed both his athleticism and ability, keeping his play diverse with both running and passing successes. Last year Salem played under senior Brock Miller, who was then replaced by Sophomore Rhys Gervais, pushing Salem even further down the depth chart.But with Gervais and Miller out of the picture, the quarterback spot is monopolized by Salem.“He gave our receivers opportunities to make plays. When he’s putting the ball on the money like that, they've got to help him out,” head coach Travis Clark said. “I’m excited about his progress.”In addition to senior running back Kori Garcia, sophomore Will Taylor had a healthy amount of carries at the position, expressing the programs newfound depth when it comes to effective players.“About the victory and tonight, it’s over with,” Clark said. “I’m focused on Palisades right now, no doubt.”Despite the fact that the Vikings’ play left the Olympians unable to score, Clark says more will be required of the squad in order to obtain the win against Pacific Palisades, a much higher caliber of a team than Leuzinger.“I’ve played against them my whole life,” Clark said. “Palisades is a big deal to me.”