JOHN DAY – The Grant Union football team went on the attack Friday night.

The Prospectors defeated Umatilla 53-24 to give the Vikings their first loss of the season. Grant Union also scored the most points on Umatilla of any team this season. The Vikings previously allowed a high score, 42-39, against Vale Oct. 10. Grant Union and Vale are the only teams to score more than three touchdowns on the Vikings.

Umatilla coach Kelly Allen said the Grant Union offense was too much for his team.

“The difference honestly was their offense was better than our defense,” Allen said. “Usually we can score 24 points and win games. Tonight that wasn’t the case. They (Grant Union) came to play.”

Grant Union put the ball on the ground and through the air during the game. They amassed 627 yards during the game. Prospector quarterback Austin Ranft had 322 yards passing. Dustin Lippert, with 155 yards and one touchdown, led the team in receiving while Dalton Moore had 81 yards.

On the ground the twosome of Tyler Martin and Zane Murray continue to put up big numbers. Martin had 102 yards rushing with two touchdowns while Murray had 87 yards and two touchdowns.

Prospector coach Monty Nash said each side of the attack helped the other.

“I said earlier in the season we had to have our passing game going,” Nash said. “We’ve been working on it and been able to run plays that highlight our quarterback and receivers. That definitely helped tonight. They have some big inside linemen and we were able to get them thinking outside with the pass and that opened the run up.”

Umatilla took advantage of some space to get big yardage in the air. Viking quarterback Steve Williams had a season-high 349 yards passing in the game. Kasey Pankey had 189 yards and one touchdown receiving.

However, the Vikings never got their running game going and were held to 88 yards rushing. Nathan Creason was Umatilla’s lead rusher with 38 yards on nine carries.

Grant Union secured the Eastern Oregon League championship with the win Friday night. If Grant Union loses when they travel to Riverside at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 and the Vikings win, they would be tied with Umatilla, 4-1, and the Prospectors would win the head-to-head tie break. The Vikings are guaranteed second place in the EOL due to a similar situation with Vale. Umatilla plays at 7 p.m. in Burns Friday, Oct. 31.

Nash said he’s glad to clench the EOL and keep his team undefeated.

“Hey it feels good,” Nash said. “We’ve been pushing for this. The kids have been working hard and I’m glad to be part of a season like this.”

The Pros will face Myrtle Point, the number three seed from the Sunset League, in the first round of the Oregon School Activities Association playoffs at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8 at Three Flags Field in John Day. Tickets for the game will be $6 for adults and $4 for kids and no passes will be accepted.