High school football

n Vikings vanquish Lions In the Straus Newspapers pre-season preview, Vernon was rated the top team in the Sussex County Interscholastic League by the coaches and staff of newjerseyfootball.org. On Saturday in Vernon, the Vikings solidified their top ranking by defeating perennial power Pope John 30-24. It was Vernon's first victory over Pope John since 1994. Vernon moved out to a 9-0 lead after 12 minutes. Justin Gannon, who rushed 17 times for 104 yards, bolted two yards into the end zone to open the scoring. Ryan Anzelone split the uprights with the first of four straight successful conversions, and the Vikings tacked on two points with a safety when a Pope John snap sailed out the end zone. After the Lions had cut the margin to 9-6, Gannon hooked up on an 80-yard TD bomb to Pete Tczap and followed with a 22-yard TD run as the Vikings opened up a 23-6 advantage before the Lions could get on the board a second time. Gannon was selected the SCIL Player of the Week. n Lenape routs Jefferson Lenape Valley roared out to a 35-0 lead by intermission as the Patriots routed Jefferson 42-7. Sophomore Miuke Groome excelled for LVR, toting the football 15 times for 176 yards, scoring four times on runs of 29, 7, 17 and 10 yards. n Hopatcong rolls over Newton Joe Matinek began his junior season by rushing for 180 yards on 11 carries and scoring four touchdowns to power Hopatcong to a 35-6 win over Newton. n Sparta handles Kittatinny Ryan Skorupka borke looses on TD runs of 10 and 66 yards to spark Sparta to a 21-9 win over Kittatinny. Skorupka finished with 151 yards rushing in 19 tries, while Danny D'Angelo carried eight times for 84 yards including a 41-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. n Wallkill edges Ramsey Tyler Wenz split the pipes from 18 yards out with 39 seconds remaining on the game clock to lift Wallkill Valley to a 9-7 win over Ramsey. Lance Baumgartner had scored on a three-yard run in the opening quarter but the PAT attempt failed. n High Point falls High Point dropped a 10-2 non-league decision to Wayne Valley. This week's schedule Friday (September 16) Kittatinny (0-1) at Lenape (1-0) 7:00 PM Pope John (0-1) at Hopatcong (1-0) 7:00 PM Saturday (September 17) High Point (0-1) at Vernon (1-0) 1:00 PM Jefferson (0-1) at Montville (0-0) 1:00 PM Mahwah (1-0) at Wallkill (1-0) 1:00 PM Sparta (1-0) at Newton (0-1) 1:00 PM