CONWAY, Ark. - Vikings football overpowered the Hendrix Warriors 42-13 in a commanding road victory, anchored by a dominant defensive performance that broke the program record for the fewest rushing yards allowed in a game.
The Vikings held Hendrix to an incredible -21 rushing yards, surpassing their previous record of 8 yards set in 2017, also against Hendrix.
Berry struck first in the opening quarter after a methodical drive that was capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from quarterback Christian Lewis. The Vikings moved 7 yards in just four plays, set up by a 51-yard punt return by Nate Lyons that put them deep in Hendrix territory. Lewis punched it in from a yard out with 2:19 left in the quarter, and a successful two-point conversion on a pass from Nate Lyons to Brendan Gray gave Berry an early 8-0 lead.
Hendrix responded just 10 seconds later when quarterback Jacob Buniff connected with receiver Kanyn Utley for a 65-yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead to 8-6. However, Berry's defense quickly tightened, and the Warriors' rushing game was stifled from the start.
The Vikings' ground attack came to life early in the second quarter. After starting at their own 35-yard line, Berry marched 65 yards in seven plays, culminating in a 3-yard rushing touchdown by Brandon Cade. Cade powered his way through the Hendrix defense after key runs set him up inside the 5-yard line, giving Berry a 15-6 lead following Trey Richards' extra point.
Later in the quarter, Christian Lewis led an impressive 95-yard drive that chewed up nearly five minutes off the clock. The highlight was a 6-yard touchdown pass from Lewis to Khamari Smith, who made a great catch in traffic to extend the lead to 22-6.
With 3:34 left in the half, Lewis showcased his deep-ball ability by hitting Bryce Herring for a 37-yard touchdown pass. Herring sprinted past the Hendrix secondary and hauled in the perfectly placed throw to put Berry up 29-6. Hendrix managed to add a late score before halftime with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Buniff to Utley, but a 44-yard field goal by Trey Richards as time expired sent the Vikings into the break with a 32-13 lead.
Berry's defense completely took over in the second half. Richards tacked on a 26-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to make it 35-13, but it was the Vikings' defense that stole the show. Hendrix's rushing attack was non-existent, with Berry's defense, led by Grady Bryant and Michael Clark, consistently pressuring Buniff and stopping Hendrix behind the line of scrimmage. The Warriors were sacked four times and couldn't establish any ground game, finishing the game with -21 rushing yards.
In the fourth quarter, the Vikings capped off their victory with another well-executed drive. Running back Brayden Hardy finished a 7-play, 45-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to extend Berry's lead to 42-13. Hardy's score came after Berry methodically worked their way down the field with several key rushes by Cade and Hardy.
The Vikings' defense made history in this game, holding Hendrix to -21 rushing yards, which broke the program's previous record of 8 yards allowed, set in 2017 against the same Warriors. Defensive linemen Michael Clark and Grady Bryant spearheaded a ferocious rush, with the team recording four sacks and multiple tackles for loss.
The Vikings return to Valhalla next weekend to take on Sewanee, Saturday at 2:00 PM ET.