JOHNSON CREEK — The Parkview-Albany football co-op got off to a rough start. In the opening game of the season Aug. 22, the Vikings were trounced by Johnson Creek 40-0.

“Johnson Creek, give them credit. They were a lot more physical than I thought they’d be,” Parkview-Albany coach Bob Meyers said. “We just didn’t match their intensity on our offensive side — I thought we were really passive on the offensive front. I thought we played really hard defensively.”

While the defense played its part to keep the Vikings in the game, the offense never found a rhythm. Parkview-Albany managed just 64 yards of offense.

“We actually made some plays on special teams, too. We just have to get the offense cleaned up. I thought our defense played well enough to give our offense a chance to win,” Meyers said.

Starting a plethora of sophomores and juniors — the Vikings have just six seniors on the roster — many players were getting their first dose of varsity action against a team that went 9-2 a year ago and had outscored opponents 314-105.

Sophomore quarterback Javon Ferguson had a tough day against the Blue Jays. He was 0-for-9 passing with an interception, three sacks and fumbled twice — one of which was returned for a touchdown by Johnson Creek star Justin Swanson.

Swanson had a big day on both sides of the ball. He was 10 for 17 passing for 125 yards with two touchdowns, then ran for 87 yards and two more scores. Adding in the fumble recovery, he had three solo tackles and an interception.

Parkview-Albany’s defense kept the yards against down much of the game, but was left with brutal field position. On Johnson Creek’s opening drive, the Vikings forced a turnover on downs on just four plays. However, a fumbled snap on the snap for Parkview-Albany’s own punt four plays later gave the Blue Jays a first down at the Vikings 12. Johnson Creek scored three plays later on a 3-yard run on fourth down by Swanson.

The Jays’ next possession came from its own 42, but Swanson connected with Wyatt Owen on a back-door post route for a 40-yard score. On the Vikings’ next offensive play, Ferguson fumbled, with Swanson scoring on the recovery from 32 yards out as time expired on the first quarter, making it 21-0.

In the second quarter, the Blue Jays sustained a long drive nearly 70 yards, but on 1st-and-goal, Howie Olszewski rumbled forward toward the goal line, but Parkview’s Korben Brown stole the ball out of his hands to turn over possession. Minutes later, after a false start, sack and delay of game, the Vikings offense was backed up and Ferguson threw up a jump ball along the left sideline, only for Swanson to intercept the pass and return it 20 yards to the 8-yard line. Sam Budig scored on the next play, and Johnson Creek led 27-0 at halftime.

“I think our defense played good. In the first half it should have been 14 or 7 to nothing, instead it was 27-0 because we turned the ball over offensively,” Meyers said.

Swanson would add a 14-yard score in the third quarter and threw a 12-yard TD pass to Owen in the fourth. Parkview-Albany’s Jericko Schwartzlow also intercepted a pass in the end zone in the third quarter, stunting another Blue Jays score.

“I felt like we were playing with a lot of energy and we were playing well on defense, but I felt like the offense needed a lot of work to stay in the game,” said junior all-conference linebacker Luke Schwengels. “They were playing a little bit faster than us and had more talent than we did, but we have the talent to stay in the game. We just have to keep our heads into the game and play harder.”

Seven Vikings carried the ball in the game, combining for 64 yards rushing on 38 carries. Johnson Creek had 296 yards of offense.

Parkview-Albany hosts Belleville in Week 2.

“We need to work offense and get faster and better with our plays there, and then if we get that stuff down we’ll be winning games,” Schwengels said.