COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Francis Howell Vikings complete an undefeated season with their first football state championship in school history.
Francis Howell cruised to a 49-21 title-clinching victory over the Fort Osage Indians (Independence, Mo.) on Friday night to earn the Missouri Class 5 State Championship.
The Vikings set the tone with a 33-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Adam Shipley on the first drive of the game. Francis Howell led 14-7 after the end of the opening quarter, never trailed and scored at least once in each of the four quarters. Shipley sparked the blowout with five touchdowns, three rushing and two passing.
Head coach Brent Chojnacki led the Vikings to triumph in the program’s second state title game and first in 10 years. Francis Howell ends the season with a perfect 14-0 overall record.
Francis Howell joins three other St. Louis-area schools with state titles this season. The St. Mary’s Dragons took home the Missouri Class 4 State Championship on the same field just hours before the Vikings. Last weekend, the Christian Brothers High School Cadets won the Missouri Class 6 title and the East St. Louis Flyers won the Illinois Class 6A State Championship.