ROWAND – Two months can be a long time.

That is how long it had been since the West Columbus Vikings won their last football game.

However, on Friday night Coach Vernon Brigman’s Vikings got two big touchdown runs by Torres Newkirk in a 22-point fourth-quarter explosion as they defeated the host South Robeson Mustangs 28-12 in the Southeastern 1A-2A Conference game.

The win snapped a seven-game Viking losing streak and put their season record at 2-7. Their other win came over Dixon 48-25 in their Aug. 18 season opener.

With the score tied 6-6 after three quarters, West Columbus went ahead on a one-yard run and two-yard conversion run by Eric Green. Newkirk broke loose on TD runs of 54 and 32 yards to help the Vikings pull away. Eric Floyd added two extra point kicks for the Vikings, who are battling to regain a second straight state 1AA playoff berth.

Coach Barry Leonard’s South Robeson squad was coming off a big win over West Bladen that had snapped the Mustangs’ six-game losing streak. South Robeson is also 1-3 in conference and 2-7 for the season.

West Columbus, which finished runnerup in last season’s Southeastern Conference race, went ahead 6-0 on a two-yard second-quarter run by Travis Leggett. South Robeson tied the score in the third quarter on a five-yard run by Larry Breeden.

Newkirk ran for 84 yards on 16 carries while Leggett carried seven times for 79 yards. Leggett completed three passes for 63 yards, including a 44-yard gainer to Courtney Hayes.

The Viking defense had its best showing of the season, holding an opponent to only two touchdowns for the first time this season.

West Columbus, which gained its second straight win over South Robeson, will close out its regular-season home schedule this Friday when it plays host to St. Pauls.

WC – Leggett 2 run (kick failed).
SR – Larry Breeden 5 run (kick failed).
WC – Eric Green 1 run (Green run).
WC – Torres Newkirk 54 run (Dylan Floyd kick).
WC - Anderson 5 run (pass failed).
WC – Newkirk 32 run (Floyd kick).