The Dacia Vienna Vikings fell short against the Swarco Raiders last Saturday in a highly anticipated game. The Vikings came out ready to play but could not hold on to the win. In front of 4.500 fans at the Tivoli stadium the Vikings managed to keep the game tight until halftime but weren’t able to keep up the pressure in the third quarter. 

Leaving the Tivoli stadium with a 48:28 defeat, Vikings Quarterback Austin Herink had a lot to say about the game and about his time in Austria. “I heard quite a bit about the Raiders before getting here. They definitely lived up to their expectations and they are a very talented team.” Herink also mentioned that the stadium was one of the most beautiful stadiums he has ever played in. The outcome was not what the Vikings hoped for, but the team is ready for the upcoming game against the Wienerwald Amstetten Thunder this weekend. “We had a frustrating start against the Raiders, and as a team I think we needed to come out stronger at halftime. It is still early in the season and there is room for improvement.” Quarterback Austin Herink has been in Austria for only three weeks and has been trying his best to build a new routine and transition into a new culture. 

Post-game interview with Vikings HC Calaycay

After an upsetting lose last weekend, Coach Calaycay stays positive moving forward. “This was not the outcome we wanted against the Raiders, but there is still a lot of football ahead. We can’t judge the season based on this game. As a team, we need to focus our time on improving our special team and run defense”, HC Calaycay pointed out the areas that need to be addressed. Going into next week’s game, the Vikings are back on the practice field ready to take on the Thunder. Despite the loss, Coach Calaycay thought the team looked good in other areas. “I thought our quarterback stayed poised and focused throughout the game. He showed great leadership on the field which helped the receivers pick up yards and put points on the board.” In only two games this season, Herink has completed 563 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, and leads the league with his completion rate. In the match-up against the Raiders he connected with ten of his receivers, four of those - #4 Seikovits, #17 Dubravec, #14 Mayr and #18 Raber – made TDs. These stats have the Vikings excited and confident for the rest of the season.