Rome was not built in a day and first-year Niles coach Joe Sassano knows there is a lot of work to do before he can turn the Vikings’ football program around.

Sassano’s first team got off to a quick start, winning its first three contests.

But Niles lost its final six games, scoring just 44 points in the process.

Visiting Lakeshore added to the Vikings’ woes with a 27-6 victory in the regular season finale for both teams.

“I don’t know if I really anticipated how big it was going to be,” Sassano said. “I knew the history here. I do think we’ve begun to change the culture. But it’s going to take time. You look at the numbers from the last 31 years and it’s not going to happen over night.”

That history includes 27 losing seasons in 31 years and no playoff berths since Niles played in the post season three straight years from 2001-03.

Sassano said that he will need to increase participation if Niles is going to compete against the likes of Lakeshore, which qualified for its 19th consecutive postseason with the victory Friday night.

“They had 47 guys dress and we had 28. …,” he said. “The key is getting numbers up. Our goal No. 1 this year was having three teams and we had three teams. Our junior varsity beat Lakeshore Thursday night and finished 5-4. So there’s been progress.”

Niles had an opportunity to take the lead on the Lancers at the end of the first half, but turned the ball over inside the 5-yard line. The turnover in the “red zone” was just one of many this season for the Vikings.

Lakeshore led 6-0 on a 43-yard run by Corey Hampton with 3:51 remaining in the second quarter.

Niles drove the length of the field in the closing minutes of the opening half and had the ball and had it first-and-goal at the Lancers’ 2-yard like.

An Alex Harpenau run gained a yard and the ensuing play with just seconds remaining. On the next play, Niles fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Lakeshore as time ran out in the half.

“When you’re snake-bit, you’re snake-bit,” Sassano said. “In our situation, you have to learn to crawl before you can walk. And I think we’ll be walking by the end of next year and hopefully we’ll be running the year after that.”

The Lancers built up a 27-0 lead on touchdowns runs of 9- and 80-yards by Hampton, who finished with 210 yards on 27 carries.

Niles averted the shutout in the final minute of the game as Mitchell Findeisen scored on an 8-yard run.

The Niles defense, despite a few key breakdowns, played well against the Lancers.

Dawson Bruckner and Cameron Canniff both had seven tackles, while Issac Arriaga and Tyler McCaffery each had an interception.

 

LAKESHORE 27, NILES 6

At Niles

Lakeshore      0     6     7     14 – 27

Niles              0     0     0       6 – 6

L – Corey Hampton 43 run (kick failed).

L – Chris Osburn 60 run (Robert Dente kick).

L – Hampton 9 run (Dente kick).

L – Hampton 80 run (Ryder Zielke kick).

N – Mitch Findeisen 8 run (kick failed).

Varsity records: Lakeshore 6-3, Niles 3-6.