This wasn't supposed to be Kingsburg High's year in the Central Section Division III playoffs.
The Vikings entered as only the fifth seed, although they had played perhaps the strongest schedule of any team in that division.
As if to prove that point, Kingsburg went on the road Friday and handed No. 2 Ridgeview its only loss of the season, 41-34 in Bakersfield, for its third consecutive section championship.
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Austin Bray's 30-yard pass to Trevor Price with 4:21 left sent Kingsburg ahead to stay. Ridgeview then drove the field before the senior Price stole a hand-off at his team's 5-yard line and recovered the ball with 1:26 remaining to clinch it.
"To win it the way we did, I'm just amazed and grateful to be the coach of these guys," said Dave Steele, who has guided the Vikings to four straight section finals.
Kingsburg (12-2) opened the playoffs with a 39-0 rout of South at home and never returned. The Vikings went on the road and blasted No. 4 Hanford 40-21 in the quarterfinals, then shocked No. 1 Dinuba 34-10 last week to reach the final.
"Our first title was so special because we went undefeated," Dave Steele said. "Then we lost 31 seniors and moved to D-III, but won at Porterville. This one for sure no one thought we'd make it. We were just driven to prove everyone wrong. To win three straight road games and beat the unbeaten team is incredible."
Kingsburg led only 21-20 at the half but was up by two touchdowns late in the third quarter before Ridgeview (12-1) rallied to make it a game again.
Bray had two touchdown passes, his first to Kevin Hurtado. Brandon Steele threw two touchdown passes, one to Zach Bethel and the other to Price. Steele also had a short touchdown run.
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