The South Fork Cubs put themselves right back in the chase for the North Coast Section football playoffs with a much-needed win over Swett in Miranda on Friday night. 

The defending Division-1 eight-person football section champs rolled to a 68-12 win to go to 1-2 in the North Central II conference.

The victory was the first of the season for South Fork, which despite their record came into the weekend as the No. 4 ranked team in their division, according to MaxPreps.

And it was a nice response from the players, who had suffered some tough losses in recent weeks.

“We came out and executed and had minimal mistakes,” head coach Karl Terrell said. “The defensive plan was put into effect and executed.”

It’s been a tough season for the defending NCS champs, who had just 13 players available for Friday’s game after some injuries took their toll, including a season-ending injury to influential team captain John Stafslien.

It was also just the teams’s sixth game of the season and only their fourth against eight-person programs.

And many of those eight-person programs have rosters larger than any H-DNL 11-player teams.

According to Terrell, Swett had 30 players on its roster, while Branson, whom the Cubs lost to last week, had 38 players suited up.

Which begs the questions, why are these schools playing eight-person football and why does the NCS not have a roster size limit for eight-person programs?

Regardless, the Cubs did what they had to do on Friday night and got a much-needed win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

“I’m pretty proud of the kids for coming out and performing after some down weeks,” Terrell added.

Team captains Wesley Way, Travis Way and Boden Bero-Vanmeter all have impressed this season keeping their teammates on track and that continued to be the case on Friday.

Quarterback Wesley Way had as good night running and throwing the ball.

The senior standout finished with 212 yards rushing on 15 carries and ran in for four touchdowns and a pair of two point conversions, while also throwing for two TDs.

Bero-Vanmeter also impressed and finished with 123 yards rushing on 12 carries and had two receptions for 55 yards, while scoring three touchdowns.

Travis Way ran for 61 yards on two carries and had a receiving touchdown, as well as returning a fumble recovery for a TD.

Daniel Furman also ran in for a touchdown.

In addition to his big night on offense, Bero-Vanmeter had a team-high nine tackles on defense, while Kael Puno finished with eight tackles.

“All in all, it was a good game,” Terrell said.

The Cubs have two games remaining — at Calistoga next week and at home to Stuart Hall in two weeks — and one win from those two should see them make the playoff field.

Only Stuart Hall, Branson and Roseland Prep are currently ranked higher than the Cubs in NCS eight-person Division 1, and the Cubs’ strength of schedule is by far the highest in the division.

The Cubs played a pair of 11-person teams to start the season.