M-A Vikings send two teams to Pop Warner league title games

For Menlo-Atherton Vikings president Harold Atkins — who serves as the head coach of the 10U team — the theme of the season has been one of family, and fittingly so.

“What’s special about this week is, one, you have older brothers and younger brothers on these teams,” Harold Atkins said. “The older brothers were expected to be here, and the younger brothers were not. … So, to me, what is special this year is it’s kind of an all in the family thing.”

Sure, youth teams rallying around the “family” philosophy is something of a cliché, but this certainly isn’t the case for Harold Atkins. The father of five boys, the longtime youth coach’s youngest son Erik Atkins plays for the 10U team. All four of Erik’s older brothers have played Pop Warner football, including Alexander, a current senior at Serra, who also coaches with the M-A Vikings this season.

There is a lot of football on the calendar for the Atkins family this weekend. Alex Atkins is playing in the Padres’ Central Coast Section Division I playoff opener Saturday; Harold Atkins will be in attendance for that game. Middle brother Andres Atkins, who plays at the NCAA Division III program at Luther College in Iowa, celebrates his Senior Day in the Norse’s regular-season finale Saturday; M-A Vikings vice president Erika Atkins, Harold’s wife, will be in attendance for that one.

“Instead of being happy for themselves, they’re just ecstatic for their younger brother,” Harold Atkins said. “But there is a bit of jealously there.”

The reason for the bit of jealously is simple. In reaching the league championship round as a 10U player, Erik Atkins has a chance of becoming the youngest brother of the Atkins clan to reach the national championships. The M-A Vikings have traveled to Florida five times over the past 15 years, but Alex Atkins is the youngest to ever play in a national championship game, traveling to play at Disney World at the 13U player.

“We were not expected to be here,” Harold Atkins said of the 10U team. “We were not one of the powerhouse teams at the 10U. Everybody knew our 14U was a powerhouse.”

The 10U Vikings are fronted by a mighty offensive line of tackles Erik Atkins and Anthony Durham, guards Matias Young and Kingston Jones, center Connor Hefferman and tight end Bass “B.J.” Butler. They have paved the way for skill players Henry Chen at quarterback, along with running backs Levi Baquero and Darius “Ray” Skipwith.

The team has overachieved. Regular-season upsets against powerhouses the Creekside Warriors-San Jose; the Bayside Broncos; and the Solano County Ravens thrust the 10U Vikings into the playoff picture. They moved to the league championship round with playoff wins over Santa Cruz 33-14; and over the East Bay Warriors-Oakland 20-7 in the semifinals.

As the No. 3 seed, the 10U Vikings will face the Bayside Broncos Sunday at noon in the finals.

The 14U Vikings, coached by Lopeti Taufoou, kick off Sunday at 2 p.m. After a bye in the opening round, they rolled to a 29-0 win in the semifinals at Santa Cruz.

The 14U squad posted a 7-1 record in the regular season. Their only loss was at the hands of the Bayside Broncos coached by longtime Serra coach Patrick Walsh and headlined by wide receiver back Charlie Walsh.

Two-way lineman Senituli Vea, at 14 years old he already towers over the team with his 6-6 stature, headlines the 14U Vikings roster. Along with lineman Cache Penisini, Vea paves the way for running back Jiovanni Henley and skill player Sione Pahulu, while safety Malakai Taufoou and cornerback Chase Puckett are standouts on defense.

“They have the all-world backfield too,” Harold Atkins said.

Nine championship games will be played at Live Oak this weekend. Division 2 teams play Saturday, with the Redwood City 49ers 8U team taking on Creekside at 10 a.m.; the RWC 49ers 11U playing Hollister at noon; and the RWC 49ers 12U playing Solano County at 2 p.m. All Division 2 winners advance to the regional championships in Reno, Nevada.