With two victories in two days, including one over the defending state 3A champions, the South Tahoe boys’ soccer team is right in the playoff mix.

The Vikings scored three second-half goals Friday night, Oct. 13, to stun their hosts, and defending champ, Sparks 3-2 and followed Saturday afternoon with an 8-1 drubbing of Lowry on senior day at South Tahoe.

“They were two big-time wins,” said Vikings head coach Leon Abravanel. “The potential has been there. We feel we can get results against any team in the state and it finally clicked for them.”

The Vikings could have crumbled on the road. They went into halftime trailing Sparks 2-0 and staring at a third straight loss. But instead of collapsing, they did something the coach has been looking for all season.

“They supported each other and gave everything they had,” Abravanel said. “We could have easily regressed and we didn’t. That’s what coaches pray for at this moment of the season. I told them Sparks was going to come out flat with that 2-0 lead and we’re gonna score quick.”

And that’s what happened. The Vikings (4-4-2 3A Northern League) jumped on the Railroaders (8-2-1 3A Northern League).

Brandon Estrada scored a pair of goals and Ignacio Vazquez scored the other to lead the stunning rally.

Sergio Rodriguez “played phenomenal in net. Maybe the best he’s played this season,” Abravanel said.

Giovani Yanez scored four goals the next day to lead the Vikings past Lowry.

“It was pretty ridiculous,” Abravanel said of Yanez’s effort.

Abravanel started all his seniors Saturday and honored them after the contest for their efforts with jackets. He also said Lake Tahoe AleWorX was very generous with its donation of a postgame fundraiser.

Armando Rosales scored two goals and Oscar Marzocco and Vazquez each added goals in the big win.

South Tahoe sits in fourth place in league and will look for a third straight win Wednesday, Oct. 18, when second-place Truckee (9-2-0 3a Northern) visit Vikings Stadium for a 5 p.m. kickoff.