GHS standout has career day for Vikings

Sidney Rice Sidney Rice had the biggest day of his career when the Minnesota Vikings needed him the most.

The former Gaffney High and South Carolina star teamed with Brett Favre on a 58-yard completion, setting up Ryan Longwell’s fourth field goal and keeping the Vikings undefeated with an edge-ofyour seat 33-31 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Baltimore’s Steve Hauschka missed a 44-yard field goal at the final whistle, that would have won the game.

Rice had six catches for a career-high 176 yards.

He leads the Vikings in receptions with 23 for 409 yards and two touchdowns. He’s averaging more than 18 yards a catch.

Sunday’s matchup was billed as the first true test of the season for the Vikings, who came in having beaten five teams with a combined record of 7-17. One of those victories was a Favre comeback for the ages, when he threw a TD to Greg Lewis in the closing seconds to beat the 49ers.

He had another big throw in that 40- year-old right arm on Sunday against the Ravens, the big play to Rice.

The Vikings took a 14-0 lead in the first 9 minutes and led 27-10.

But Raven quarterback Joe Flacco was just getting started. He threw a 32- yard TD to Mark Clayton. After a field goal by Longwell, Flacco capped a 49- second drive with a 12-yard TD to Derrick Mason, and it was 30-24. Ray Lewis and the Ravens’ proud defense came up with their first big stop all day, and Ray Rice’s 33-yard run gave Baltimore its first lead 7 seconds after it got the ball back.

Stunned and reeling, the Vikings turned to Favre and Rice. He pumpfaked and unloaded to Rice, who beat Frank Walker for the 58-yard catch that led to the game-winning field goal.

(The Associated Press contributed to the story.)