Vikings

Jack Burns, an offensive assistant with the Washington Redskins for the past three years, has been given permission to interview with the Minnesota Vikings, general manager Charley Casserly said yesterday.The Vikings also said they were interested in interviewing another offensive assistant, Rod Dowhower. Casserly declined to comment on Dowhower's status, which might mean the Redskins talked him into staying on their staff.Burns spent 14 years in the college ranks and three years in the United States Football League before joining the Redskins in 1989.

Last night, No. 6 Mount Hebron showed just how far it has come this season.With a 60-25 victory over No. 18 Glenelg, the host Vikings rolled to their 10th straight Howard County league win.Earlier, the Vikings (14-6 overall, 11-1 league) struggled to put their game together. But in the last month and a half, they have rebounded to win 11 of 13 games."I'm not sure I could put my finger on exactly what happened [to turn the season around]," said Vikings guard Emily Yanero, who scored 27 against Glenelg.

Records can deceive.Both Mount Hebron (8-5 overall, 8-0 league) and visiting Centennial sported unbeaten league records entering yesterday's next-to-last regular season game.But it was Hebron that fashioned a 17-3 thrashing of Centennial yesterday, earning the Vikings at least a tie for the county title. The result may seem shocking. But it really was to be expected.The Vikings have rolled through the league without allowing a county opponent more than five goals. They have now outscored opponents, 127-23.

Mount Hebron's wrestling team needs capable, beefy bodies.Of the 13 weight classes, they will forfeit at least four -- primarily in the heavier weights -- because they lack wrestlers to fill them.If the season-opening tri-match is an indication, this will be a long season for Mount Hebron. The Vikings forfeited four spots in a 56-18 loss to Fallston and a 47-21 loss to Perryville on Wednesday. A forfeit is worth six points."If you look at our matches, we're usually competitive," said Jeff Quinn, the Vikings' fifth coach in as many years.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Road 'dogs.The Chicago Bears love that role. Send them on the road, tell them they have no chance to win. Push them to the brink of extinction. And then watch them respond.They were underdogs at Miami in November and knocked off the AFC East champions. They were decided underdogs again in yesterday's NFC wild-card game, but emerged with a 35-18 victory at the Metrodome."For some reason, we seem to play better on the road," said veteran defensive back Maurice Douglass.This young Bears team is going places.

The victims keep piling up at Mount Hebron's feet.Last night, the top-ranked Vikings took aim at eighth-ranked, undefeated Liberty in the Class 2A-1A, Region I championship game. The result read much like the rest of Mount Hebron's season.Cathy Nelson tied a school record with eight goals, and the Hebron defense held Liberty scoreless for two-thirds of the game, as the Vikings routed the Lions, 17-7.Hebron (16-0), which has won 34 consecutive games, moves on to the state semifinals Friday at Catonsville Community College, where the Vikings will try to take another step toward their second straight 2A-1A title.

Site: Metrodome, Minneapolis. Time: 12:30 p.m.TV: Channels 13, 7Radio: WBAL (1090), WTEM (570 AM)Line: Vikings by 3 1/2Last week: The Redskins lost to the Los Angeles Raiders, 21-20, to end the regular season 9-7. The Vikings (11-5) beat the Green Bay Packers, 27-7.The series: The Redskins lead the regular-season series 6-3, although the teams are 2-2 in playoff games. The Redskins have won the last six meetings, including playoff games in 1982 and 1987. Both times the Redskins went on to win the Super Bowl.

Mount Hebron's girls lacrosse team fulfilled the inevitable Friday, as the unbeaten Vikings clinched their fourth county title in five years with a 19-6 blowout of visiting Atholton.Hebron, which has crushed each of its six county opponents with an offense that coach P.J. Kesmodel calls his best ever, stayed true to form by delivering an early knockout to the Raiders.The Vikings (6-0 county, 13-0 overall) scored at will throughout the first half and took a 12-1 halftime lead. Hebron outshot Atholton in the first half, 26-4.

WASHINGTON -- The last offensive play was symbolic of the Washington Redskins' lost season.With the Redskins 41 yards away from a winning touchdown, defensive lineman Roy Barker roared past right tackle Ray Brown, who was playing out of position with a broken hand, knocked the ball out of Mark Rypien's hands and recovered the fumble with 1:26 left to play.That was the end of the game and the season for the Redskins, who suffered a 14-9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings before 42,836 at RFK Stadium.

Two TV events draw wall-to-wall coverage today: Coverage of the O. J. Simpson trial during the day, beginning at noon, and President Bill Clinton's annual State of the Union Address at 9 tonight. You know where to find those two TV offerings; here's a rundown of others.* "Nova: Vikings in America" (8-9 p.m., Channels 22, 67) -- The Vikings believed the world was flat, but also round: They pictured it as a flat disc, with land masses on the outer edges and water contained within -- kind of like a skimpy serving of mashed potatoes and gravy.