FLORENCE - Conventional wisdom says in the playoffs, the team that makes the fewest mistakes often wins.

How then do you explain Siuslaw’s 35-14 win over visiting Gladstone in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs Friday night, especially after the Vikings had five turnovers and nine penalties and didn’t get a takeaway until Anthoney Robinson intercepted a pass by Gladstone’s backup quarterback in the final minute?

One other key statistic jumps off the scorebook. In the second half, the Vikings held the Gladiators to zero first downs and negative 23 yards of total offense.

“We played a little better (in the second half),” Siuslaw coach Tim Dodson said. “We played harder.”

Also, Siuslaw quarterback Jacob Mitchell offset three interceptions by passing for 229 yards and three scores and running for 114 yards — 85 in the second half — and another touchdown.

The win put the defending state champion Vikings into the quarterfinals, with a road game coming this week against the winner of today’s game between Baker and Central. If Central wins, the Vikings will play the Panthers Friday night at Western Oregon University. If Baker wins, Siuslaw will travel to face the Bulldogs on Saturday.

The Vikings can thank a dominant second half for the victory over the Gladiators.

“We struggled in the first half,” Siuslaw’s Tyler Mais said of the opening two quarters, when the Vikings held a 14-7 lead. “(In the second half), we made some adjustments on what they were doing and played hard.”

“Coach gave us a really good talk that we needed to step it up,” added Robinson.

The Vikings never trailed, but also never had a comfortable lead until the final quarter.

Drew Rainwater started the game with a big jolt for Siuslaw by returning the opening kickoff 85 yards for a score, taking the ball around the right side with the help of several huge blocks from teammates.

Gladstone responded by driving inside Siuslaw’s 10-yard line before the Vikings stopped a fourth-and-two play.

The Gladiators evened the score after forcing a Siuslaw punt. Quarterback Taylor Taft threw a 27-yard pass to Austin Foteff and then scored on an option keeper from 18 yards out one play later.

Siuslaw’s next possession ended when Foteff picked off a pass by Mitchell. When Siuslaw forced a punt, Rainwater muffed the kick, and Brett Holte recovered for Gladstone.

But the Vikings held firm, forcing two straight three-and-out possessions.

Gladstone appeared to be in good shape defensively again after a penalty nullified a touchdown pass from Mitchell to Joel Bechtold and the Vikings found themselves in a second-and-23 situation. But Mitchell found Mais wide open down the left hash mark and he raced into the end zone for a 14-7 lead with 5:26 remaining in the first half.

The Vikings were driving for another score late in the half when Foteff had a second interception.

On Siuslaw’s first possession after halftime, Mitchell found Rainwater behind Gladstone’s defense for a 32-yard score to push Siuslaw’s lead to 21-7.

The Vikings’ next offensive series ended with Mitchell’s third, and most costly, interception. Gladstone’s Darrell Fields stepped in front of Robinson on an out pattern to pick off the ball and raced untouched 57 yards for a score.

Dodson said after the game that in the 12 years that play has been in Siuslaw’s playbook, it had never been intercepted before Friday.

And Siuslaw’s defense made sure Gladstone never got any momentum after the interception, while Dodson kept the ball in Mitchell’s hands when the Vikings were on offense.

“Gladstone’s a very physical football team,” Dodson said. “It was good to go toe-to-toe a little bit and do a good job.”

The Vikings followed Gladstone’s touchdown by going 65 yards on nine plays, the biggest a pass from Mitchell to Robinson for 37 yards on a third-and-16 play. Mitchell capped the march with a 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

After Gladstone was forced to punt on its ensuing possession, Siuslaw went 62 yards in seven plays, with Mitchell hitting Robinson over the shoulders in the end zone for the score from 24 yards out — despite a pass interference penalty on the Gladiators.

Dodson said putting the ball in Mitchell’s hands was an easy decision.

“Jake’s a pretty special player,” he said.

Gladstone coach Jon Wolf gave credit to the Vikings for their dominant second half.

“Our kids played hard,” he said. “That’s a good, good football team. We didn’t move the ball consistently.”

Wolf thinks the Vikings have a good shot at winning this week to reach at least the semifinals.

The Siuslaw players want to enjoy this win for at least a day first.

“We’re just excited to go on,” Mais said. “The seniors did not want to pack it in for the season.

“We’re glad to be moving on. It’s an honor to keep playing.”