Sam O’Phelan eluded the defender’s reach to score two points on this shot in a recent home game. O’Phelan, a hard working junior forward, scored 7 points against a tough Barnum team last Friday night in Barnum.
Many people thought last year’s Barnum boys’ team might have been Barnum’s best ever. Only a stunning Section 7A championship game loss to Esko—a team they had beaten earlier—marred what was otherwise a perfect season.
But this year’s team might be just as good. Or even better.
The Vikings traveled to Barnum on Friday, January 8 to face an opponent that had thoroughly beaten them last year at home. The Vikings trailed 54-4 at halftime in that match. But it was obvious from the start of this game that this year’s Barnum squad suffered little dropoff in talent, and even though Cook County is much improved, the final 75-33 score doesn’t look like it.
“We were down 19-41 at the half,” said Head Coach Mitch Dorr. “Defensively, we played very, very poorly. Our guards could not keep their guards from penetrating and we did a very poor job boxing out.
“Overall,” said Coach Dorr, “I thought our effort was lacking. We have a few guys that need to learn what varsity level effort is.
“Hunter Fetters, their post player, was a beast inside, scoring 22 points on us.
“I really like how our freshmen Dyami Blackwell and Trusen Gordon are playing. They will be pushing some of our older players for playing time,” said Coach Dorr.
Three Vikings led the team in scoring. Dyami Blackwell, Sam O’Phelan, and Marcus Logan each scored 7 points apiece, while Rory Bakke had 4, Lucas Phillips 3, and Jerod Spry 3 points.
Hunter Fetters (22) and Christopher Carlson (15) led Barnum in scoring.
The Vikings have back-to-back home games this week. They play Silver Bay after press time on Friday, January 15 at 4:45 p.m. at home and then play Ely at 2 p.m. at home the next day. The game against the Mariners should be a good one. Just a couple of weeks ago the Vikings lost by 3 points to the Mariners in Silver Bay and they didn’t have one of their best players— Marcus Logan—available for that game.
The team goes on the road following those two games and doesn’t return to their home floor until January 22 when they play the Carlton Bulldogs at 4:45.
Come out and cheer on your Vikings!
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