Above: Dyami Blackwell swooped by the Cromwell defenders and scooped in a reverse lay-up. Left: Setting up a play, Mikey Burton looks for an open man to pass to in the game against Cromwell.
Cromwell’s boys’ team had just enough firepower to beat the Vikings in a game played on Friday, January 27 in Grand Marais.
The Vikings trailed 25-16 at the half and managed to hold the Cardinals to 13 second-half points, but couldn’t score more than 14 of their own and fell 38-30.
Once again senior Sam O’Phelan led the Vikings, scoring 17 points. The Vikings next highest scorer was Dyami Blackwell, who netted 5. Will Ramberg finished with 4, Trusen Gordon 2, and Jordan Porter 2.
Marcus Pocernich led Cromwell with 9 points.
Cook County is currently 0-10 in the Polar League, last out of 12 teams, while Cromwell is 7-4 and sitting in sixth place. The Vikings’ overall record is 2-12, but a good half-dozen defeats have come in games where a young Viking team lost at the very end.
Boys fall to Carlton
Playing on the Carlton Bulldogs’ home court last Tuesday night, the Vikings fell to the ‘Dogs 74-54.
The game was close throughout the first half, with the Vikings trailing 28-23 at the break.
Viking head coach Mitch Dorr summed up his team’s play, “I was really happy with our first half of play against a very good, veteran Carlton team. We played good defense and were extremely patient on offense.”
But with kids missing, and a young squad to boot, the Vikings couldn’t sustain their play and Carlton slowly built on its lead during the second half.
“We have a short bench now due to more kids out because of grades, health, etc.,” said Coach Dorr.
“Freshmen Adam Dorr and Pete Sutton both came off the bench and played extremely well. I was very happy with their decision making,” Dorr added.
Those two freshmen, along with freshman Jordan Porter, who starts, and sophomores Dyami Blackwell, Will Ramberg, Trusen Gordon, Leif Anderson, Lance Bartol, and Cody Tesser, make for a very young team. Mike Burton, a junior who starts, and Sam O’Phelan, the lone senior on the team, are the only veterans in this group.
Coach Dorr praised the play of his senior captain, “Sam O’Phelan continues to give us everything he has night in and night out.”
Dyami Blackwell led the team in scoring with 16 points against Carlton. O’Phelan chipped in 12, Porter 11, Ramberg 7, Burton 5, and Dorr 3.
Dorr said his young team is playing hard but struggling to close games out and take home the win. Still, he said as a group they are improving, and wins will come if they play hard and execute their plays on the floor.
The Vikings play Barnum on Friday, February 3 at home and Esko comes to town on Friday, Feb. 10. At 7’2”, Esko center Adam Trapp is said to be the tallest high school player in the U.S.A. The game starts at 5 p.m. This will be a chance to see one of Minnesota’s top high school college recruited players in action. Don’t miss it.
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