The Vikings defeated the Cromwell Cardinals, 59-44, on Friday, December 18. Left: Essa Jacobsen lays in a shot. Above: Brea Boomer shoots for two.
TheCook County girls’ basketball team improved their overall season record to 3-0 with a road win over the Cromwell Cardinals on Friday, December 18. After trailing 30-32 at halftime, the Vikings’ defense took over in the final 18 minutes as Cook County came out on top, 59-44.
Cromwell and Cook County battled back and forth for much of the first half. Just when Viking fans thought they would pull away with a lead, the Cardinals came back with a disciplined style of offense and defense to keep the game close.
The Vikings then got in foul trouble with Essa Jacobsen on the bench for the final six minutes of the half. Without Jacobsen in the game, Cromwell’s Tayah Johnson gave the Vikings fits on their defensive end of the court. Cook County would play great defense, but the five foot, five inch Johnson would shoot in and somehow get the offensive rebound for the Cardinals. In all, Johnson collected five offensive rebounds and scored ten points in the first half, to give Cromwell a two-point edge at halftime, 30-32.
Photos by Mitch Dorr
Freshman Taylor Ryden played beautifully off the bench for the Vikings in the first half, scoring the final four points to keep Cook County within striking distance. Ashley Deschampe led the Vikings in scoring at the half with 11 points.
Cook County and Cromwell continued the seesaw affair until about the ten-minute mark in the second half. With 9:56 left in the game, the Cardinals clung to a 41-42 lead. Junior guard Ailee Larson made a great three-point play to give the Vikings a 44-42 advantage. It was just the spark the Vikings needed.
Over the next eight minutes and 46 seconds of play, the Vikings outscored the Cardinals 15-0 to take a 59-42 lead. Cook County made a concerted effort to get the ball inside to Jacobsen, and she responded with 13 points in the paint. A late Cardinal basket in the final minute made the final score 59-44 in favor of the Vikings.
The Vikings had four girls in double figures led by Jacobsen’s 15 points. Larson and Deschampe each scored 11 while Christina Nelson added 10 points for Cook County.
Cook County traveled to Mountain Iron on Monday night and played again at home this past Tuesday night against Silver Bay. Look in next week’s edition for all the scores and highlights.
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