Left: Dylan Quaife used his quickness and strength to knife through a couple of Falcon defenders and score a basket. Quaife was one of four Viking players to score in double figures against Albrook. He ended up with 12 points.
The Cook County High School boys’ basketball team opened its season with a convincing 62-41 win over Nashwauk Keewatin (NK) at Nashwauk. The game was played Friday, December 3.
“Ryan Martinson played great,” said Head Coach Mitch Dorr.
The 6’ 4” senior guard scored 30 points and tore down 13 rebounds.
Nashwauk kept the game close for a half, trailing 26-22 at the break. The Vikings came out of the locker room renewed and outscored Nashwauk 36-19. Rebounding and defense were keys to the Vikings’ surge.
“We out rebounded Nashwauk 41-23. We rebounded very, very well,” said Dorr.
The Vikings forced a multitude of turnovers with their tough manto man defense, throwing in a zone defense once in a while to mix things up. Nashwauk stayed in its 2-3 zone, which the Vikings figured out and exploited in the second half.
One area in which the Vikings need to improve is protecting the ball. “We still have lots of work to do, as we turned the ball over 17 times,” Dorr said.
Above: Colin Everson went up for two against three Albrook Falcon defenders. Everson had a great all around game, scoring 14 points on a variety of nifty drives to the bucket. He also played tough defense and was integral to the Vikings’ win last Tuesday night.
For the game Dylan Quaife scored 10 points, Colin Everson 6 points, Kale Boomer 2 points, and Jordan Lack 2 points.
“David Bergstrom,” noted Dorr, “also had a great game with 12 points, eight rebounds, six steals and three assists.”
Team 2-0 for season
The basketball team played a feisty Albrook/Cotton Falcons team on Tuesday night, Dec. 7 at home, winning 52-36.
Although the Vikings seemed in control most of the game, Albrook occasionally would get hot with its three-point shooting and close the gap.
Ryan Martinson started the Vikings scoring on a rebound put-back for two points. Colin Everson scored two more on a short jumper before Albrook’s 5’ 7” guard Bryce Karppinen hit a three to make the score 4-3.
Martinson scored again on a short jumper before Albrook hit two more 3-point shots to take its only lead of the game, 9-6.
Everson scored a couple more buckets and a free throw and Dylan Quaife scored two more while being fouled. He cashed in the free throw and the Vikings were up 14-9, never to look back.
With the Vikings working the ball in close for two-pointers and Albrook bombing away for three-pointers, the score stayed somewhat close. With four minutes to go in the first half, the Vikings were up 24-17. But the complexion of the game changed when Albrook’s top 3 point shooter, Cory Saver, suffered an ankle injury that caused him to miss the rest of the game. Saver had already made four 3-point shots and finished the game with 12 points.
With Saver in the locker room getting his ankle wrapped the Vikings were able to go on a tear of their own. Dave Bergstrom and Colin Everson each scored 4 points over the next few minutes and the Vikings led 33-17 at the half.
TheVikings started the second half like they ended the first, with Everson, Martinson and Quaife scoring baskets. Thelast one by Quaife turned into a 3 point play because he was fouled in the act of shooting and he converted his free throw. The Vikings led 40-17 by the time Albrook hit another 3 pointer to bring the score to 40-20.
Albrook went on a run, of sorts. Some timely steals and good shooting by Karppinen helped the Falcons cut the lead to 43-32. A long bomb by Karppinen that just rimmed out could have put the Falcons right back in the game. But the Vikings put the brakes on the Falcons and scored the next 8 points in a row, breaking Albrook’s press and keeping the Falcons down with tough man-to-man defense.
Leading the way for the Vikings was Martinson, who netted 16 points for the evening. Everson, who tallied 14 points, most coming off of nifty drives to the basket, followed him. Quaife chipped in 12 points and Bergstrom added 10 points.
The Vikings face Esko on Monday, December 13 at 4:30 p.m. at home. Thegirls’ game follows the boys. Both teams are unbeaten but Esko will be tough for both teams. Come out and cheer for the kids. Go Vikes!
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