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Paisley Smith goes up for two points in the game against the Mariners.
The Vikings played three games over the past week, taking their sixth and seventh wins in a row before falling in a squeaker to Ely on Tuesday, March 2.
Vikings clip the Wrens’ wings
Ariana Poyirier’s 33 points and all around play led the Viking girls to their sixth win in a row on Thursday, February 25 when the CCHS girls varsity beat the visiting Wrenshall Wrens 78-68. Although the final score looked close, the Vikings had this contest well in hand.
The Vikings played outstanding man defense, scoring many of their points on take-aways. Anna Hay, MaKenzie Fairbanks, Paisley Smith, Katie Peck, Kamryn Johnson, Rhonnie Poyirier and Ariana Poyirier didn’t give the Wrens much room to breathe, let alone take flight in this game.
As a team, the Vikings also controlled the boards for most of the contest.
At one point early in the second half, Ariana hit back-to-back threes and then drove the lane twice in a row to score ten points in just a minute or two.
Up by 30 points, Viking Coach Kelly Hawsen pulled her starters and put in the younger players. Wrenshall’s starters scored often on the Viking backups and knocked the Viking lead to ten at the end of the game but the Wrens were never in this game.
Rhonnie Poyirier, Ariana’s younger sister, ended her night with 16 points while Katie Peck finished with nine points, Paisley Smith netted eight, MaKenzie Fairbanks eight, and Kamryn Johnson had four points to round out the Vikings scoring.
Janea Sjodin’s 19 points led the Wrens. Brooke Kent and Hennessey Bilges each had 16 points, many of those coming late in the game.
Vikings sink Mariners
The Cook County High School Viking girls’ team continued their winning ways in the game held on Monday, March 1, at home against the Silver Bay Mariners.
Ariana Poyirier scored the first seven points against the Mariners, helping to send her team on its way to a 72-27 Victoria over a game but young Mariner team.
Playing a tight man defense, the Vikings stifled the Mariners and led 39-9 at the half. And, it would be fair to say the Vikings weren’t shooting very well or the lead could have been much greater.
In an act of good sportsmanship, Viking Coach Kelly Hawsen played all of her reserves for much of the second half. The coaching move also allowed her younger players to see varsity action, getting them ready for the future.
Ariana led all scorers with 34 points. Paisley Smith finished with 10, Katie Peck had eight, MaKenzie Fairbanks had six (two 3-point baskets), Kamryn Johnson had five, Rhonnie Poyirier five, Rachel Dorr two and Hattie Crotteau had two points.
Before the game started the team’s two seniors, Ariana and Paisley Smith were honored for Senior Night. Coach Kelly Hawsen said this about Paisley, “Watching Paisley evolve over the multiple years I have been coaching her has been a joy. She is a staple in our Cook County Girl’s Basketball family. I have enjoyed watching her leadership skills flourish and her role as Captain blossom, both on and off the court. Paisley, know that I appreciate all the little things you do for our team that keep our team connected and supported. It doesn’t go unnoticed! You will thrive in all you choose to do!”
Girls fall to Timberwolves
All good things must come to an end, and so ended the Vikings winning streak at seven as the team fell to the Ely Timberwolves 52-47 on Tuesday, March 2, in a game played at Ely.
The game was nip and tuck throughout, said Head Coach Kelly Hawsen, with the teams trading leads of three to five points. “Ely started slowing down when they were up by one point with three minutes left and we had to foul to get the ball back,” Hawsen said.
Ariana Poyirier was in foul trouble and didn’t play much of the first half or for that matter, much in the second half, noted Hawsen.
This time it was the younger Poyirier that led the Vikings in scoring. Rhonnie netted 14 points, while Ariana finished with 11 points. Sophomore guard MaKenzie Fairbanks had a great game, scoring 11 points, while Paisley Smith finished with six and Katie Peck three points in this close contest.
The girls have two more regular-season games before playoffs start on March 15. The Vikings are now 7-3 on the year and are in third place in the Polar League-Big standings.
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