Essance Haines got set to shoot in a recent game, her shot swishing for two points. Haines is just an eighth-grader but has been moved up to the varsity where she has seen more and more minutes as the season has gone along.
Up 32-20 at the half, the Vikings seemed like they were headed for an easy win against the Wrenshall Wrens on Friday, February 15 in a game played at Wrenshall.
But the one-win Wrens displayed a lot of grit in coming back against an inexperienced Vikings team. Playing with 3 starters out, it took a lot of resolve by the young Vikings to hold on for the win.
The Vikings are now 10-13 overall and 6-6 in the conference.
“We were up by 12 at the half, but got kind of turnover happy and didn’t score a point in the last 4 minutes except Theresa’s go ahead free throws with 11 seconds left, “ said Head Coach Todd Toulouse.
“We played kind of scared (which happens when so many young players are out on the floor at that time). They [Wrenshall] had a chance to tie it but the shot missed. They got the offensive rebound, but the put back went in after time expired,” Toulouse said of the exciting finish.
The Vikings were playing without starters Breana Peterson, Leah Utities and Lily Gruber-Schulz.
With Jamie Sjogren peeking underneath, Theresa Morrin went up for a layup against Wrenshall. Morrin led all Viking scorers with 18 points in the win against the Wrenshall Wrens.
“Both Leah and Breana did not play,” said Toulouse. “I anticipate both of them back before playoffs for sure. We played the game without three of our starters [Lily Gruber-Schulz is out for the year with an injury], so the young kids got a lot of playing time. It was nice in the long run to play a close game like that because you can’t practice playing time and game situations real well in practice when we didn’t have 10 players at practice most of the month,” Toulouse said of his depleted team.
Despite his team’s youth, Toulouse sees good things ahead.
“I am pleased because we definitely have a future here in the program with most of the younger girls getting quite a bit of playing time the last few days of the season,” Coach Toulouse said.
Senior forward/guard Theresa Morrin led Viking scorers with 18 points.
Kaitlynn Linnell followed with 13, Susy Burton with 10 and three players had 2 points each—Trace McQuatters, Liz O’Phelan, and Essance Haines. Jamie Sjogren scored 1 point.
The Vikings have now won 5 out of their last 6 games. They finish the regular season in Two Harbors against the Agates on Friday, February 22.
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