In the Vikings’ most recent home game against Nashwauk-Keewatin, Joceline Deneweth set a pick on the Spartans’ Stacie Lokken (No. 3) which freed up Shauna Blake to get open for a pass and an easy shot at making a basket.
The Cook County High School Vikings overcame a rough first half against South Ridge in their Tuesday, February 23 away game, but rallied to a convincing 57-45 win.
Trailing 24-20 going into the half, the Vikings exploded to score 37 second half points while holding the Panthers to 21.
“We had a run in the second half where we really started to work as a team and run our transition, making easy lay-ups off of steals,” said Head Coach Kelly Senty. “That run put us up by 10. South Ridge also had a run and got within 6 but used fouls trying to stop the clock and we were able to capitalize on our free throws. Bayley (Cox) and Emily (Jacobsen) both went 2-for-2 at the line and Lily (Gruber- Schulz) was 9 of 10 from the line.
“That was a great win for us and I am proud of the girls’ ability to come from behind at the half and play our game. Defensively the girls executed what we wanted as both of South Ridge’s main scorers were held well below their average.”
Gruber-Schulz led the Vikings with 20 points. Sophie Eliasen 14, Jacobsen 10, Sarah Toftey 5, Cox 4, and Shauna Blake and Hannah Toftey, who each finished with 2 points, followed her.
Lindsey Janke and Marissa Bobber who each scored 12 points led South Ridge.
Girls defeat Nashwauk-Keewatin Spartans
Three seniors, Blake, Gruber-Schulz and Joceline Deneweth made their last starts in front of an appreciative crowd on February 25 in the Vikings’ last home game before Section 7A playoffs begin. The Vikings squared off against a scrappy Nashwauk-Keewatin Spartan team (10-11).
Early on the Spartans were held in the game by the sharp shooting of their diminutive guard Kelly Kukkonen, who made four straight baskets, three of them from 3-point range. But with the Vikings up 20-15 and Kukkonen cooling off, the Vikings went on a 16-1 run to go into halftime up 36-16.
Much of that offense came from Vikings’ freshman guard Sophie Eliasen who hit three 3-point shots of her own during that run. Eliasen ended her night with 16 points on five threes and one free throw.
Meanwhile the Vikings’ high scoring inside combo of Gruber-Schulz and Jacobsen were too much for the Spartans. Jacobsen, the Vikings’ junior center, fought off double teams all night and ended with 20 points and Gruber-Schulz dribbled through the Spartans to score 16, most coming, like Jacobsen’s points, off of physical contact when she was shooting.
Meanwhile Blake, quiet offensively, and the Toftey twins Sarah and Hannah, along with Cox who saw a lot of action, played superb defense and held the team’s turnovers to under 10.
With the time winding down and the Vikings holding a big lead, Coach Senty pulled her starters off the floor one by one, each getting a nice round of applause, and substituted younger players into the game as the Vikings cruised to a 67-29 win.
The Vikings ended their regular season with 14 wins and 7 losses and are ranked second in the Section 7A bracket behind Floodwood.
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