CCHS sophomore guard Ariana Poyirier was on a dead run when she caught this ball and drove to the basket against McGregor. Staff photo/ Laurie Johnson
Vikings fans got more than their money’s worth when they turned out to see the girls’ team square off against the McGregor Mercuries (Mercs) last Friday night in the Pam Taylor gym.
The action was fast and furious on the floor as the two teams battled back and forth, with both teams making nice offensive runs and key defensive stops during the game.
The Vikings were up 15-5 midway through the first half of play, but their lead was cut to seven points at the midway point, and the Vikes went into the break ahead 26-19.
During the first half, the Vikings got some significant minutes from eighth-grader Emmalli Marshal, who corralled a good half dozen rebounds and played good defense when she was on the floor. Because Emmalli played B-squad, she was only allowed to play one half of varsity ball.
Senior guard Shinaana Secody, a ball-handling wizard who could shoot and pass, often setting up her teammates for easy baskets, led the Mercs.
Secody took control of the game early in the second half, and the Vikings’ lead melted faster than butter on a hot griddle.
With the score 28-27, the Vikings went on a run of their own. Abbie Crawford hit two long threes with Ariana Poyirier and Paisley Smith sandwiching two pointers in between Crawford’s threes and the Viking lead was 40-32.
Still, the Mercs kept the pressure on the Vikings and roared back to knot the score 42-42, and then kept their foot on the gas pedal and pretty soon led 46-42.
At that point it looked like the Mercs were going to continue to pull away.
But Ariana Poyirier made a great steal and drove for two points and was fouled on the play. She converted the free throw, and the Vikings were only down one point. Secody drove for two on the other end, and Crawford answered with a long three to knot the score. The teams traded baskets until time ran out and they were tied 53-53. A last-second shot by Ariana went in and out of the basket to send the teams to four-minute overtime.
Right out of the gate, the Mercs controlled the tip-off, and Secody found her junior center Haile Maas open underneath. Maas converted the two points and was fouled. Maas made the free throw, and the Vikings were down three. Ariana drove for two, which was answered by two from Maas and a three-pointer from Secody to put the Mercs up by six points with less than two minutes to play.
The Vikings missed on their next attempt down the floor, and the Mercs went into a stall, passing the ball on the perimeter and forcing the Vikings to come out and guard them.
A Viking steal led to a two-point shot by Emma Gesch that didn’t go in because she was fouled. Gesch shrugged off the pressure and the hopeful screaming fans and made both free throws to bring the Vikings within four points, 61-57, with less than a minute to play.
Great defense forced another turnover, and Abbie Crawford put up a high arcing shot that dusted the rafters from 25-30 feet out that hit nothing but net. With 16 seconds to play, the Vikings needed to force one more turnover to have a chance. Playing full-court defense, the Vikings got the ball back after a Merc player threw a pass out of bounds.
As the seconds ticked off of the clock, Poyirier found an opening and drove into the lane and put up a pretty shot that just rolled off of the rim… into Paisley Smith’s outstretched hands. Smith’s shot was up in the air as the buzzer sounded. When it went through the net, the gym erupted. The Vikings won a great game 62-61.
Abbie Crawford made five three-pointers on her way to finishing with a team-high 22 points.
Paisley Smith finished with 19 points. Paisley made eight two-point baskets and was three for four from the charity stripe.
Ariana Poyirier had 13 points and a fistful of assists. Ariana was 3-3 from the free throw line.
Emma Gesch 4, Alyssa Spry 4, Emmalii Meyers 1, and Morgan Starkey 1, finished the scoring for the Vikings.
The Vikings ended the night with six 3s and were 16 of 28 from the free throw line.
“This was a great win for us,” said head coach Kelly Hawsen.
Girls fall to Duluth East
Former Viking great Brea Boomer brought her Duluth East Greyhound squad to Grand Marais on Saturday, Jan. 12 to play on a basketball court she once enjoyed success on as a player, and now as a coach. The Greyhounds won 67-32.
Still, few people had to think that Cook County could beat Duluth East who has three to four times the population of our school. Also, a young Viking squad doesn’t have one senior on the team.
The Vikings had to be tired from their overtime win the night before, but the kids came out with a lot of enthusiasm and played hard the whole game, and it was nice to see a former Viking head coaching the opposition, even though this was one time we cheered on the current Vikings.
Abbie Crawford led the team in scoring with 12 points. Ariana Poyirier finished with 7, Paisley Smith 4, Morgan Starkey 4, Emmalli Myers 2, Emma Gesch 2, and Alyssa Spry 1.
Shay Calloway led the Greyhounds with 15 points. Three other Greyhounds scored in double figures.
The Greyhounds led 43-17 at halftime.
The Vikings were 3 of 6 from the free throw line and made only one three-point shot in the game.
Girls fall to Esko
The Vikings traveled to play at Esko on Jan. 15 and fell 70-32 to the Eskimos.
Abbie Crawford led the team with 17 points. Ariana Poyirier finished with 8, Morgan Starkey, 2; Alyssa Spry, 2; Emma Gesch, 2; and Rhonnie Poyirier had 1 point.
“It was a tough game,” said head coach Kelly Hawsen. “Esko played great pressure basketball.”
The Vikings played at home against Silver Bay on Thursday, Jan. 17.
Then it’s off to play four away games before getting a home game on Feb. 1 against the Two Harbors Agates. The game will be played at 6:30 p.m. Come out to cheer on your Vikings!
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