The boys basketball team beat the Seneca Valley Screaming Eagles, 70-54, improving their record to 10-12 on the season on senior night.
The Vikings started the game off slow, giving up an early 3-pointer in the Screaming Eagles’ first possession. Despite guard James Dionne hitting 1 of his 4 3-pointers on the night to tie the game at 3, a Screaming Eagle player hit a 3-pointer of his own to break the tie and spark an 11-2 run to give them a 14-5 lead.
However, the Vikings put together an 8-0 run including 3-pointers from Dionne and small forward Daniel Voigt to close out the first quarter and pull the team within 1 point.
The Vikings were able to transition the momentum from the end of the first quarter into an impressive scoring effort in the second quarter. Guard Bryan Joel was fouled by a Screaming Eagle player but was able to make the shot. Joel hit the free-throw for the 3-point play that put the Vikings up 16-14. The Vikings played strong defense and forced Seneca Valley to take poor shots.
The Vikings held the Screaming Eagles to only 4 second quarter points and opened up a late 8 point lead. Guard Jake Harrison made a lay-up with just over 15 seconds left in the half to put the score at 28-18 heading into halftime.
The Vikings continued to play strong defense and consistently make their shots. Dionne started the second half off with a free-throw and 2 3-pointers as a part of a 9-2 Viking run. The teams began to trade shots, with the Vikings lead holding steady at around 17 points. Voigt hit a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to put the Vikings up 51-33, heading into the final quarter of play.
The Vikings tough defense frustrated the Screaming Eagles, and one player lost his temper and began shouting obscenities on the court. His actions resulted in a technical foul in which the Vikings were able to convert into a point. The Vikings built as much as a 22-point lead, but the Screaming Eagles rallied later to make the final score 70-54.
“It was great to get a win and have a good time on senior night,” Voigt said. “It’s something I will always remember.”
The boys were able to efficiently spread the ball around the court and were 1 point shy of their season high in points (71 points against Paint Branch on Dec. 10 in their second game of the season). A season-high 10 players posted points against the Screaming Eagles.
Senior Daniel Voigt led the team in scoring with 14 points while senior James Dionne tied his season high with 13 points. Harrison added 9 points off the bench while senior and forward Nate Cannon tied a season-high with 4 points of his own.
The Vikings will play the Richard Montgomery Rockets at home on Feb. 25 in their first round playoff game. The Vikings defeated the Rockets twice earlier this season, 52-49 on Dec. 17, and 62-52 on Jan 21.
“Going into the RM game, it [the victory] gives us confidence and time to work on some stuff so we can come out strong,” Voigt said.
