It has been eight years since the boys basketball team won the state title in 2006, but this season’s surprising squad is thriving at just the right moment and is now just two wins away from another state championship.

The Vikings (21-6) clinched a berth in the state semifinals with a 49-44 win Friday over the Clarksburg Coyotes to win the 4A West region title.

Led by big man Josh Fried, who led all scorers with 19 points, the Vikes were able to control the paint and find Fried down low, hitting nine two-point field goals and giving the Vikings the boost they needed. Even with the Coyotes’ tough defense all night, they could not find an answer for Fried.

“Fried could not have played better for us,” senior Adam Lowet said. “We’ve been waiting for that all season, and tonight he just showed how much of a beast he can be.”

Starting the second half down four points, the Vikings started the third quarter on a 9-0 run, capped off by a Kyle Depollar steal and layup that gave the team a 26-21 lead.

However, Clarksburg responded in the rest of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter and both teams traded leads until the Vikes finally broke away.

After the Coyotes tied the game at 44 on a three-pointer by Schenick Boukoure, who hit five threes for 15 points, the Vikings took over from the line, scoring their last five points off fouls and holding the Coyotes scoreless for the final 1:30.

Depollar took a key charge with just 40 seconds left that gave the Vikings the ball and a chance to close out the game. Depollar did just that.

“The charge was huge,” Lowet said. “It was the culmination of a great defensive effort all game.”

With 30 seconds left, Depollar went to the line and hit both of his free throws, extending the Viking lead to four.

Clarksburg then desperately tried throwing up threes, but couldn’t connect on any and following an Adam Joel free throw with less than 10 seconds remaining, the game was out of reach with the Vikes up 49-44.

The Vikings were able to run out the final seconds of the game with Depollar throwing the ball into the air in celebration as time expired.

“I’m just so proud of the guys,” coach Chris Lun said. “They define the word ‘team’ and I’m very excited and happy that they get a chance to play at the Comcast Center. They deserve it. This was a big win for our program.”

The game ultimately came down to free throws and after getting into the bonus at the end of the third quarter, the Vikings were able to hit their shots from the line to take the lead.

Depollar himself was 9-10 from the line and hit two clutch free-throws at the end of the game to secure the victory. The Coyotes, however, never made it into the bonus in the second half and shot a dismal 1-9 from the free-throw line.

Fried and Depollar lead the scoring for the Vikes, and along with Fried’s 19, Depollar added 16 of his own, combining for 35 of the team’s 49 points.

The Vikings will now face off against Annapolis in the state semifinals Thursday at the University of Maryland’s Comcast Center at 7 p.m.

Annapolis beat Severna Park 72-47 to win the 4A East title.