The Montgomery County Council honored the girls basketball team at their Rockville office May 17, celebrating one of the best seasons in the team’s history and their recent state championship title.

During a council session, Vice President Roger Berliner delivered a speech that congratulated the squad for their achievements on behalf of the whole county and state.

His address commended the team’s grit, comparing their recent playing style to the tendencies of the Nordic Vikings.

“Whereas the Vikings of eighth to the eleventh centuries were known for attacking, the Viking girls basketball team of Whitman High School over the past four years has been known for its attacking style, as well as its pressure defense, aggressive rebounding, and clutch free throw shooting,” Berliner said.

Berliner highlighted the Vikes’ 19-game winning streak which spanned from the beginning of county play to state finals; the Vikes won those games by 20 points on average.

Additionally, he recognized the contributions of some of the team’s top players, including Hannah Niles, Marie Hatch and Betsy Knox, who will be playing at Loyola, Cornell and Middlebury next year, respectively, as well as Washington Post first team All-Met player Abby Meyers.

The players appreciated the acknowledgement and respect that the County Council gave them, they said.

“The best part of yesterday’s trip was being recognized for our accomplishment on a larger scale, outside of just the Whitman community,” Niles said.