Varsity boys basketball defeated the Watkins Mill Wolverines 52-48 on Dec. 7, opening its season with a win.

The Wolverines quickly scored the first two points of the game.  However, the Viking defense forced bad shots and did not allow another point the rest of the quarter.  While the defense held tough, the offense scored 13 consecutive points to close out the first quarter.

Center Ian Ross started out the second quarter with an offensive rebound, one of 14 for him on the night, and guard Bryan Joel knocked down a three-point shot to give the Vikes a 16-2 lead.  The boys added four more points to their 11-point lead and entered the half up 31-16.

However, the Wolverines came out of halftime firing, while the Vikes struggled to score.  Center Jeff Schaeffer came off the bench and provided four points in the third quarter, but a Watkins Mill player made a lay up at the buzzer to pull the Wolverines within six points of the Vikes entering the fourth quarter.
The Wolverines started the final quarter of play with a 7-3 run that tied the game at 42 with just over five minutes left to play.  The teams traded shots down the stretch, but guard Jake Harrison made five crucial free throws to seal the victory.

Harrison and Joel led the way with 11 points while Ross earned a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds.  Small forward Daniel Voigt added nine points and four rebounds.

“We started out strong in the first half but lost our momentum in the second half,” Voigt said.  “But, it was good to get our opening win on the road.”

The team will face a tough Paint Branch Panthers team next in its home opener on Dec. 10.