Timp Sports Weekly
March 13, 2011
Publisher's Message
For this double issue, we look at Lehi's final week of Region Seven basketball. We also look at how the Fercious Pleasant Grove Vikings and Awesome American Fork Cavewomen fared at the recent state 5-A girls hoop tournament. We will also look at the Ferocious Vikings' loss at Jordan in a Region Four boys' basketball finale. Let's get to those stories.
Dean Von Memmott
Publisher
deanmemmott@hotmail.com
Orem Tiggers Bounce Away With 68-55 Win over Lehi Froggerettes
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In a Region Seven girls' basketball finale at Lehi Feb. 22, the Orem Tigers, AKA the Tiggers, bounced away with a 66-58 win over the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies or Froggerettes.
Lehi needed to win at home in order to avoid a region playoff game. However, a loss to the Tiggers at home would mean having to play them in a league playoff game at Mountain View Feb. 24.
The game opened with Vicky Cuello putting the Tiggers on the board first. Led by Megan Sackett and Brittany Harr, Orem stayed ahead for most of the opening period. Treys from Aerin Ogden and Brooke Barnes tipped the Froggies ahead 11-11. A Harr sparked a 6-0 scoroing run for the Tiggers. At the end of the quarter, Froggie Trisha Quilter stole the ball and passed to Whitney Cook for a layup that trimmed the Tigger lead to 17-14.
Although Cook put the Froggies within 17-16, they still didn't retake the lead until a short time later. After the Tihgers had bounced out to a 20-16 lead on free throws from Sackett and Hailey Hamblin, Ogden produced a three-point play that allowed two Anau Falaeo foul shots to put Lehi ahead 21-20. A Tatum Monsen trey restored the lead to the Tiggers. They led by as far as 29-25 during the last four minutes of the second quarter. The combined foul shooting of Quilter and Barnes tied the game at 29 at halftime.
Even though a Sackett hook shot broke the 29-29 tie, Lehi continued stealing leads from the Tiggers. Two straight Sadie Johnson buckets, for example, put the Froggies ahead 33-31. After a Sackett bucket had tied the game at 33, Ogden produced a three-point play that gave Lehi its final lead. A Harr trey tied the game at 36, and a Hamblin layup sent Orem on its way to securing a 49-41 lead through the shooting of Sackett and Rachel Lyons, despite Falaeo putting Lehi within 38-37 on a foul shot. Quilter and Johnson slashed the Tigger lead to 49-45 at the end of the third quarter.
Lyons proved to be fatal to the Froggies in the early fourth quarter, for she swished in two buckets that helped the Tiggers to keep bouncing out in front of Lehi. With Anga Ah Quin putting a shot back in and Johnson and Barnes hitting crucial foul shots, the Froggies managed to paddle back with 53-50. Lyons and Harr led the Tiggers on a 7-0 scoring run that created a 60-50 lead for them. An Ogden trey and a Falaeo layup cut the Tigger advantage to 60-55. However, Lehi's desperation to come up with steals resulted in Orem bouncing frequently to the foul line, where the Tiggers put the game away.
Barnes led the Froggies with 19 points while Ogden added another 14. Harr led the Tiggers with 17 points while Sackett added another 16 and Lyons 13.
Lehi Froggies Flatten Orem Tiggers 77-55
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In Region Seven boys' basketball action at Lehi Feb. 22, the Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, flattened the Orem Tigers, AKA the Tiggers 77-55.
To the disappointment of their first-year coach, Golden Holt, the Tiggers didn't come out bouncy in the first period. The Froggies hopped at taking advantage of the Tiggers' flatness. A Ryan Christofferson bucket sent Lehi swimming out to an early 10-1 through the shooting of Dusty Draeger and Colton Colledge. Shots from Josh Pollard and Chris Clark put Orem within 10-5. That turned out to be the closest that the Tiggers could get to Lehi. A Zach Stanley bucket sent Lehi on a 16-0 scoring run that surely made Holt want to pull his golden hair out in frustration. By the time a Pollard three-point play renewed Orem scoring in the second period, the Froggies had command of a 26-10 lead.
Lehi maintained its double-digit lead all through the second period, despite efforts by Clark and fellow Tigger Jordan Darger, whose shooting enabled the Tiggers to outscore Lehi 16-15 in Quarter 2. Colledge and Christofferson held their own in battles against Pollard and Clark for rebounds. Lehi's control of the boards enabled the Froggies to hop away with a 39-24 lead into the next half.
The Tiggers finally became a threat in the second half. It opened with Darger sinking a trey. Christofferson answered it with one of his own. In answering Lehi bucket for bucket, the Tiggers came back within 47-34. Shots from Draeger and Colledge helped Lehi keep its double-figure lead until the fourth period. After it had opened with Colledge putting the score 58-56, Darger produced a three-point play that set off a 7-0 lead that pushed Orem within 58-53.
Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "We called a time-out at that point to reform our focus after they had gone on that 7-0 run. We had a couple of key plays in which we had Colledge post up for shots. They got the momentum going for us again."
Colledge sank two straight layups that unleashed a 17-2 scoring run that flattened the Tiggers. Zach Stanley contributed a trey to that knockout, scoring run.
Colledge led Lehi with 28 points while while Draeger added another 15 and Christofferson 14. Darger led the Tiggers with 19 points while Clark added another 16.
Lehi Froggers Stun Westlake Shockers 73-66 in Region 7 Boys' Hoop Finale
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Lehi Pioneers finished their Region Seven boys' basketball schedule with a 73-66 win at home against the Westlake Thunder, AKA the Shockers.
Early in the game, Mana Niu put the Shockers on the board first through sinking a layup. Ryan Christofferson answered it with a trey and a lay-in that gave Lehi a 5-2 advantage. Although Niu did cut the lead to 5-4, a Dusty Draeger trey gave prevented Westlake from slipping ahead. Draeger became Lehi's chief gun in the first half as his shooting spurred the Pioneers into maintaining a narrow lead all the way through the period. It ended with Froggie Zach Stanley scoring on a steal.
At the start of the second period, a Draeger trey spurred the Froggies into building a double-digit lead. Christofferson, Blake Cleveringa, and Colton Colledge came forward to do some serious damage inside the perimeter. Despite efforts from Niu and Semi Taeollli, the Shockers couldn't prevent the Froggies from hopping 10 points ahead of them. Lehi led by as far as 41-27 in Period 2. A Niu bucket trimmed the lead to 41-29 just before halftime.
At various points in the third period, the Froggies did maintain double-digit leads over Westlake. However, Niu Spencer Brown, and Tom "Cat" Larsen guided the Shockers within 41-33 and 47-38. Shots from Cleveringa put Lehi's lead back into double figures. The third period ended with Draeger sinking a trey.
Another Draeger trey sounded off the start of the final period. Lehi kept Larson from doing much damage inside the key during the quarter as Westlake tried make a strong comback. When the score read 70-58, Brown and Larson each hit a trey in hopes of ultimately saving Westlake. It roared within 70-64, but Christofferson sank three foul shots to quiet the Thunder's comeback.
Lehi Coach Craig Gladwell said, "It was great to see Draeger have a fantastic game tonight. He had some practices, because he had been ill recently. His playing turned out to be really crucial tonight, especially when Westlake tried to run back into the game in the last three minutes of it. We called a time-out, and we were able to get some key boards and foul shots to clutch the game."
Draeger and Christofferson both racked up 25 points each to lead the Froggies. Larson led the Shockers with 20 points while Niu added another 18.
Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings Win State Play-In Game at Layton
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings posted a 51-43 win on the home floor of the Layton Lancers, AKA the Stickers, in a state play-in game Feb. 19.
The game opened with Danyele "Panther" Hoffman sinking a trey sent the Ferocious Vikings out to an early 8-2 lead. Stickers Maddie Smith and Livia Treseder cut it to 8-6. Before Layton could tie the game, Hoffman hit another three-pointer, and she made an assist to Britney Johnson for a layup that fired up a 10-1 scoring run that left the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings ahead 18-9 by the end of the period.
In the second period, a Hoffman layup gave the Ferocious Vikings a 20-9 lead. Even though they maintained a double-digit lead through most of Quarter 2, the Stickers still answered them point for point. Layton's Addison "Addy" Moore emerged as a threat to them that period as she became warm in her shooting and rebounding. She finished the half with a layup that cut Pleasant Grove''s lead to 27-18.
In the early third period, Moore hit a layup and a trey that cut the lead to 27-23. Teammate Amber Daley scored on a steal to put Layton within 27-25. Despite Viking Coach Glenn Larson calling a time out, the game continued growing more scary for Pleasant Grove. When a Stacey Woster foul shot put the Stickers within 27-26, Pleasant Grove's season appeared doomed. However, Hoffman produced a three-point play that ended the Ferocious Vikings' dry spell. Despite a Moore trey, Britney and Marci Johnson pulled down some key defensive boards that helped to save Pleasant Grove. Meanwhile teammate Taylor Warburton scored on an offensive rebound and Hoffman sank a layup during a steal to enable Pleasant Grove to take a 37-29 lead into the fourth period.
For its first four minutes, Pleasant Grove led by as far as 11 points. In the last four minutes, the Vikings let the Lancers make steals right underneath Pleasant Grove's basket. This gave Smith and Moore chances at whittling down the lead. Layton sawed it down to 45-41. In the last 1 1/2 minutes, Moore fouled Johnson, who sank two foul shots. Foul shooting from Johnson and Hoffman saved Pleasant Grove's season.
The Vikings' victory got marred by teammate Kourtney Dinehart suffering a seizure. Because of it, she didn't get to play in the rest of the state tournament until the loss to the Syracuse Titans, AKA the Midgets, in the semifinals.
Larson said, "I hope we've learned from this not to let teams make steals right underneath our basket. That's been our Achilles heel this season. It was great to to see them battle hard on to get into the tournament after we had fared in region. We won our last two region games. That gave us some momentum."
Jordan Plowboys Defeat Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings in Region 4 Boys' Hoop Finale
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In a Region Four boys' basketball finale at Jordan Feb. 22, the Jordan Beetdiggers, AKA the Plowboys, defeated the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings 35-31.
Cade Wilkes' shooting guided the Ferocious Vikings out to an early 9-2 lead. Plowboy Austin "Shagadelic Baby" Haney sank a layup on a steal, and then he swished in a trey to cut the lead to 9-7.
The game stayed a low-scoring contest in the second period as fans got treated to witnessing ferocious battles for rebounds. Al Hamson and Taylor Allred led Pleasant Grove in these struggles against Plowboys liek Ryan Nemelka and Addison Walter. Midway through the second period, a Haney trey tied the game at 12, but two Hamson free throws put the Ferocious Vikings back out in front. Cory McAllister swished in a three-pointer, and Wilkes contributed a free throw that left the Vikings leading 18-12 at the end of the half.
Until the third period, Pleasant Grove had been able to keep Nemelka under control. However, in that quarter, he became, especially in the last minute when he racked up six straight unanswered points to pushed the Plowboys within 26-24. Nemelka's destructive work was almost enough to make fans forget that a Wilkes trey had given the Vikings a 22-14 lead earlier in the quarter.
The fourth period opened with Nemelka hitting a go-ahead trey. The Ferocious Vikings fourth-period performance turned out to be tame. Despite Allred and McAllister pulling down some key defensive rebounds, Pleasant Grove couldn't sink a shot until the final two minutes. At the 2:00 mark, Allred hit a trey to cut the lead to 31-29, but Addison Walter and Mark Krueger's control of the boards prevented the Vikings from tying the game. After Allred had hit two foul shots to cut the lead to 34-11, he fouled out, and Jordan held Pleasant Grove scoreless in the final minute of the game.
Allred led Pleasant Grove with 10 points while Wilkes added another eight. Nemelka led the Plowboys with 13 points.
Awesome American Fork Cavewomen End Home Season With Loss to Lone Peak Loners Feb. 17
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Awesome American Fork Cavewomen finished their Region Four girls' basketball scheduled with a loss at home Feb. 17. The Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, defeated them 39-29.
The Awesome Cavewomen never led in that game. Loners Whitney Johnson, Maddie "The Wrath" McGrath, and Marquelle "What Da" Funk dominated the boards, denying the American Forkers many chances for second shots.
It was hardly surprising, then, that American Fork got held to two points in the first quarter. Led by Cassidy Fraughton and Sadie Williams, American Fork tried in the second period to make up for its disappointing, first-period performance. The Awesome Cavewomen outscored the Loners 6-4 to move within 13-8 by halftime.
In the third period, the Awesome Cavewomen practically answered the Loners point for point, but they still couldn't overtake Lone Peak. When the third period ended with the Loners leading 22-18, people wondered if Lone Peak would somehow pull far away in the low scoring affair. The Loners did do that in the fourth quarter. Johnson became really hot in scoring. With help from Megan Hansen, Johnson swished in a trey that improved the Loners' lead at 27-17. After a Burningham shot had put the score at 29-17, a Williams field goal and two Fraughton foul shots put American Fork with 29-21. Suddenly Funk scored on a steal. It became the first in a long series of turnovers that destroyed the Awesome Cavewomen's comeback efforts.
Johnson led the Loners with 12 points while McGrath and Funk added another six, Lauren Le Frandt three, Hansen and Burningham two. Fraughton led the Awesome Cavewomen with 10 points while Williams added eight, Shelby Carson five, Baugh two, and Hayley Sua-Filo two.
American Fork atoned for its dismal Feb. 17 performance by winning 61-41 over the West Jordan Jaguars, AKA the Pussy Cats, in a state play-in game Feb. 18. Fraughton led the Awesome Cavewomen with 21 points while Williams added another 14 and Carson 13.
Ferocious Vikings End Loner Girls' Season in State Octafinal Game Feb. 21
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
Going into the Feb. 21 octafinals of the state 5-A girls' basketball tournament, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings appeared doom, because they were to meet Region Four champs, the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners, who had squished them like grapes twice in league play this winter. However, by showing a ferocious effort this time, Pleasant Grove sank the Loners by a score of 54-50.
Getting the opening tipoff, the Loners scored first through Marquelle "What D" Funk's dropping in a three-pointer. Ferocious Viking Danyele "Panther" Hoffman answered it with a trey of her own. Her teammate Britney Johnson broke the tie, and another Hoiffman trey improved the Viking lead at 8-3. After Loner Megan Hansen swished in a set shot, two Funk foul shots brought the Loners within 10-7. That turned out to be the closest they could get to the Ferocious Vikings. A Britney Johnson trey and two Becky Clement fouls improved Pleasant Grove's hold on them momentum. Although Loner Whitney Johnson did cut the lead to 15-9 by the end of the first quarter, she couldn't do much for her team in that game.
Pleasant Grove Coach Glenn "The DJ" Larson said, "We focused a lot on blocking Whitney Johnson from getting to the basket. We held her to eight points for the morning."
With Whitney unable to do much damage to the Ferocious Vikings inside, the Loners had to look to other players like Funk, Lauren Le Frandt, and Mikail Buringham to save them from an abrupt elimination from the tournament.
That prospect became strong in the second period, when Janae Olson stole the ball from Funk and passed to Becky Clement for a layup that opened a 6-1 scoring run for the Ferocious Vikings. Layups by Danyele and Britney helped Pleasant Grove stretch its lead to 22-10. Britney and Danyele were not the only Ferocious Vikings who did tremendous damage to the Loners in the second period. Megan Wilde, for one, tipped a crucial shot hack in while Olson and Clement kept Whitney from pulling down many boards. After Pleasant Grove's lead had swelled to 27-11, Lauren Le Frandt hit a baseline shot that sparked a brief 7-3 scoring fun the Loners. Karli Taylor and Mikail burningham contributed to the scoring run. After Britney Johnson hit a trey, Burningham sank a three-pointer at the end of the half to cut the lead to 30-18.
The Loners finally took the Ferocious Vikings seriously in the early second half. It unfolded with Funk hitting two foul shots to begin a Loner comeback. Led by Burningham and Megan Hansen, the Loners outscored the Ferocious Vikings 7-2 in the half's first two minutes to get within 32-25. Olson swished in two buckets to help Pleasant Grove stay ahead as its lead diminished into single digits. Whitney Johjnson and McGrath delivered big cuts to the Viking lead. When a Whitney Johnson three-point play put Lone Peak within 38-34, the Ferocious Vikings' luck seemed to have been exhausted. However, Hoffman sank a jumper and two free throws to tip the tempo back to Pleasant Grove's favor. Still, the Loners weren't going to toss in the towel. McGrath and Funk pushed them back within 42-38. When the third period had ended, the Ferocious Vikings discovered that the Loners had outscored them 20-12 that quarter.
After Hoffman had sunk a layup at the start of the final quarter, Funk sank a jumper that kept the Loner cause alive. Karli Taylor scored on two straight offensive rebounds to put Lone Peak with 44-42 and 46-44. The Loners got their best opportunity when two Mikayla McChesney foul shots put them within 47-46. Before Lone Peak could pull ahead, Britney Johnson swished in a set shot. Though it did turn out to be the most critical shot of the game, it didn't deter the Loners. They battled fiercely in the game's final two minutes. After Whitney fouled out at 1:40, Lone Peak's chances evaporated quickly as Olson and Britney Johnson hit foul throws that the Loners from catching up, despite a Funk trey that cut the lead to 53-50.
"We won this game for Kourtney," Danyelle Hoffman said. Kourtney Dinehart had to sit out the Lone Peak game, because of a seizure she had suffered in the Layton game Feb. 19.
Hoffman led the Ferocious Vikings with 18 points while Britney Johnson added another 13, Olson 10, Clement six6, Marci Johnson four, and Wilde two. Funk led the Loners with 13 points while Whitney Johnson added another eight, Burningham seven, McGrath five, McChesney two, and Le Frandt two.
Syracuse Midgets End Awesome AF Cavewomen's Season Feb. 21
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Awesome American Fork Cavewomen's basketball season ended in a crushing defeat at the hands of the Syracuse Titans, AKA the Midgets, in state 5-A girls' octafinal action at Salt Lake Community College Feb. 21. The defending state 5-A champs, the Midgets smashed the Cavewomen 61-31.
American Fork's doom got sealed in the first period. Early in it, Awesome Cavewoman Shelby Carson, a niece of former Awesome Caveman football player Shane "Sauce" Carson, hit two straight buckets to give American Fork a 4-0 lead. The Awesome Cavewomen went cold for five minutes after that. The Midgets capitalized on American Fork's cold spell. Timmairie Taylor hit an insider shot that spark a 14-0 scoring run for Syracuse. Aided by Abby Call three-pointers, the long scoring spurt gave the Midgets firm control of the game. Two Cassidy Fraughton foul shots renewed American Fork scoring, but the hammering that the Awesome Cavewomen received in the 14-0 scoring left their morale really low. By the end of the first period, Syracuse commanded a 22-8 lead over American Fork.
Pulling down a second-oeriod, offensive rebound, Brittney Martin improved the Midget lead at 24-8. After it had grown to 25-8 on a Makenlee Williams free throw, Tyra "T-Rod" Rodriguez fed a pass to Carson for a layup. Fraugton hit a bucket. It turned out to be the last field goal made by American Fork in the half. The second period saw each team score only five points as the game turned into a battle for rebounds. Martin held her own against Carson, Fraughton, and Sadie Williams.
The Midgets became really hot in the third period. Martin, Williams, Call, and Sarah Sperry became incredibly accurate as they swished in shots that pushed Syracuse more than 20 points ahead. The Midgets kept Carson, Fraughton, and Ashley Baught form doing much damage inside the key. After the period had ended with Baugh scoring on a steal to cut the lead to 49-26, the Midgets vexed the Cavewomen with another cold spell. In the final period, Syracuse held American Fork to five points. The game ended with Midget Kana Fana sinking a layup on a steal.
American Fork Coach Corey Clayton said, "After we got that early 4-o lead, we went absolutely cold. When we were down by eight, we missed three straight layups that could have enabled us to lead by at least 10-9. We couldn't recover after that period. With us losing only three seniors, we expect to come back to this tournament next year."
Carson led the Awesome Caverwomen with nine points while Baugh added another six and Fraughton four. Williams led the Midgets with 12 points and Call 11.
Ferocious Vikings Defeat Bingham Pickers in State 5-A Quarterfinal Action
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
During the Feb. 23 quarterfinals of the state 5-A girls' basketball tournament, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings buried the Bingham Miners, AKA the Pickers, 61-53.
That quarterfinal game went down as one of the tightest contest of the tournament. The lead changed hands several times during the night. Bingham attempted repeatedly through the course of the night to throw Pleasant Grove off track by sending entirely new line-ups. However, the Ferocious Vikings were wise to that favorite trick of Bingham Coach Rand "Iron Band" Rasmussen. Pleasant Grove held its own against every new string of Pickers sent by Rasmussen into the game.
Picker Jilliam Powell opened the game's scoring with a set shot, but she missed a free throw. Nevertheless, the Pickers still secured a 6-0 lead on shots from Ashton Henderson and Chantee Renouard. Britney Johnson put the Ferocious Vikings on the board at that point, and they rowed back within 6-5 on a Janae Olson free throw and a Beckyt Clement jumper. Despite a Latesha Richard bucket improving their lead at 8-5, the Pickers failed to keep Pleasant Grove from stealing the lead from them in the first period. Clement sank a layup on a steal, and she then swished in a jump shot that gave the Ferocious Vikings a 9-8 lead. Teammate Megan Wilde put a shot back in during the blaring of the quarter-ending buzzer.
Aided by two Olson foul shots, the Ferocious Vikings outscored the Pickers 6-4 in the first four minutes of the second quarter. After Danyele "Panther" Hoffman had passed to Marci Johnson for a bucket that improved Pleasant Grove's lead at 17-12, Henderson swished in a layup that opened a fierce Bingham comeback. During it, the Pickers quick found something to Yack about when Summer Yack tied the game at 18 on two foul shots, then put Bingham ahead 29-18. After Powell had improved the Pickers' lead at 22-18, Clement shaved it down to 22-21 on a foul shot and a lay-in just before halftime.
The third period opened with Yack and Brooke Blonquist guiding the Pickers on a 6-0 scoring run. When the score read 28-21, Viking Coach Glenn "DJ" Larson called a time-out at 6:26. He later said, "I told the girls during that halftime, 'They've had their rally. Let's get back into the game.'"
Pleasant Grove did do that. Shots from Hoffman and Britney Johnson shoved the Ferocious Vikings back within 28-27. After tying the game at 28 on a foul shot, Hoffman stole the ball and sank a go-ahead layup. Through the shooting of Hofffman, Wilde, and Clement, Pleasant Grove quickly accumulated a 36-29 lead. A Blongquist bucket sent Bingham picking its way back within 36-34. Before the Pickers could tie it at 36, they threw the ball away. Clement and Olson rebounds helped the Vikings stay ahead through the rest of the game. Aided by a Britney Johnson foul shot, Olson produced a three-point play that gave the Ferocious Viking a 40-36 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Pleasant Grove improved its advantage at 44-36 in the first two minutes of Quarter Four. Shots from Yack and Blonquist put the Pickers within 44-40. Bingham couldn't capitalize on the Viking turnovers quickly enough to grab a tight control of the moment. The closest the Pickers could get to Pleasant Grove was a spread of four point. While Clement and Olson dominated inside the key, Hoffman and Britiney Johnson continued scorching Bingham with searing shots from the perimeter. By the game's final minute, the Vikings had accumulated a lead to 58-48. With the way Pleasant Grove had been playing all through the second half, even the most diehard Bingham fan could see that the Pickers' state title hopes had completely caved in at that point.
Britney Johnson led Pleasant Grove with 18 points while Hoffman added another 15. Blonquist led Bingham with 18 points while Yack added another 12.
Ferocious Vikings' State Hopes End at Hands of Syracuse Midgets in 5-A Girls Semifinals
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings' hopes of making a second-straight appearance in the state 5-A girls' championship game got sunk in a semifinal against the Syracyuse Titans, AKA the Midgets, at Salt Lake Community College's Lifetime Activities Center Feb. 24.
Going into the semifinal, the Ferocious Vikings were hoping to break the jinx that Syracuse had held over them for the past two seasons. Last year, the Midgets defeated the Ferocious Vikings for the state title.
The Feb. 24 semifinal opened with Kiana Fauna putting the Midgets on the board first. Danyele "Panther" Hoffman stole the ball tied the game at two. Even though Britney Martin put the Midgets back ahead, two Becky Clement shots put the Ferocious Vikings ahead 6-4. Martin guided Syracuse on a 7-1 scoring run that left the Midgets leading 11-7 at the end of the first period.
Shots from Britney Johnson and Hoffman kept the Ferocious Vikings in the game during the second quarter. When the score read 20-14, Hoffman pulled down a defensive rebound and raced away for a layup that opened a 14-8 rally for Pleasant Grove. Two Janae Olson foul shots put the Vikings ahead 28-27 in the half's final minute. Just before the buzzer, Martin shot gave the Midgets a 29-28 lead.
At the start of the third quarter, Clements put a shot back in to put Pleasant Grove ahead 31-30. After Midget Makenlee Williams swished in a go-ahead shot, the Vikings fell to pieces through making a long series of turnovers that enabled the Midgets to pull far away. In the meantime, Syracuse held Pleasant Grove to seven points in the third period. By the end of it, Syracuse commanded a 43-36 lead.
The long string of Viking turnovers persisted into the final period, allowing Syracuse to go on a 12-0 scoring run aided by Abby Call's shooting. Midway through the quarter, a Martin shot put the Midget lead at 56-36. That shot sounded the death knell for Pleasant Grove. Because of the wideness of the Midgets' lead, Larson let all of his reserves have game time. In the final minute of the game, Kourtney Dinehart finally got to play in a state game, after having been sidelined by a seizure at the Layton game six days before. She pulled down a defensive rebound for Pleasant Grove as the conttest entered its final 30 secnds.
Viking Coach Glenn "DJ" Larson said, "We played well in the first half. In the second half, though, those many turnovers killed us. We couldn't recover from them. We have some great talent coming back. We'll be getting the girls ready this summer for the coming season."
Cllement led Pleasant Grove with 15 points while Britney Johnson added another 14, Olson 13, and Hoffman nine. Martin led the Midgets with 17 points while Williams added another 13, Call 11, and Fauna 10.
