Tag Archive for: Vikings

WATERLOO SNEAKS OUT OF MCDONALD WITH FIRST PLACE IN TACT

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By Matt Maher 


MCDONALD, OH – Another Friday night, another great matchup between two Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference teams! This time around McDonald hosted Waterloo and these two fierce competitors showed strong defense and great free throw shooting in a tight 37-33 game that went to Waterloo in the final seconds.

 

The first quarter was close for the majority of play but Waterloo, with the help of some fouls, started to run away as the quarter ended 15-9 in favor of the visitors. Drew Zajack led his team in scoring with 5 points while Wyatt Wilford scored the first 2 points and found 2 more from the line. Gage Hawley was an impressive rebounder for the Vikings and found 5 points to start off his night including going a perfect 2-for-2 but the real star of the free throw line was Jackson Eichler who found 5 of his 7 points from the line going a perfect 5-for-5.

 

Waterloo found more scoring from the field in the 2nd while McDonald struggled to find any room in the crowded offensive zone. The quarter would go to Waterloo 13-8. Zajack found 4 more points in the paint while Joey Cappuzzello and Wilford both scored 2 points. Eichler continued to lead his team with 5 more points including a 3 and Kyle Werbeck and Hawley both found points beyond the arc. 

 

McDonald was disappointed with their first half efforts and came out with a strong response in the third, scoring 12 points and only allowing Waterloo 3. 2 of Waterloo’s points came from Drew Flarida who put up a contested jumper while Eichler found 1-of-2 from the line. Casey Miller found some energy and mustered 5 points starting off with a huge 3. Wilford found 4 points while Brady Klockner found his first 3 of the night.

 

Both teams locked down their defense in the 4th quarter and after McDonald got so close in the 3rd, Waterloo needed this quarter to go the way it did with them scoring 5-4 and capping off the night their way. Miller went 1-for-2 from the stripe while Zajack hit a game tying 3 but that tie would not last for too long as Waterloo was able to draw 3 different fouls in this frame with the last one on Hawley being the nail in the coffin, The Vikings went 5-for-5 from the line with 4 coming from Eichler and the other two from Hawley.

 

The free throws were landing for Waterloo and their precise shooting was ultimately what won this game for them and kept them neck and neck with Springfield for 1st place as they went 14-15 as a team. McDonald can’t be underestimated because they have proved all season they can compete against the big dogs of this conference and tonight was no different. Waterloo (13-4, 10-2) have the biggest game of the season on tap when they host Springfield on February 6th at 7:00PM (that game is scheduled to be on YSN) and McDonald (9-9, 6-5) will host Jackson-Milton on the 6th at 7:00PM. 

VIKINGS BRING THE HURT TO CAMPBELL

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LaBrae dominated on the road Thursday night, delivering a commanding performance against Campbell in a decisive 55-14 victory. The Vikings showcased their offensive prowess and defensive tenacity, leaving little room for their opponents to mount a response.

Marissa Levensky led the scoring charge for LaBrae with an outstanding 17-point performance, closely followed by Ella Kuszmaul with 15 points. Mariah Jones contributed 9 points, adding to the well-rounded offensive effort displayed by the Vikings.

Campbell, facing a formidable LaBrae squad, found themselves limited on the scoreboard. Diamon Sims led the charge for Campbell with 12 points, but the Vikings’ relentless defense proved challenging.

With this emphatic win, LaBrae’s record now stands at an impressive 15-3. The Vikings will aim to maintain their winning momentum as they host Grand Valley on Saturday. Meanwhile, Campbell (2-16) looks to regroup and kickstart a turnaround on Monday as they face Liberty.

LABRAE ABSORBS WARRIORS BEST SHOT

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By Matt Maher 


BROOKFIELD, OH – The 5th place Warriors welcomed the 1st place Vikings to town for one heck of a battle that saw Brookfield hold their own and stay extremely close to the powerhouse LaBrae has proven themselves to be. While the Warriors stood strong and showed everyone they could tussle with the big dogs they could never deliver the final blow and take back the lead and the result was a 66-59 win for LaBrae. 

 

Brookfield started off well with a nice stop after the tip and the first 2 points of the game but it didn’t take long for LaBrae to wake up and show us what they could really do and the result was a 7 point run that would help lead them to a 22-12 1st. Brookfield saw their scoring come from Matteo Fortuna, Judah DeJoy and Riley Russo who all scored 4 points in the paint. Jay McGarry and Austin Rowe would have an impressive 1st with McGarry sinking two 3’s and Rowe sinking two 3’s as well as a 2, Derek Wilson would also find his first 4 points of the night as well.

 

The second quarter was even and the score reflected that with both teams putting up 14 points. DeJoy and Teagan Barbie both hit 3’s while Shaun Dungee went a perfect 2-for-2 from the line. Derek Wilson accounted for 11 of LaBraes points with three made 2’s and 50% from the line with 3-of-6 made free throws, Rowe found the other 3 from beyond the arc.

 

Brookfield stepped up their game and built off of a solid 2nd and finished the 3rd 21-15. Owen Boone found himself leading LaBrae in the 3rd with a made layup and-1 and two more made free throws. Jaxson Lancaster would also go 2-for-2 and Rowe and Wilson both hit 3’s. The headline of the quarter was Matteo Fortuna who found 13 points all by rushing into the paint and either laying them in or drawing fouls, he found for 2’s and went 5-for-5 from the line. 

 

The 4th quarter stayed close but Brookfield would only score 12 while LaBrae found 16 more points to cap off the night. Fortuna went cold only hitting 1-of-2 free throws and Dungee, DeJoy and Barbe all hit 3’s. Rowe stepped up once more for LaBrae with 7 more points including a 3 and two 2’s. Boone added two more points by going 2-for-2 from the line  and McGarry capped his night off with a 3.

 

While LaBrae showed a great effort and earned the victory, Brookfield looked fantastic against the MVAC’s best and showed that they have what it takes to stand toe to toe with the top teams. LaBrae saw Austin Rowe finish with 16 points, Derek Wilson with 18 and Jay McGarry with 10 while Brookfield was led and at times carried by Matteo Fortuna who led all scorers with 21 points. LaBrae (13-2, 9-1) will be back at home on February 2nd when they host Liberty at 7:00PM while Brookfield (6-10, 4-6) will hit the road to take on Campbell Memorial on February 2nd at 7:00PM.

VIKINGS FIND FIRST PLACE MOJO

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By Ty Bartell

 

ATWATER, Ohio — In a crucial Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference (MVAC) Scarlet Division matchup, the Waterloo Vikings boys basketball team triumphed over the Mineral Ridge Rams, clinching a key conference victory.

The first quarter saw a low-scoring affair, with The Rams edging ahead 4-2. However, Waterloo quickly turned the tide in the second quarter, outscoring Mineral Ridge 9-0 and establishing an 11-4 lead at the halftime buzzer.

The Vikings continued their dominance in the third quarter, besting The Rams 17-10 to take a commanding 28-14 lead into the final frame. In the fourth quarter, Waterloo sealed the deal with a 15-10 performance, securing a convincing 43-24 victory.
The standout performance of the night came from Waterloo’s Jackson Eichler, who earned the Player of the Game honors. Eichler delivered an impressive display, tallying 26 points and sinking six 3-point shots. Gage Hawley also contributed with 9 points for The Vikings. On the opposing side, Mineral Ridge’s offensive efforts were led by Chase Moore, who finished with 10 points.

With this win, Waterloo (11-4, 8-2) finds itself in a first-place tie in the conference standings with Springfield. Looking ahead, the Vikings will shift their focus to another MVAC opponent, as they prepare to face the Jackson-Milton Blue Jays (5-9, 3-7) on Tuesday, January 30th, with a 7 p.m. tip-off.

Meanwhile, Mineral Ridge (5-11, 2-8) aims to bounce back when they hit the road to take on the Lowellville Rockets (8-6, 7-2) on the same Tuesday evening. Basketball enthusiasts can stay updated on MVAC action throughout the season, with live games, scores, stats, stories, and more available on YSN!

VIKINGS GET VENGEANCE ON LOWELLVILLE

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By Ty Bartell

ATWATER OH- The beautiful thing about conference basketball is the fact that you have to play conference opponents twice, meaning one loss is not always the endgame for conference championship hopes. In the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conferences (MVAC) Scarlet Division, a log jam is starting to build of teams competing for the top conference spot this year. The Springfield Tigers currently lead with just one look inside the MVAC this season; however, The Lowellville Rockets sat only a half game back of Springfield after Lowellville managed the tough road win against The McDonald Blue Devils. Also in the hunt for the top spot was The Waterloo Vikings who sat a full game back of Springfield, needing this win, entering Tuesday night against Lowellville!

With The Rockets and The Vikings squaring-off to clear up some conference chaos. Both teams managed early buckets and early leads, as momentum hung in the balance between the conference foes. Michael Ballone would end the first quarter putting Lowellville up off an impressive step-back three to take a 15-13 lead after a quarter for The Rockets. However, the second quarter belonged to The Vikings! As Jackson Eichler propelled the Waterloo offense with 10 points of his own in the second, The Viking defense was shut down, complementing the offense, outsourcing Lowellville 18-4 in the second to take an emphatic 31-19 halftime lead! “We made shots!” Viking Head Coach Jason Wise said as Waterloo put up more points in the first half on Tuesday than they did the entire game in the loss at Lowellville on December 15th.

From the point of grabbing a big lead in the second quarter, The Vikings would not look back and would not allow Lowellville to score double-digits in another quarter in the ballgame. Besting The Rockets 13-8 in the third allowed enough separation for Waterloo that the 9-7 Rocket favoring fourth quarter could not top The Vikings! The 51-36 win for Waterloo gets them revenge against The Rockets for the slip up earlier this campaign and puts them right in the thick of the conference race!

The Player of the Game was Jackson Eichler, who was raining three-point bombs on The Rockets all night long! Finishing with 24 points and six shots from distance, The Vikings senior was able to space the floor to create a plethora of offensive opportunities for his teammates! Following Eichler was Gage Hawley who finished with 11 points and both Kaii Warren and Kyle Werbeck who each had 6 points. For Lowellville, they were led by Michael Ballone who had 10 points followed by Matt Lucido with 8 points.

Waterloo (10-4, 7-2) continues to control their own destiny in conference play, as they will now look to host another MVAC opponent in The Mineral Ridge Rams (5-10, 2-7) on Friday, January 26th with a 7 p.m. tip-off. As for Lowellville (7-6, 6-2) The Rockets have a big test, traveling to conference-leading Springfield (11-3, 8-1) also on Friday! Keep updated with all MVAC basketball this season with live games, scores, stats, stories and more on YSN!

TIGERS TAKE A STEP UP THE MOUNTAIN

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By Matt Maher 


LEAVITTSBURG, OH – Two of the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference’s (MVAC) beast ducked it out Tuesday night when LaBrae welcomed Newton falls to town. While LaBrae sits atop the MVAC Grey division it was the Tigers (3rd) who would climb the mountain and take down the Vikings by the final score of 64-56.

 

These two juggernauts battled in a close first quarter where the tigers would narrowly lead 14-12 after the first 8 minutes. The Vikings held multiple 5 point leads in this frame but Newton Falls found their groove in the second 4 minutes and set the tone moving forward. LaBrae saw Austin Rowe lead his team with 5 points, 3 made free throws including an and-1 and David Blackmon III would add 4 points in the paint as well. Carson Howard led his squad with 5 points in the first and Jabriel Rufai snatched another 4.

 

The second Quarter was where the Tigers truly took control with 17 points to LaBraes 6 it wasn’t even close. Rowe added a nice 3 and Blackmon found a 2 and went 1-for-2 from the line to account for all Vikings points. Newton Falls saw Landon Mcgregor enter the chat with three made 2’s for 6 points while Howard continued to score with 5 more points.

 

Newton Falls continued to outdo themselves coming out of the break with 21 points but LaBrae kept close by with 17 points. LaBrae saw Jay McGarry score his first 5 points while Rowe hit a 3 and went 2-for-2 from the line and Jackson Lancaster found 3 more points with a 2 and 1 of 2 made free throws. Cameron Huff found himself on top of his team with 6 points all from beyond the arc which is where he excels from. Zach Stinson added 5 more points with two 2’s including an and-1. 

 

LaBrae found life in the 3rd with an impressive 21 point performance and much better defense that limited Newton falls to just 12 points. Huff found 6 more points from beyond the arc while both Howard and Rufai had the same point line with a made 2 and going 1-for-2 from the line for 3 points each. Austin Rowe looked rejuvenated this frame with three made 3’s all from well beyond the arc he really turned it up. Derek Wilson scored 8 points, all 2’s and Owen Boone brought the boom with two made 2’s. 

 

Despite a good second half and Austin Rowes 22 point night, the Vikings just couldn’t stop the Tigers who built momentum off of a dominant 2nd quarter and great play from Carson Howard with 16 points and Cameron Huff with 14 as well as solid team play. Newton Falls (10-4, 6-2) will be home on January 26th to take on the Liberty Leopards at 7:00PM while LaBrae (11-2, 7-1) will stay home to take on the Champion Golden Flashes on January 26th at 7:00PM.

CHAMPION’S SWEEP OF THE VIKINGS GIVES COLE 200 WINS

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WARREN OH- In an intense matchup on Monday night, Champion secured a season sweep of LaBrae with a hard-fought 52-47 victory. The game took an unexpected turn as LaBrae surged to a 21-12 lead after the first quarter, but Champion rallied for a remarkable comeback.

Kayla Haynie showcased her scoring prowess for Champion, contributing 16 points, including four three-pointers. Carlie Easterday added 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Bella Meyer and Addie Warzala chipped in with 8 points and 7 points, respectively, enhancing the team’s overall performance.

On the LaBrae side, Mariah Jones led the scoring effort with an impressive 19 points, securing the game-high. Ella Kuszmaul contributed 13 points, and Riley Rowe added 8 points to bolster the Vikings’ offensive efforts.

Notably, the victory marked a significant milestone for Champion head coach Michael Cole, achieving his 200th career win, a testament to his coaching prowess and the team’s success under his leadership.

Champion (13-4) looks ahead to their next challenge, hosting Campbell on Thursday. LaBrae (12-3) aims to bounce back in their upcoming game on Thursday as they host Brookfield, seeking to regain their winning momentum after a hard-fought battle against Champion.

VIKINGS KEEP CONFERENCE PACE

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ATWATER OH- In a pivotal conference matchup within The Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference (MVAC) Scarlet Division, the Waterloo Vikings boys’ basketball team showcased their dominance with a convincing win against The Western Reserve Blue Devils. The game unfolded at a brisk pace, ultimately resulting in a 52-40 victory for The Vikings.

Waterloo wasted no time asserting their authority, storming ahead with a commanding 14-4 lead over Reserve by the end of the first quarter. The second quarter further solidified Waterloo’s dominance, as they outscored their opponents 19-7, extending their halftime lead to a formidable 33-11.

A remarkable display of sharpshooting saw Waterloo connect on seven 3-pointers in the first half, contributing significantly to their substantial advantage. Although The Blue Devils rallied in the third quarter with an 18-15 effort, The Vikings maintained a comfortable lead of 48-29 heading into the final period.

Reserve staged a late comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, outscoring Waterloo 11-4. However, their efforts fell short as The Vikings secured the win with a final score of 52-40.

The standout performer for Waterloo was Jackson Eichler, who earned the title of Player of the Game with an impressive 20-point contribution. Eichler showcased his scoring prowess by hitting five shots from beyond the arc. Supporting him were Drew Flarida with 9 points and Gage Hawley with 8 points. On the opposing side, The Blue Devils were led by Andrew Handricks and Dom Ricciardi, both contributing 7 points.

With this conference triumph, The Vikings improved their season record to 9-4 overall and 6-2 in MVAC play. Their next challenge awaits as they host The Lowellville Rockets (6-5, 5-1) on Tuesday, January 23rd, with a 7 p.m. tip-off. Meanwhile, Western Reserve (4-10, 3-5) will have an opportunity to bounce back as they host Springfield (10-3, 7-1) on the same evening.

Stay updated on MVAC basketball action throughout the season with live games, scores, stats, stories, and more on YSN!

VIKINGS OFFENSE PREVAILS OVER CRESTVIEW

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LEAVITTSBURG, OH- The LaBrae Viking offense is worth the price of admission, and on Tuesday night- they showed why en route to an 85-46 win over MVAC rival, Crestview.

The Vikes splashed 28 points right out of the gate in the first quarter, only giving up ten, which set the tone for the likes of their three-headed monster in David Blackmon, Derek Wilson, and Austin Rowe- who accounted for 69 of the team’s 85 points on the night.  Wilson led the way with 31 points, followed by Rowe with 22, and Wilson with 16.  Jay McGarry had seven tallies, and Jaxson Lancaster and Owen Boone each chipped in four.

LaBrae would win every quarter’s scoring totals during the contest.

The Rebels were led by valiant efforts from Jonathan Best with 16 points, Justin McKee with a dozen, and Jameson English with seven points and four assists on the night.

LaBrae improves to 11-1 overall and 7-0 in the league, while Crestview is 3-9 and 3-4 in the MVAC.  The Rebels will play host to Liberty on Friday night.

 

THE VIKINGS STRIKE BACK

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By Matt Maher 


LEAVITTSBURG, OH – The Vikings are on a mission to prove they are among the best teams in the Mahoning Valley and Saturday’s 65-32 victory over Bristol certainly helped them in their mission. With 4 players scoring 10 or more points over their non-conference foes LaBrae showed off their skill on the ball as well as away from it with turnover after turnover forced against the Panthers.

 

LaBrae came out of the pregame huddle with their highest scoring quarter of the day, a 20-4 difference set the tone for how the game was going to be played. Majority of LaBraes opportunities in this quarter (and game for that matter) came off of turnovers whether it be because they were able to force them or because of small mistakes that Bristol made the Vikings took advantage. Riley Rowe and Mariah Jones were a couple of studs in the first quarter with Rowe scoring 8 points and Jones with 6. 

 

Bristol found their energy in the second quarter but would still be outscored but just 17-13. Marissa Levensky found her first 6 points in the quarter including a 3 made from distance. Ella Kuszmaul would add 6 more points to her total including a buzzer beating 3 that took some conversing after the fact to get added to to score. Bristol would see Lauren Church score 5 points in the frame which was a nice compliment to her playmaking throughout the entire half.

 

The scoring dialed down out of the break with LaBrae only putting up 11 to Bristol’s 8. Jones would lead her team this quarter with 4 points including 2 of 3 made free throws. Rowe added another 3 to her total as well which would also be her last points of the game leaving her with 14 points against the Panthers. Church continued to lead her team by putting up 6 points out of the 8 her team found.

 

LaBrae capped off their performance with 17 more points in the 4th and only allowing Bristol 7. Kuszmaul added 6 more points to her total and she finished with 18 points. Levensky found 4 more points and finished with 10 points and Jones put in another bucket allowing her to finish with 12. 

 

Both teams showed some struggle during this game with both teams having trouble from the free throw line which was very worn out after the second quarter where both teams exceeded their 5 foul limit early on. While free throws were an issue, LaBrae took advantage of a bevy of turnovers from Bristol and over thrown shots which allowed them to score with ease and coast into their 11th win of the season. Bristol (6-7) are back in action when they host Chalker on January 15th at 7:00PM and LaBrae (11-2) hits the road when they face Newton Falls on January 18th at 7:00PM.