Sports
Vinton County Lady Vikings Strike Down Athens Lady Bulldogs
By: Tyler Corbit
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It was senior night in the Plains as the the Athens Lady Bulldogs took on the Vinton County Lady Vikings. However the Lady Vikings would rain buckets on senior night, coming away with a 53-38 victory.
Taking down the Lady Vikings was going to be a tough task for the Lady Bulldogs, but early on it looked like Athens wanted to see their one senior, Sammy Russell, win her final game at McAfee Gymnasium. They came out playing stout defense and had all the answers for Cassie Bentley and Darian Radabaugh early on. Vinton County only led 13-7 after the first quarter and it truly felt like anyone’s ballgame. Then out of nowhere the Lady Vikings flipped a switch and turned the game on its head.
Vinton County would outscore Athens 18 to 5 in the second quarter to take a 31-12 lead into the locker room at half. From there on, the Viking’s ship went into cruise control as Bentley and Radabaugh would slowly pick up their usual point totals and Athens would valiantly fight back. Athens had the lead as low as 15 after Laura Manderick found her stroke from beyond the arc, but the run would quickly be reversed as the close range buckets kept falling for Vinton County.
Laura Manderick would go on to over half of Athens’ points with 21, a bright spot and a bright future for Athens going forward. Senior Sammy Russell would also get two points in her senior night. The Lady Vikings were paced by Cassie Bentley’s 17 points to go along with 11 points from Radabaugh.
Athens fell to 4-17 on the year with the loss, their last game before the playoffs will be on the road against Wellston on Thursday, Feb. 9. The win moves Vinton County to 8-11, their next chance to tune up before the playoffs will be against Monday, Feb. 6, at home against Meigs.