Sports
RECAP: Vinton County Girls Continue Streak, Boys Get Off To Slow Start
By: Tyler Corbit
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Last season both the Vikings and the Lady Vikings took home TVC-Ohio titles. With the season beginning, the Lady Vikings are looking to likely repeat while the Vikings have a bit of a hill to climb. Both teams learned a lot about themselves this week.
Lady Vikings
Last year the ladies only lost one game in the regular season. That loss came against Unioto. Thursday night brought on a rematch. This time the Lady Vikings flipped the script in a 43-39 victory that coach Rod Bentley described with only one word: “huge.” Sophomore Morgan Bentley continued her dominant start to the season by pacing the team with 11 points while junior Josie Ousley chipped in with nine points.
Earlier in the week, the Lady Vikings took on the Athens Lady Bulldogs at the Vallhall in McArthur. Just like the Vikings have done in their six wins this season, they rode a strong defense to pull out a 64-34 win. Bentley had 26 points in the game and Ousley added 16.
The Lady Vikings are 6-0 on the season and look primed to take home another TVC crown.
Vikings
The Vinton County boys only returned one rotation player from last year’s TVC champion team. The team has played Alexander and Athens, which are the two teams favored to win the TVC in their first two conference games.
“For them, it has been baptism by fire,” said head coach Matt Combs.
With Eli Griffith being the only player who has significant varsity experience, this Friday’s game against an experienced Athens team was going to be a dogfight.
The Vikings led for much of the game but Athens used a late 12-0 to seize control. Vinton County was trailing by one late when Eli Griffith tried to find Gavin Arbaugh in the corner. Athens’ Logan Maxfield came in and picked off the pass. The Bulldogs nailed their free throws down the stretch and pulled out a 41-38 victory.
Arbaugh led the Vikings with 13 points with Griffith added in 11. The loss drops Vinton County to 1-2 on the season and 0-2 in conference play.
Last year the Vikings were able to win the league title in spite of two conference losses. Time will tell if the Vikings are able to four-peat the league.