Sports
Vinton County and Meigs to Square Off
By: Clark Wooley
Posted on:
The two teams that finished fourth and fifth in the TVC-Ohio last season now sit in the driver’s seat of the conference. Meigs and Vinton County meet up Tuesday night in a matchup poised to be the game of the year thus far.
The Meigs Marauders (11-0, 4-0) and the Vinton County Vikings (11-1, 4-0) faceoff in a game deciding who will take sole possession as top dog in the conference.
The Marauders have been dominating their opponents, scoring an average of 76.3 points per game in their last four matchups. The team has allowed only an average of 52.3 points in those same contests.
In their most recent victory over Nelsonville-York, the Marauders showed an aspect to their game that is nearly impossible for opposing teams to stop. Depth.
The Marauders have been able to constantly sub in fresh legs and keep fatigue at a minimum. The newest member of this rotation is sophomore, and former JV player Christian Mattox; who after dropping 23 points off the bench in the win against NY cemented his place on the varsity squad.
If this Meigs team has a weakness however, it comes on the glass. While Meigs certainly has height in players like Jared Kennedy, the tenacity on the boards need to be at an all-time high if this team wants to grab first place in the TVC-Ohio.
Vinton County enters this game coming off a heartbreaking 61-60 loss to Logan, a team it had beaten earlier in the season. Despite the loss, the Vikings still remain undefeated in conference play and plan on keeping it that way.
The Vikings present one of the toughest defenses in all of the conference, holding opponents under 50 points in nine of their 12 games this season.
While the Vikings present a stout defense, their play on the offensive side of the ball is just as impressive. Guard Tristan Bartoe is the catalyst for this Viking offense; not only can he shoot from the outside, but he can easily beat defenders off the dribble. Chase Wood is also a dynamic low post threat that can easily post double-double numbers on any given night.
These two, along with the rest of the Vikings are going to have to be firing on all cylinders if they plan on keeping up with Meigs’ explosive offense.
Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Meigs High School in Pomeroy.