Sports
Girls Basketball: Lancers upset Vikings in sectional opener
By: Ian McConville
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Coming into their matchup with the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings, the seventh-seeded Federal Hocking Lady Lancers had dropped their last seven contests by a combined score of 431-278. Needless to say, in order to keep their season alive, this young Lancer squad had to tighten their grip on the defensive side of the basketball.
They began their playoff quest by doing just that, as the Lancers knocked off the 10 seeded Vikings by a final of 47-43 in their first round game at Meigs High School. The win was monumental for the upstart Fed Hock squad, as it was their first victory in their last seven sectional tournament tries.
Federal Hocking came up huge on the defensive end, as they forced Symmes Valley to shoot 18-62 from the floor. The Vikings consistently struggled throughout the night to get an open looks, which forced them to take contested and difficult shots. Meanwhile, the Lancers shot 15-43 for the game.
Symmes Valley didn’t help their cause much from the charity stripe, as they only converted 7 of their 23 attempts from the free-throw line. The Lancers fared much better in that regard, as they hit 15 of 31 foul shots.
The Lancers were led by freshman sensation Carley Tabler, who tallied 23 points to lead all scorers. She also stepped up her play on the other end of the floor, coming away with six steals. Cheyenne Singer was another huge contributor on the floor for Fed Hock, adding 11 points and pulling down 17 rebounds.
For the Vikings, they were led by Kalli Hunt, who scored 13 points and snared 10 boards. She was the only Lady Viking to reach double figures in the scoring department. Sarah Crabtree was also a big part for the Vikings tonight, as she hauled in nine rebounds.
The playoff road ahead gets no easier for Federal Hocking, as their second round matchup pits them against the second-seeded Eastern Eagles. The Eagles have beaten the Lancers twice this season, both in convincing fashion. Their first contest ended in a 61-13 drubbing, and the second matchup resulted in a 73-31 win for Eastern.
Tip-off is slated for Thursday, February 16 at Meigs High School.