There are a lot of people who think that the sports in the 1A classification are second rate. They say the teams don’t have the talent of the largers schools or that they aren’t as much fun to watch.
These people are up in the night.
Example: The East Carbon, Navajo Mountain game last Friday night in the Viking gym. That game had it all.
While the final score of 61-52 does not help one to visualize an exciting game, it was.
And it was because of the two teams great style of play.
East Carbon is a tough team with good sized players who can go to the basket with power.
Navajo Mountain is a finesse team. They slide to the basket weaving and slinking and they are quick.
But their epitome is the pass; there may not be a better passing team in the state in any league.
They also understand how to administer pressure defenses, as was shown toward the end of the game when they went from over 20 points down to only six behind in a couple of minutes in time.
But right from the beginning East Carbon exercised their might as they jumped off to a 16-8 first quarter score. Between the power plays of Tony McFarland, the smooth operating Pat Hanson and the quick Austin Preston, they developed a lead they would never give up.
But the Jaguars would have none of it and even when behind at one point by 26 points they still thought they could win the game.
At the end of the half the Vikings led 28-22, but the kids from San Juan County left the court looking like they had hardly run down the court more than two or three times.
In the second half the Vikings increased the lead, but not easily. The Jaguars made them work for everything they got. The pressure started at the far end of the court and then would move clear down the floor.
Quick and agile they took the ball away from East Carbon a number of times, but just as often the Vikings would beat the press and due to some great offensive rebounding would put the ball up until they got it in the basket.
By the third quarter both teams looked tired in their faces, but not in their actions. The pressure increased, this time from both ends.
With just a few minutes to go the score hadn’t changed much when suddenly the pressure increased and the Jaguars started scoring in twos and even threes with some good outside shooting.
They almost got in contact distance with the score when East Carbon decided to put it away and did. In the end the size and power of East Carbon won out, but certainly not without a tough fight.
East Carbon was led in scoring by McFarland and Hanson who both ended up with 15 hard earned points. Preston added 12.
With that the team is 3-2 going into the game with Westridge at home on Thursday night, a tall and talented team that already has one victory over the Vikings this season. A good reason for the Vikes to be up for the game.
Vikings win home opener against Jaguars
