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The crowd that attended the East Carbon-West Desert boys game at East Carbon High last Wednesday had to wonder why the Viking team hasn’t won more games this year.
That’s because on that evening they walloped West Desert 83-74, their first win of the season, and a win against a reasonably good team, that resides in the middle of the pack in Region 18.
The key to the win was execution; the team did what coach Jeff Cisneoros has been preaching for weeks and that is to consistently run the plays.
This game featured much less defense than could have been desired, but just the same the scoring was good and many players stepped up to make the win happen.
The first period was an even-steven matchup as the clubs almost traded point for point. At the end of the period the score was knotted at 21 each, one of the best scoring quarters of the year to that point for the Vikings.
In the second quarter the ECH kids kept it up again scoring 20 while the Hawks were only able to put up 16.
In the third quarter both teams let down a little as they both scored 16 points, but it was a good omen for the ECH team who had had few games this year with a full scoring effort in each quarter.
It was in the final quarter that the Vikes really shined. Instead of letting down, like has often been the case this year, the team rallied and scored more points than they have in a quarter all season. The team put out 26 points, while West Desert only produced 21.
Heros were many, but if one goes by the numbers Austin Preston had a breakout game if anyone did. He had a triple double by scoring 30 points, by far the most he has had in any game all season, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Then there was stalwart Tony McFarland. Pretty much all season he has carried the bulk of the scoring and rebound burden for the team. He had 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Outstanding effort just didn’t end with those two however. Shane Wood scored 11, Josh Griffiths had nine, Jared Kennedy had seven and Ryan Leonard added three.
The team left the court in ecstacy; their first win this year was almost as big a triumph as if they had won 10 games. They were ready for the Wasatch Academy Tigers on Friday night, one of the top five teams in the state.
But things happen and in this case, for a couple of reasons that game was rescheduled for Feb. 24, almost at the end of the regular season.
So the Vikings next game will be with Tintic tonight (Tuesday) in Eureka where they will play a Miner team that is just above them in the standings with a 2-6 record.
Another win would make things just that much rosier.