Tri County Vikings Face First League Defeat of 2023 Season

The Tri County Vikings experienced their first league loss of the 2023 season on January 6, falling to the Chippewa Hills Warriors with a score of 58-43. The defeat marks a setback for the Vikings, who now hold a record of 2-6 in the Central State Activities Association (CSAA) Red conference.

In a game held in Pierson Township, the Vikings struggled to maintain possession, racking up a series of turnovers throughout the first half. Despite moments of strong play, the Warriors capitalized on this advantage, showcasing their consistency with a record of 5-2.

Vikings head coach Abe Newell acknowledged the challenges faced by his team. “You can see we’ve yet to play our best basketball,” he remarked. “We have moments, we have flashes. I’ve got a lot of good seniors and great character guys; we’re just still building together.” Newell emphasized the team’s ongoing development, expressing optimism about their potential to improve.

Senior Jarvis Rider echoed the coach’s sentiments, noting that the team performed well overall despite their turnover issues. “I felt like we were going too fast at some points in our offense, but I thought we did a nice job in the rebound column,” he stated after the game.

The Warriors entered with a strong record, although all their victories prior to this match came against teams with losing records. Newell had expected the Warriors to be caught off guard due to the Vikings’ lack of recent play, as the team had not competed since mid-December.

The coach recognized the physical style of Chippewa Hills, aiming to slow the game down and find their offensive rhythm. “When we missed the first couple and they made the first couple, we called a quick timeout so we could actually try to reset our guys,” Newell explained. Despite their efforts, the Warriors maintained control, particularly in the middle quarters.

Leading the scoring for the Vikings was senior Jayden Button, who contributed 10 points. Juniors Grayson Butler and Trever McNees each added nine points, while David Reed contributed five. Senior Blake Gentz managed four points, followed by junior Matt Nelson with three, Rider with two, and junior Chase Brooks rounding out the scoring with one free throw.

Rider commented on their defensive strategy, stating, “I think we played a lot more aggressively on defense. That probably led to some of our foul problems, but I’m really happy that we played more physically. We just have to start out stronger in the first quarter.”

Looking ahead, the Vikings face the Morley Stanwood team, which has a record of 5-3 after defeating Lakeview 59-36. Earlier in the season, the Vikings secured a commanding victory against Lakeview, winning by 36 points with a score of 73-37.

Newell remains hopeful for the upcoming game, expressing satisfaction with the team’s communication during the match against Chippewa Hills. “We rebounded a lot better against a team that was bigger than us,” he noted. “If we win the rebound game, it makes it a lot easier.”

As the Vikings prepare for this next challenge, the focus will be on improving their starting performance and minimizing turnovers. The journey continues for the Tri County boys as they strive for consistency and growth throughout the season.