By Staff

            LINDSBORG – After losing their first four games of the season, the Smoky Valley boys seemed to have straightened out the ship as they scored their fourth straight win on Friday at home with a 25-point, 71-46 victory over visiting Larned.

            The win evens the season record at 4-4 for the Vikings as they head to Sterling next week for the Sterling Bear Mid-Season Tournament.

            Both teams had a strong first quarter with Smoky Valley coming out ahead by five at 20-15 before outscoring Larned 16-5 in the second quarter and taking a commanding 16-point, 36-20 lead into the halftime break. After pushing their lead out to 24 points by the end of the third quarter, 59-35, the Vikings cruised in for the final 25-point win.

            Hitting an amazing 72% on their two-point shots and connecting on 44% of their three-pointers, Smoky Valley put on an offensive show that was a total team effort as the Vikings dished out 21 assists on a total of 29 field goals made from the field.

            Karson Pihl led all scorers with 25 points thanks to putting five three-pointers through the net while Ki Blanchat hit for 16 after connecting on three three-pointers of his own. The Blanchat brothers made a statement in the stat sheets as Ki led the Vikings in assists with six and Kade led the work on the boards by pulling down six rebounds.

SMOKY VALLEY VIKINGS hosting Larned

SCORING: Larned > 15-5-15-11=46; VIKINGS > 20-16-23-12=71.

TEAM STATS: Larned > 2-FGs – 12/31; 3-PTs – 4/11; FTs – 10/12; AST – 8; REBs – 19; TO – 18; STLs – 8; FLs – 7.  VIKINGS > 2-FGs – 21/29; 3-PTs – 8/18; FTs – 5/10; AST – 21; REBs – 24; TO – 11; STLs – 14; FLs – 14.

VIKING INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS: Scoring > Karson Pihl – 25; Ki Blanchat – 16; Justice Autry – 8; Vincent Pickering – 8; Kade Blanchat – 7; Ethan Able – 4; Gus Griffith – 2; Jerome Autry – 1.  3-Pointers Made > Pihl – 5; Ki Blanchat – 3.  Assists > Ki Blanchat – 6; Pihl, Ju. Autry, Je. Autry – 3; Pickering, Kade Blanchat – 2.  Rebounds > Kade Blanchat – 6; Griffith – 5; Pihl – 4; Able – 3; Ki Blanchat, Mason Holcom – 2.  Steals > Pickering – 4; Pihl, Ki Blanchat – 3.

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)