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Show WX Downs Vikess loves Rip JMi By DAVE WIGHAM Clipper Sports WOODS CROSS -- Woods Cross threw a wrench into the works last week as the Wildcats shocked the region with a victory over highly regarded Viewmont. Bountiful gained at least a tie for the region title with their impressive impress-ive win at East while Highland knocked off Davis in a real shootout. WHAT ALL of this means is that the Braves are on top of the standings stand-ings with their 7-1 record, with two games left. Highland is the only club that has a shot at a share of the crown and for that to happen the 5-3 Rams would have to win both of their remaining games while the Braves would have to drop both of theirs. Three other clubs are fighting for the remaining state berths with Viewmont and Davis tied at 4-4 with East right behind at 3-5. Woods Cross is out of the playoff picture but the Wildcats re having fun in their spoiler role. WOODS CROSS 63 VIEWMONT 61 Senior Todd Smith hit a fifteen foot jump shot from the left side of the key with two seconds left to give the Cats their first region win of the year. "I FEEL like a huge load has been lifted off my back," offered a jubilant Cat coach Clyde Jackson. "This is the first region win these kids have ever had. I mean they didn't win as sophomores or juniors, we all feel great to say the least." . This win was no fluke, in fact the Wildcats led most of the game and by as many as nine in the final quarter. quar-ter. Down the stretch the Cats would hit one of two foul shots while the Vikes were hitting some long range desperation bombs. CHAD PARKS hit a long jumper from the corner with 16 seconds left to bring the Vikings back even at 61-61. Then after taking a timeout time-out with six seconds left Jackson and his braintrust set up the winning win-ning play. "Actually the play we ran was sort of a last second thought. We told Creer to penetrate and look for Bryce Moore down low. As the team left the huddle Rick (assistant coach Rick Palmer) told Todd to break out on the left side in case Bryce was covered. To be honest I don't think Creer even looked at Bryce but instead he threw it to Todd who drilled it. What a great win" Jackson offered. NEITHER team really had a great night shooting the ball, from the field or the foul line, as Viewmont View-mont could only hit on 21 of their 56 field goal attempts while the Cats hit on 22 of 41 shots. The charity line was a standoff with the Cats downing 19 of 32 with the Vikings throwing in 19 of their 30 shots. The first half looked like neither team really wanted to win. Viewmont View-mont couldn't find the basket while Woods Cross had their trouble holding onto the ball as turnovers plagued them. IN THE second half though things got downright exciting as the Cats could feel their first win coming com-ing and this time they simply weren't we-ren't about to let it slip away. Woods Cross held a five point lead heading into the final period and they appeared to be cruising to a win when the Vikes put on a big burst. A key moment came with just over two minutes to play and the Cats up 56-48. DURING A loose ball Brian Beecher of Viewmont and Don Sorenson of Woods Cross got into a little pushing battle on the floor and as a result they were both ejected, it seemed strange since these two were probably the two nicest guys on the floor but that was the decision of the officials. Sorenson had been the big man for the Cats and without him the Vikes went to work inside on the boards. Bret Cloward and David Rees then combined for the next six points and the Vikes were suddenly sudden-ly in the game 58-55 with just over a minute to play. MIKE CREER then hit a big pair of foul shots but Rees answered with a driving hoop. Todd Smith then hit one foul shot and Cloward countered with a pair of his own bringing the Vikes to within two at 61-59. Bryce Moore then missed the front end of a one and one setting up Parks bomb from the corner which tied the score and things looked like overtime. That's when Todd Smith went to work with his little jumper to set offa great celebration. celeb-ration. SORENSON was the big man with 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Cats with Smith adding 1 1 and Moore 10. Bret Cloward led the Vikings with 21 and with Terry Peterson adding 12. "You know this was a great day for me, there was no way I wanted to leave winless in this league" offered a glassy eyed Jackson. "Today was my son's birthday and when we give presents we bump them on the head and then they wish the person who gives them that present something. Well, my son told me that he wished me a win over Viewmont" he said with a trace of a tear in his eye. BOUNTIFUL 68 EAST 51 According to their coach the Braves of Bountiful are still playing good golf (basketball). "I would have to say this was a birdie on a par four hole" laughed Hall, "the big thing was that it gave us a piece of the region title and the kids really real-ly wanted the title." LIKE THE script a week ago the Braves went to their driver, two iron and putter. Big Shawn Kinner (driver) was a dominant force once again with a strong inside game which included 10 points. Senior Todd Allen (the steady two iron) was right on target again with his potent jumper for 14 points. But once again it was the play of junior Steve Mihas (the reliable reli-able putter) that helped the Braves with a 16 point effort. HALL IS quick to point out though that his club is far from a three man show, "all the kids played play-ed well. "Thalman is really playing steady ball for us now, Dean is al- Cont. on next page 1 -dffi iM Kill w 4 jijr f - . ysj I .r ' - - DON SORENSON "soars high for two points in leading the Cats to their first region win. ' Cats Down Vikes, Braves Rip East I ont. from previous page i;s tough inside and Critchley c; a good job for us. No matter we put in there they play well, rHas always been one of our ifhs." 1 'fWlFUL came out burning Ms in this East meeting while Leopards were having trouble 8 onto the ball. Before the tMs knew what hit them the had a comfortable 18-7 fewer the East club did battle Kjnd actually cut the lead to "w points at 49-45. But the-. leaved in on the home tecx "waves hit the next six shots couldn't buy a hoop and "ult the Braves were up 63- 'ITwAS strange" Hall said, 'minute the score was close wiwe were hot and blew past ;. l ve said all along that when shots we can be strong J1 s exactly what happened '"lhe first and then again in th periods." they have won a cou-''Wnesonthe cou-''Wnesonthe Leopards floor aU was pleased with this . 'hats probably the best ,'pfN there in a long time. ;:. "weseem to be peaking am and maybe with state just t"dlhe corner it's a good toY.inthew'nwasBounti- JjgKn.it Josh Grant of ;.l ust '2 Points. In fact the D ; opards without a field J -aie , garter until under D P y' wl, lUited UP for the although he didn't see action in this meeting there is a good chance he may play this week against Highland. NEXT WEEK With only two games left all the region battles become crucial for one reason or another. The big one this week would be Highland at Bountiful since the region title will be on the line. Bountiful already has a share of the crown while Highland is the only team that can catch them. Revenge is another motive for the Braves since it was this bunch of Rams that handed them theironly league loss a couple of weeks ago. ANOTHER big battle will have Viewmont up at Davis where both of them need, a win to keep their state hopes alive. Both teams need to win one of their remaining two games in order to secure a berth so this one looms large. Woods Cross will travel to East where the Cats hope to continue their spoiler role and win their second region game. A loss by East would all but eliminate them from the state picture so both Viewmont and Davis are pulling for the Cats. FOLLOWING these Friday battles bat-tles the region will close out on Tuesday, March 12. The special meeting that night has Bountiful at Viewmont. In their first meeting the Braves battled from a ten point deficit to win and the Vikes haven't forgotten. Bountiful is assured a state berth but the Vikings might just need this to get one. Davis will travel to Woods Cross and since this would be Clyde Jackson's Jack-son's last game as head coach his players would love to hand him a win over the Darts. East will battle at Highland in the other game. |
