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North Branch 47, Visitation 31

In the Simley Holiday Tournament opener, the North Branch girls basketball team displayed a tenacious and hounding defense.

The Vikings worked their way to an early lead over the Blazers. Megan Scherer was the leader of the pack, sinking nine points as North Branch built a 32-15 lead at the half.

"I thought we played a very good first half," Head Coach Dan Schindler asserted. "We really moved the basketball on offense and got some good looks at the basket."

With the 17-point lead and an unrelenting defense, the girls were able to easily overcome a cold-shooting second half. Even though the Vikings only mustered 15 points in the second stanza, they held Visitation to a mere 16 points and kept their lead in tact for most of the second half.

The girls could've conceivably not scored another basket after the first half and still won the game by a point. "We had really good balance," Schindler said. "For the game, we had all players score and contribute. For us to have success, all eight girls must do their role and against Visitation, they did."

Rebecca Collins led the Vikings with nine points and 10 rebounds. Scherer didn't get another basket after the first half, but was still one of the leading scorers with nine points.

Jessica Audette added eight points, Kendra Norman had seven points and seven steals, and Josie Forstrom added four points and nine rebounds.

Holy Angels 60, North Branch 26

After a superb effort against the Blazers, the Vikings came out flat against the private schoolers from Holy Angels in Richfield.

The sting of the big loss was soothed somewhat when the Stars went on to claim the tournament crown, but it was still a drubbing the Vikings would rather soon forget.

Although the halftime score was a lopsided 30-7 in favor of Holy Angels, Schindler thought it was a little misleading. "We were ready for their press, but we just couldn't score enough to stay with them," he said. "Early in the game, we had some really good shots and we just missed them. You can't do that against a good team."

The missed opportunities coupled with the Stars' precision shooting led to frustration, and consequently more problems, for North Branch. They were able to make the second half a little more respectable, getting out-scored by only 11, but at that time, Holy Angels' had their foot off the gas pedal.

"The game just got out of hand," Schindler said. "It was one of those games you just have to forget quickly and get on to the next one. The nice thing about it is that we did play another game the next day."

Collins was the only Viking able to do much damage against the Stars, as she scored eight points and had 11 rebounds. Norman added six points.

North Branch 52, Southwest Christian 40

Although lacking in top flight competition throughout their early schedule, the Chaska-based Southwest Christian Stars entered the game against North Branch sporting a 6-1 record. Their only loss was the previous day to tournament runner-up Simley, a game they lost by only three, 32-29.

The first half was a pretty evenly matched battle as the Vikings neutralized SW Christian's two big post players with their quickness.

Resident sparkplug Audette provided the early fire with her defense, which she is quickly becoming known for, as well as some quick baskets created by her defensive pressure. Behind her lead, the Vikings had an early 12-point lead, but it was chiseled down to four before the halftime horn blasted.

The Vikings squashed the momentum that SWC had built, however, in the second half with a total team effort. "In the second half, we really played together and did all the little things as a team that we need to do," Schindler explained. "We just did an excellent job on the boards against their bigger players."

North Branch steadily built their lead back up to a comfortable margin before icing the game by a score of 52-40.

The win gave North Branch their sixth on the season, matching their season total of last year when they finished 6-21. It also gave SW Christian their second blemish of the year.

Scherer, who is the lone senior on the team this year, led the way with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Audette scored 12 points, and Norman scored eight points. Norman also scored an amazing feat in the game. All five-foot, three-inches of her bounced around the floor like a pogo stick in securing her first career double-digit rebounding game. She snatched 12 boards in the contest.

Collins scored five points and was the third Viking in double digit rebounds with 12. Onalee Yousey added seven points off the bench.

"Overall, I was very pleased with the tournament," Schindler explained. "We saw three completely different teams and it was nice having to make adjustments with each team."

After their shortend Christmas break was over, the Vikings got back on the court on Tuesday to start a three-game flurry. On Tuesday, Jan. 6, they traveled to St. Francis, then a follow-up trip to Spring Lake Park on Thursday, Jan. 8 was on the schedule, and they cap off the busy week with a Saturday, Jan. 10 contest at home against Duluth Denfeld.

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