Fighting for first: Vikings face off with Loyola in Western B battle
Wyatt Johnson steals the ball during action against Loyola Jan. 28. (Jeremy Weber/Bigfork Eagle)
The Vikings had an up and down week as they took down Class A Columbia Falls Tuesday before falling to Western B foe Loyola Saturday.
The Vikings and Rams were tied at 35-all with five minutes to play in Bigfork Saturday before Loyola pulled away in the final moments to down the Vikes 48-37.
The Rams jumped out to 10-7 lead after one quarter, but an Isak Epperly 3-pointer gave the Vikes their first lead at 12-10 with 5:45 to play in the half.
The close battle continued through the first half as the teams were tied 16-16 at the break.
The Rams scored the first six points of the second half, but the Vikings answered with a 6-0 run of their own, tying the game on a 3-point play by Bryce Gilliard with 4:48 remaining in the third quarter.
Another Loyola run put the Rams up 29-23 early in the fourth quarter, but once again the Vikings had an answer.
Epperly once again capped a Bigfork run with a three, putting the Vikings up 33-31 with 6:36 to play.
Loyola regained the lead for good with 5:08 to play as the Rams pulled away in the closing minutes.
Epperly scored 13 points for Bigfork in the loss and added six rebounds, three steals and three assists while Nick Walker also finished with 13 points along with three rebounds.
Gilliard scored three points and added six rebounds while Eli Thorness and Wyatt Johnson also scored three each and Landon Byerman had two points.
The Vikings used a strong first quarter to get past Columbia Falls at home Tuesday, outscoring the Wildcats 20-5 in the opening eight minutes en route to a 63-48 victory.
Epperly scored 25 to lead the Vikings and added nine rebounds and five assists in the win while Gilliard had nine points and eight rebounds.
Johnson also scored nine in the win while Thorness had seven points, Byerman had six, Walker scored four and Jack Jensen had three points.
The Vikings were at Plains after press time Tuesday and will celebrate Senior Night at home against Troy Thursday before traveling to face Polson Feb. 7.