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Lady Vikes get in win column with triumph over Whitko

Huntington North High School senior forward Aly Grabner goes up for a jumper in traffic during the Lady Vikings' 70-61 win over visiting Whitko on Friday, Nov. 21.
Huntington North High School senior forward Aly Grabner goes up for a jumper in traffic during the Lady Vikings' 70-61 win over visiting Whitko on Friday, Nov. 21. Photo by Steve Clark.

The Huntington North girls’ varsity basketball team earned its first win of the season with a 70-61 victory over visiting Whitko on Friday, Nov. 21.

Madi Canady led the Lady Vikings, 1-2, with 22 points. The junior shot accurately across the floor, hitting 7 of 13 from the field, which included a 2 for 4 showing from beyond the arc, and 6 of 8 free throws.

The Lady Wildcats led Coach Heidi Lawson’s squad by a point, 16-15, after the first quarter, but the hosts tied it up by halftime at 29-29. Huntington North carried that momentum into the third frame, where it outscored Whitko, 18-10, to take a 47-39 lead into the final period. Although the Lady Vikings expanded that lead to 18 in the fourth for their biggest advantage of the contest at 65-47, the Lady Wildcats ended the game on a 14-5 run to make Huntington North sweat out the win.

Ellie Lawson added 16 points for the Lady Vikings. Lawson, a junior, went 4 for 5 from long range, highlighting Huntington North’s 9 for 17 three-point effort for 52.9 percent.

Senior Rachel Anderson also scored in double figures for the hosts, tossing in 10 points in the first half.

The Lady Vikings went 23 for 61 from the floor for 37.7 percent while the Lady Wildcats finished 21 for 49 for 42.9 percent.

Whitko was paced by Brianna Cumberland, who scored a game-high 32 points.

Cumberland missed only one of her seven free throw attempts to help the visitors finish 14 for 21 at the stripe for 66.7 percent. Huntington North knocked down 15 of 22 freebies for 68.2 percent.

Freshman Hannah Tillett helped facilitate the Lady Viking offense with seven assists.

Canady corralled six rebounds for Huntington North, but the hosts were edged on the glass, 38-35.

The Lady Vikings’ junior varsity squad trounced the Lady Wildcats, 62-28.

Sophomore Kylie Kaylor tallied a game-best 21 points, connecting on 4 of 6 tries from three-point land. Freshman Karmen Koch added 12 points while sophomore Aubrie Eckert supplied 10 points and five assists.