Meagan Schulz Photo

OTSELIC – In front of a packed gym, the Otselic Valley Lady Vikings defeated the DeRuyter Rockets 50-38. Earlier this season, DeRuyter handed the Vikings a five point loss. But with their backs against the wall for a bid into sectional play, Otselic Valley knew they need a different showing than the first time the two teams faced off.

With a strong start to the contest, the home team jumped out to a 18-9 lead. Of the 18 scored by the Vikings, only six were scored by stand-out Amber Meigs. The rest came from balanced scoring by the rest of OV’s starting five.

In the second quarter, the Rockets gained a small advantage, outscoring the Lady Vikings by one point. But Otselic Valley held their lead from the first quarter to head into the halftime break up 26-18.

Coming out of the intermission, Meigs poured in the baskets, scoring 18 of her game-high 28 in the second half.

DeRuyter’s Paige Russell tried to be the answer the Rockets need to stay in the game. However, Russell’s seven points in the fourth was not enough to pass the home team. Russell finished with a team-high 18 for DeRuyter.

“These last 2 games are what we need to keep us moving forward with wins,” said Otselic Valley’s head coach Nicholle Lippert. “We have four more league games to play so it is crucial to be playing the best basketball we can.”

Meigs added eight rebounds and three steals to her statline for the evening. Her teammate, Cassie Argen pulled down seven boards and chipped in six points. Sara Kenyon recorded four steals and seven points for the Vikings in the winning effort.

Otselic Valley will be looking to pick up another win against Cincinnatus on Monday at home.

For the boys game, DeRuyter’s defense didn’t allow the Vikings to score more than six points in any of the four quarters of play Friday night, winning 71-21 against the host Otselic Valley.

The Rockets outscored the Vikings in the first quarter 20-4 and showed no signs of letting up. DeRuyter took a 34-10 lead at the intermission.

At half time, the late Larry Wood of South Otselic and Gary Selover of Georgetown were both recognized as 1,000 scorers. Both Wood and Selover recorded their milestones before the school districts merged to create Otselic Valley, however their banners are the sixth and seventh to hang on the gym wall.

Coming out of the break, Otselic Valley scored six points but the visiting team posted another 20-plus quarter.