Viking Basketball
Girls
Multiple players stepped up Friday night as Siuslaw Varsity Vikings defeated South Umpqua, 51-42. Aidell Cadet led the way with 24 points, including 10 of 17 from the free-throw line, and added 7 steals. Ryleigh Panschow recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. The game featured 10 lead changes, but Siuslaw took control for good on a basket by Cadet. Trailing 40-36, the Vikings closed the game on a 14-point run to seal the win.
Boys
The Viking boys remain alive in the playoff hunt following a decisive 56-44 win over South Umpqua. Siuslaw was paced by Micah Blankenship with 19 points, while Tom Morgan added 12 and Asher Borgnino finished with 11. The Vikings found their rhythm after halftime, scoring 32 of their 56 points in the second half to pull away and secure the victory. With the win, Siuslaw keeps its postseason hopes intact as the regular season winds down.
Wrestling
Several Viking wrestlers punched their tickets to state at the boys district tournament. Jacob Mann placed 2nd at 215, falling 10-5 in a championship thriller against 3-time state champion Brody Buzzard after leading early. Ali Ijaz also finished 2nd at 157, battling through a knee injury and winning a gritty 13-10 semifinal before a medical forfeit in the finals. Aris Lade secured 3rd at 175 with a comeback pin, and Gage Mills took 3rd at 190. Yair Brito Xilot narrowly missed a state berth. The girls district tournament is next at Cottage Grove, where Emma Ford, Hailey Taylor, Molly Mills, and Danin Lacouture will compete for trips to state.
College Hoops
The Oregon Ducks snapped a 10-game losing streak Saturday with an 83-72 win over Penn State at Matthew Knight Arena. Seniors Nate Bittle and Takai Simpkins scored 22 points each, while Dezdrick Lindsay added a career-high 16 off the bench. Oregon shot 51.9 percent from 3-point range and 50 percent overall, using improved ball movement to secure the much-needed victory. the Oregon State Beavers dropped a tough one to Seattle on the road 60-50
College Baseball
The mound is heating up as baseball season gets underway, and both the Ducks and Beavers were in action over the weekend.
Oregon stayed red hot, sweeping a 4-game set against George Mason. Oregon State took 2 of 3 in its weekend slate. The Beavers fell to Michigan 5-3, then rebounded with a 7-6 win over Arizona and edged Stanford 3-2. Both programs appear to be finding early-season rhythm as the schedule ramps up.
