Vikings sink Lakeview for record-setting 20th win

It was like the preliminary round of a tournament.

Minneota went to Cottonwood Thursday night to take on a formidable Lakeview squad — and beat them, 75-58.

But, ahhh, while their hearts were in it, their minds knew it was just round one of a two-part saga that won't end until they'd played undefeated Russell-Tyler-Ruthton Tuesday night in Minneota.

"Everything we've worked for is there for us. But win or lose, I just want to play well," said Coach Dave Busselman.

By winning, the Seventh-Ranked Class A Minneota Vikings won their 20th game of the year — and that appears to be a milestone.

While not official, it appears the Minneota Vikings boys' basketball team has never won 20 games. The old mark appears to have been 19 games.

"I haven't heard of any any other Minneota boys team winning 20," said Coach Busselman.

"It's time to peak. I think we are where we want to be right now," said the coach.

Thursday night he sent his transition-minded, long-range snipping 20-2 squad into a game against arch-rival, and much taller Lakeview.

But Busselman had a plan. "We thought Jacob (Hennen) had a mis-match with his defender. So we decided to give him the ball," said the coach. Jacob Hennen responded with seven early points to shoot the Vikings into an early lead — one they never lost.

He ended the game with 19 points.

Brother Thomas Hennen, who at times has had trouble "forcing the action," scored 21 points and, "Was not forcing it so much tonight," said the coach.

"We've talked about it and he understands," said the coach. Thomas Hennen, who leads the team in scoring with 446 points this year for a 20.2 point-per-game average,  had 13 at halftime as Minneota took a 37-26 lead.

Lakeview never got back in the game.

Actually, the second half belonged to Logan Sussner. Minneota's sophomore center had just one point the entire first half. But he let Lakeview know he was around in the second half, pouring in 15 more points for a total of 16 — while grabbing 12 team-leading rebounds.

"He battled with (6-7 Jarod) Goepferich under the basket," said the coach. "We did a good job passing and attacking," he said. Eventually, Goeperich, who scored just nine points but had 13 rebounds, got worn out, and sprained an ankle.

Isaac Hennen also had a good game, scoring eight and he hauled in seven rebounds.

The Vikings put the game away at the fre throw line, sinking 79 percent of their free throws (11 of 14), while the Lakers hit just nine of 19 from the charity stripe.

And Lakeview had a horrible night shooting, hitting just 31 percent; while Minneota shot at a 43 percent clip and had six, three-pointers, to just three for Lakeview.

The Lakers' Tate Varpness led his team with 17 points.

"We're acting like its playoff time," said Coach Busselman.

Minneota 75, Lakeview 58
MINNEOTA (2’s, 3’s, FT, F, TP) Nolan Boerboom 1 1 0-0 2 5; Isaac Hennen 4 0 2-2 2 8; Jacob Hennen 4 3 2-2 3 19; Thomas Hennen 6 2 3-4 3 21; Jared Josephson 2 0 0-0 2 4; Mitchell Rost 0 0 0-0 1 0; Tristan Sorensen 1 0 0-0 4 2; Grady Moorse 0 0 0-0 0 0; Alex Saltzer 0 0 0-0 0 0; Logan Sussner 5 0 6-8 3 16. Totals 23 6 11-14 20 75.
LAKEVIEW  (2’s, 3’s, FT, F, TP) Conner Dopp 0 0 0-0 0 0; Nick Fenske 1 0 0-0 0 2; Kailen French 1 0 2-6 1 4; Jarod Goepferich 3 1 0-0; Parker Hoffman 0 0 0-0 0 0; Tyler Imes 0 3 2-2 3 8; Aaron Loe 3 0 3-4 2 9; Carter Louwagie 1 0 0-0 0 2; Tyler Merkins 0 0 0-0 0 0; Tate Varpness 8 0 1-4 1 17; Jon Wyffels 3 0 1-3 4 7. Totals 20 3 9-19 12 58.
Score by Halves
Minneota             37    38    —    75
Lakeview             26    32    —    58
Statistics:
SHOOTING: Minneota (2’s 23 of 46 for 50 percent; 3’s 6 of 22 for 27 percent; overall 29 of 68 for 43 percent); Lakeview (2’s 20 of 55 for 36 percent; 3’s 3 of 20 for 15 percent; overall 23 of 76 for 31 percent).
FREE THROWS: Minneota 11 of 14 for 79 percent; Lakeview 9 of 19 for 47 percent.
REBOUNDS: Minneota 48 (Sussner 14; J. Hennen, Josephson 10 each; Sorensen, I. Hennen 5 each; T. Hennen 3, Boerboom 1); Lakeview 33 (Goepferich 14; Varpness 5; Wyffels 3; Imes, Dopp, Hoffman, Bot, Merkins 2 each; Loe 1).
TURNOVERS: Minneota 14; Lakeview 8.
STEALS: Minneota 7 (Josephson 3; I. Hennen 2; Sussner, I. Hennen 1 each); Lakeview 7 (Imes, Fenske, Dopp 2 each; Goepferich 1).
ASSISTS: Minneota 14 (T. Hennen 6; I. Hennen, J. Hnnen, Sorensen 2 each, Sussner, Boerboom 1 each);  Lakeview 7.
BLOCKS: Minneota 8 (T. Hennen 4; Boerboom, J. Hennen; Sorensen, Sussner 1 each). Lakeview 6 (Goepferich 4; Bot 2).
B SQUAD: Lakeview 51, Minneota 47.