Vikings’ perfect record ends with loss to Ramblers

It was game of streaks for both teams but in the end it was a final run by the Regis Ramblers that allowed them to defeat the Colfax boys 44-41, giving the Vikings their first loss of the season in Eau Claire in a Saturday matinee Dec. 8.

The Vikings began things with a 7-0 run and built the lead to 12-3 in part by a bucket from Jeremiah Wait and a triple by Cody Zivcic late in the first quarter but Regis went on a six point run with a buzzer beater in the lane  and two more buckets to tie it up early in the second stanza. The Vikings missed four three point attempts by three different players and failed to get any of the long rebounds in the process. The score was knotted three times before  a shot in the lane by Nick Stanke  ended the half with the Vikings down 20-18.

Another run by the Ramblers gave them a 29-20 lead early in the third quarter before Zivcic hit a long ball and Ethin Kiekhafer canned a pair of shots from downtown with a deuce by Austin Huss in between  and the Vikings were back in business down by two at 34-32. Yet another final shot went in for the Ramblers and the third quarter ended with Regis up 36-32.

Colfax post player Lane Olson was playing on a bad ankle and their leading scorer Zivcic was in foul trouble early on, making things a little more difficult for the team. But Huss took matters into his own hands as he hit a bucket and on the next trip down court canned a pair of free throws to knot it up at 36-36 with about five minutes left. Kiekhafer came up big with his third triple and Huss scored on a baseline drive for a 41-36 lead. Then Zivcic picked up his fifth foul which happened to be the seventh team foul and free throws by Vince Killian and Billy Wampler who was unstoppable all day tied the game at 41-41. Colfax had a chance to pull out a win but they uncharacteristically missed the front end of a one and one twice in the last 45 seconds while the Ramblers hit their free throw chances for a three point lead. Two final three point attempts in the last seven seconds were off mark for the Vikings, giving the Ramblers a win just 18 hours after a tough loss to Fall Creek.

Huss led the Vikings with 18 points while Kiekhafer added 13. The team went 6 for 10 from the free throw line and were just 5 of 17 from the three point circle. Only three players scored for Regis but Wampler and Stanke combined for 40 points in the game.

The Vikings are now 5-1 and face a tough Elmwood team Tuesday night.

COLFAX (41) Huss 7-4-5-18, Kiekhafer 4-2-4-13, Zivcic 2-0-0-6, Olson 1-0-0-2, Wait 1-0-1-2

REGIS (44) Wampler 10-1-3-24, Stanke 6-4-6-16, Killian 1-2-2-4

THREE POINTERS: Kiekhafer 3, Wampler 3, Zivcic 2