Sports : Vikings start fast, win low-scoring contest vs. Williamsburg

Chase Overton scores two for the Vikings.

Tall order: 6'-9'' junior Matt Heitmann tries to block a Max Kearns shot.

Four for No. 4: Grant Sagan scored the first four points and 11 of the Vikings' first 15.

Chin up: Max Kearns got a faceful of leather but he and Grant Sagan scored a turnover on this play.

Viking defense: Chris Merchant, Grant Sagan and Kelyn Rickels quickly close the gap.

Kelyn Rickels gave the Vikings a 20-point lead with a lay-up after a steal; he also had 13 boards.

Max Kearns tries to block a Raider pass.

Kelyn Rickels goes to the hoop.

Max Kearns hit the floor hard on this play late in the game, but is OK, says Coach Joe Johnson.

Cornered: Grant Sagan and Max Kearns double-team a Raider ball handler.

Viking fans cheer as Grant Sagan drives for the game's first basket after making a steal.

Grant Sagan scored 11 early points, and led the Vikes with 20 vs. Williamsburg.

Kelyn Rickels drives toward the basket after stealing the ball.

There is only one undefeated boys basketball team in Class 3A in Iowa: Vinton-Shellsburg.

The WaMaC West champion Vikings jumped to a quick 15-5 lead over Williamsburg on their home court Tuesday en route to a 55-43 win.

Grant Sagan scored 11 of those first 15 for V-S, and led his team with 20 points. The Vikings held the Raiders to 15 first-half points and went to the locker room leading 30-15.

Sagan scored the game's first two points after stealing the ball, driving for a lay-up. He hit five early shots, including one 3-pointer.

Kelyn Rickels was outstanding off the boards, hauling in 13 rebounds. The slow pace of the game -- with Williamsburg at time passing the ball around the arc more than 30 seconds before finding an opportunity to take a shot -- led to the unusually low score. The Vikings average more than 70 points per game this year.

Still undefeated and top-ranked in Class 3A, the Vikings are now the official WaMaC West champions for the second straight year. Their next contest is Friday, when they host Anamosa.

The Vikings faced one of their tallest opponents of the season: 6-foot-nine Matt Heitmann. Another factor in the low score: The Vikings were just 3-for-13 from behind the 3-point line vs. Williamsburg; against Benton last Friday, they had gone 13-for-21.

Kearns "OK"

V-S fans suffered a scare with less than a minute to go when they saw one of the Viking leaders hit the floor.

After Raider junior Jacob Donohoe stole the ball, Max Kearns -- the Vikings assist leader -- tried to stop the drive by attempting to draw a charging foul. He stood his ground and let Donohoe run him over. As he landed, Kearns' head hit the hardwood, and he remained on the floor for a couple of moments as the crowd hushed. The impact was so forceful that it compelled the referree to check on Kearns before calling him for a blocking foul.

Coach Joe Johnson went to check on Kearns, and escorted the senior to the bench.

"Max is OK," Johnson said Wednesday morning. "Max plays hard and takes hits every night. Seems like he's always hitting the bleachers, floor, other players, so he's use to taking hits. I don't mind him trying to take a charge -- we want to play the game until the final buzzer sounds. That's just the way we play."

See complete stats HERE.