vikingssportsn 
Junior captain Annabeth Sembower led the way with the most consistent performance of her career. In the highest-stakes match to date, she led all scorers with a 176-185-181 (542) series and delivered a massive tenth frame in Game 2 to seal the section title. Junior Eileen George also stepped up early, contributing a career-high 185 to help the Vikings dominate the opening game.
Game 2 proved more dramatic. After the Vikings took Game 1 by 140 pins, the Hurricanes battled back to keep the match tight until junior Danica Jackson took over. Jackson iced the game—and the section—by rolling a career-high 197, including a run of four straight strikes, to erase New Castle’s early lead. She finished with a career-high 444 series, earning team MVP honors for her heroics.
After underperforming in the first two games, the Vikings found themselves in a must-win situation in Game 3. Sophomores Max Butter (201) and Nolan Houy (203) set the pace, but the real drama unfolded in the final frame. Trailing by 40 pins, the Vikings produced their best tenth frame of the year in front of a capacity crowd.
Junior Ayden Gault ignited the rally with two strikes. Butter and Houy followed with clutch marks, and senior captain Brayden Mowry added two strikes of his own. Needing a strike to seal the game, junior Aidan Heppner stepped up and struck out the tenth frame, securing an 18-pin victory. In the biggest moment of the season, the team scored 122 out of a possible 150 pins in the final frame. With a 7-0 win next week, the Vikings can still clinch a share of the section title and earn a first-round playoff bye.
MVP honors were earned by Max Butter, who scored well, but more importantly kept the Vikings buoyed as they struggled early in the match.
The Vikings complete their regular season next Wednesday at Sheffield. Following the match, the team will honor lone senior captain Brayden Mowry as they await their final playoff seeding.
