VIKING GIRLS GO ON THE ATTACK
By Marc Atwood
marcatwood@aol.com
 
(1/8/08 Chico, CA) The Pleasant Valley girls' varsity basketball team gained a 45-26 win over Shasta in an Eastern Athletic League game played Tuesday at Varley Gym.
 
Kelsey Mansfield started the Vikings' scoring by making a bucket with 6:41 remaining in the first quarter. The Wolves' first point came on a free throw by Monica Schubert with 6:29 to go in the period. Emily Drews' basket with 3:49 left in the first put PV up 11-4. A hoop from Tijen Kesser with 58 seconds remaining in the quarter cut the Wolves' deficit to 16-6.
 
Cesca Murgia's basket nearly a minute into the second quarter allowed Pleasant Valley to take a 12-point lead at 18-6. Kesser responded 16 seconds later with a shot of her own for Shasta's first points of the quarter. A basket by Morgan Blofsky with 3:41 remaining in the first half gave the Vikings a 24-13 lead.
 
Stephanie Stewart made one of two free throws with 6:45 remaining in the third quarter to bring the Wolves within 10 points at 24-14. Blofsky's bucket 22 seconds later gave PV its first points of the second half. MacKensey Hamblin made a hoop with 2:07 to go in the third to cut Shasta's deficit to 29-18.
 
Mansfield opened the Vikings' fourth quarter scoring with a shot 11 seconds into the period at they would go up 31-21. Alli Ball scored the Wolves' first points of the quarter by making a bucket 21 seconds later. Courtney Bobinger's basket with 5:15 remaining in the game allowed Pleasant Valley to take a 38-23 lead. Hamblin's hoop with 2:36 left in the contest brought Shasta within 18 points at 43-25.
 
Drews paced the Vikings with 10 points and five rebounds. Mansfield added eight points and seven rebounds, while Blofsky and Bobinger each scored seven points. The Wolves got eight points and four rebounds from Hamblin, while Kesser scored seven points and collected four rebounds.