GRAYLING — Sometimes, things just work out perfectly. Which is what happened for the Grayling boys basketball team in the MHSAA Division 3 regional tournament being played on the Vikings’ home floor this week.
First, the Vikings were able to dispatch Tawas with relative ease, 64-34 in the regional semifinal and then won their first regional championship in 65 years with a 52-40 victory over Sanford-Meridian on Wednesday night.
Vikings head coach Larry Mead and several of his players linked arms to walk out to mid-court to accept the championship trophy. When they hoisted it above their heads, Grayling’s fans spilled out onto the court in jubilation.
“What a great environment,” said Mead later. “Unbelievable community support all day, and over the last week and a half. This means everything.
“Emotionally, I’m starting to come down. What a great, great night.”
Fittingly, it was the Viking seniors who carried the team on their shoulders the majority of the game en route to their first regional championship since 1957.
It wasn’t easy by any means, despite the final 12-point margin. Grayling led by just six points, 39-33 at the halfway point of the fourth quarter when Sparty Skillern managed to keep his balance despite stumbling on a baseline drive to scoop in a layup.
The score was close throughout, with the Vikings taking a three-point lead, 10-7 at the end of the first quarter before doubling it to six points, 20-14 late in the second period.
But the Mustangs, who finished 16-7, shaved the Viking lead down to just two, 20-18 at the half with a short spurt in the final seconds.
Meridian then climbed into a one-point lead early in the third quarter when Cam Haiser canned a 3-point basket from the wing.
Skillern ripped down an offensive rebound and scored on the putback to send the Vikings back into the lead.
The two teams exchanged the lead several times over the remainder of the third quarter, but neither could get ahead by more than two points.
Caleb Caul made the key play for the Vikings when he got a steal and pushed the ball ahead to Dylan Cragg, who didn’t have a defender around him, who threw down a one-handed dunk.
It served to throw the Grayling fans into a frenzy, and stretched the Vikings lead to four, 35-31 at the end of the third.
Grayling moved out to a six-point lead to open the fourth period on a layup by Caul, but the Mustangs scored on a dunk of their own to stay within four, 37-33.
The Vikings eventually pulled away from the Mustangs, opening a 10-point lead, 45-35 with 2:15 left in the game. Meridian came no closer than seven, 47-40, the rest of the way.
“We really got after them tonight,” Mead said. “A combination of Cragg and Caul, as well as a bunch of other role players. But, defensively our intensity was there.
“I think what happened in the end was we were able to wear them (the Mustangs) down.”
Cragg led the Vikings in scoring with 17 points, Caul added 12, Skillern finished with six while sophomore Ethan Kucharek chipped in with five, Matt Pittman, Cameron Ketchum and Nate Persing each had four points.
“It was a great team win,” Mead said. “There were times there where we really grinded. There were times where we weren’t boxing out and they were getting putbacks.
“Things that we needed to do that we weren’t. We get out of a timeout and the kids were adjusting and playing hard. I couldn’t be prouder of this group.
“Just a phenomenal win for the program. Our community support was unbelievable. It was the biggest fan group that I’ve seen in years. The energy in the gym was phenomenal.”
The Vikings are on a five-game winning streak and improved to 15-9. Grayling now takes on Menominee (21-3) in the state quarterfinals at Lake City next Tuesday night at 6 p.m.
