Posen improves its district championship streak to three; Next up, Superior Central

The Posen Vikings (11-11) advanced to the regional basketball tournament with their third straight district championship at Atlanta in a 60-38 dismantling of Johannesburg-Lewiston. Every player played a part in the win, and two of the biggest cheers of the night came when a pair of players who had not scored all season broke into the scoring column. The way Posen played defense last Thursday, by not allowing the Cardinals to score for a quarter and a half, there was not much to cheer about, especially when the Vikings built a 20-point advantage.

Posen was already enjoying an easy victory in the district championship game, but the night became all the sweeter when juniors Tommy Hentkowski and Craig Niedbala brought the Posen faithful out of a slumbery-funk with scoring jump shots. Not only were the field goals satisfying because they were the first of the season, but the points were the first at any level. They had not played organized basketball before joining the varsity last year. Only two players did not score in the district final.

Both players said they felt energized and pumped up by the reaction of the crowd. Head coach Steve Hentkowski also felt really good winning his first district championship. He was the last to receive the district championship trophy, and while somewhat reserved on the sidelines during a game, he is not afraid to express himself when it comes to claiming hardware. The coach held the trophy in one hand and lifted it high in the air.

?THIS FEELS great. To win the district is an absolute plus, but it is all about the team,? said Hentkowski. ?I just can?t say enough about how these guys played defense tonight. That was unexpected, but the intensity level was so high, there was nothing that was going to deny them tonight. The seniors had everyone pumped right up tonight.? ?We?ve had spurts of defensive energy like this through the year, but not for an entire game.? The players were looking to carry that intensity level to the regional semifinal game (Wednesday) at Brimley against Superior Central High School (14-8) from Eben Junction. Hentkowski scouted Superior Central last Friday, who defeated Engadine, and are returning to a second straight regional. They lost to Brimley in the 2005 regional semifinal. Brimley ended up losing in the championship game to Breslin-bound Posen.

HENTKOWSKI SAID the Vikings will need to contain the three-point threat and use their size advantage. Superior Central?s tallest pl

ayer is 6? 1?, but they are quick and athletic. The two teams are similar in that both had an average margin of victory of four points. A player to watch will be junior guard Ryan Maki, the coach added. This is the Vikings? third straight appearance in the regional tournament. A win puts them in the regional final Friday at 7 p.m. Tuesday?s other regional semifinal game was postponed. Last year, the Vikings won the school?s first regional title since the 1960s. The year before, they lost to Harbor Light Christian in the regional championship, meaning the Vikes are 2-0 in regional semifinal games the last two years.

?We have overcome a lot of adversity,? said senior center Matt Szczerowski of making it to this point in the season. He had a game-high 11 points against Joburg and was followed in the scoring column by sophomore Jordan Hincka and senior Richie Kroll.