Vikings hand WCHS third straight defeat

BY ROB NUNLEY

Derek Mikkola is defended by Clarksville’s Tyrone Rose during the first half of Saturday night’s game in the WCHS Thanksgiving Classic. The Pioneers were defeated by the Vikings 60-40, dropping to 1-3 on the season.

The 2007 WCHS Thanksgiving Classic ended on a down note for the Pioneer boys Saturday night, as they fell in the final game of the two-day event to Clarksville Northwest, 60-40.

Up by a point after the opening quarter of their contest with the Vikings, the Pioneers ‘ who dropped to 1-3 on the year ‘ went into the half down by just four. They cooled offensively in the second half, however, managing just 16 points while allowing 32 including a 14-4 scoring run over the opening six minutes of the third quarter.

Guard Marquees Rudolph was a key component of the Vikings’ second-half surge, scoring 10 of his game-high 27 points during the third quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers. Denzel Shamell added nine to the winning total, while D’avantes Benson and Zamarius McClendon added eight apiece.

Donta Weir returned to the Pioneer lineup, coming off the bench to lead the team with 11 points, nine of which came in the second quarter as Warren County went up by as many as six points (20-14) before being out-scored 14-4 for the remainder of the period.

Chris Weitzel and Camron Bond had six each, with Weitzel scoring four in the first quarter, which ended with the Pioneers on top 11-10.

Warren County was scheduled to take on Coffee County at home last night, and will return to action Dec. 7, when they open the District 7-AAA slate against Blackman.