Parkway North Wins District Over De Smet With Hot-Shooting Guards

hot-shooting guards came through to put down top-seeded, defending Class 5 District 4 champs, .

The No. 2 seed Vikings downed the Spartans 57-46 to claim the district title Friday night at .

Viking junior guard Aaron Hines was game-high with 19 points, and sophomore Edin Bracic had 10. They came through when 6-8 Viking forward Darrell Johnson was kept in check by De Smet’s big forwards.

“The difference was our guards,” Johnson said. “They shot well. We worked the offense. We played together a lot.”

De Smet senior Eric Moeller (6-11) and junior Nolan Berry (6-8) kept Johnson to four points in the first half.

Viking coach Russell Vincent wasn’t concerned.

“We knew he was going to get his,” he said. “Once we got a lead we knew we could kind of break them down and get into the paint, and get the ball to Johnson.”

Parkway North was up 29-26 at the half, even though Johnson didn’t score once in the second quarter. Berry, going in with a 20-point per game average, scored 11 in the first half and only two in the second. He was team-high, with 13.

“We were making shots, and fortunately for us, they missed a few that they normally make,” Vincent said, “and late, we made some free throws. We just played as good as we could play tonight.”

De Smet coach Kevin Poelker agreed.

“They really shot it well, their guards stepped up and really produced when they needed them to produce,” he said. “They executed on both ends of the floor.”

Poelker said his seniors “gave us everything they have, just like they always do.” He said some were playing sick.

“Mike Asleson played his guts out,” he said. “He’s sick. Eric Moeller is sick, (junior) Alec Bauch is sick. We did our best to battle through it and we just didn’t quite have enough.”

Johnson was happy to keep his season going.

“Feels great, never did it in school history,” he said. “Love it. I love being a Viking. Love Parkway North. It’s amazing.”

Parkway North will go on to play Marquette on Wednesday, Feb. 29 at 7:45 p.m. at University of Missouri-St. Louis.