BLANCHARDVILLE — For the second time this season, Pecatonica and Albany went down to the wire in a 47-46 conference battle on Thursday, Jan. 26. With the win, the Vikings earned the season sweep over the Comets, having defeated them 44-38 in December.
The first few possessions for each team came up empty before Evan Dochnal grabbed an offensive board and put it back for the first points of the game. Drew Sertle scored but 20 seconds later for Albany, giving the Comets a 3-2 lead, but another offensive put-back from Coy Ruegsegger put the Vikings on top 4-3.
Ethan Koss then stole the ball and went the distance for a fast-break basket. The tides switched in favor of Pecatonica, though, as James Schwartz picked up his second foul in six minutes and sat the rest of the half. In the previous four games, Schwartz averaged 23.6 minutes on the floor.
With Schwartz’s foul, Ruegsegger went to the line where he made both shots. He then followed it up with a reverse layup on the next possession. Tyler McKeon then completed a 3-point play at the charity stripe.
A three from Brayden Bakken slowed the Vikings’ momentum, but Pecatonica went on to double up Albany 16-8 with another basket from Dochnal and kickout to Elijah Knutson for three.
In the next four minutes, the Vikings went on an 8-0 run. McKeon grabbed a defensive rebound and pushed the ball up the court to Jameson Johnson for two. Ruegsegger scored again, followed by a basket each from McKeon and Jameson.
Nate Stokstad sparked a comeback, sinking his first 3-pointer of the season. Sertle followed suit, while Koss took advantage of a turnover to make it a seven-point game. With 40 seconds left, Koss drained a three himself and the Comets looked to hold for the last possession after a Dochnal foul.
McKeon had other thoughts, as he stole the ball and hustled down the court for a last-second shot. He drove right into Bakken and was called for the charge to end the half with Pecatonica leading 30-24.
Ruegsegger got in on the action early in the second half, making a free throw and assisting McKeon in a reverse layup. He also picked up two quick fouls, though.
Back on the court for the first time since the opening minutes of the first half, Schwartz began an 11-3 run that gave Albany its first lead of the second half. Schwartz drew a foul on Grady Gordon and made one free throw. Stokstad chipped in a basket followed by back-to-back 3-pointers by Sertle and Koss.
Pecatonica head coach Matt Fink called a timeout, but another three from Koss gave the Comets a 41-40 lead with just under eight minutes
