Sports : Hoop wrap-up: Vikings celebrate success of 2012; look forward to 2013

Coach Johnson with the framed poster commemorating the 2011-12 season.

Coach Johnson honors the Viking managers.

Viking juniors

Coach Johnson honors senior Jake Milroy.

Viking Freshmen

Viking sophomores

The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings began the 2011-12 basketball season with no returning starters, only one senior (who had struggled through several injuries during his junior year) and six healthy juniors.

Yet, they won their division, and came within one game of going to the State Tournament. Several Vikings were among conference leaders, and even among the leaders in all of Class 3A in Iowa, in several categories. And head coach Joe Johnson was named the WaMaC West Coach of the Year.

Grant Sagan led the conference in scoring with an average of 18.5 points per game. Max Griffith was fifth, and Max Kearns, seventh, in that category. Sagan was among the top 3A players in total points and points per game.

Kearns led the conference in steals and was fourth in the state in that category. Sagan led the WaMac West in rebounds, while Kearns led the division in assists, and was second in the state in that category.

The Viking players and coaches celebrated their successful campaign during their season wrap-up dinner Monday at the Vinton Skate Center.

On Saturday, they traveled to Des Moines to watch Western Dubuque play in the Class 3A championship game at the state tournament.

Johnson told the audience that the trip allowed them to see what they are playing for, and "where we will be playing next year."

Coaches honored the players of each grade level, as well as the cheerleaders and team managers. Johnson praised the freshmen for their improvement throughout the year, and thanked the sophomores for their hard work and their help of the varsity team during practices.

The last player honored was Milroy. Coach Johnson credited him for shutting down on of the best scorers on the Western Dubuque team during the Sub-State game, as well as his impact as a starter throughout the season.

The evening ended with a slide show of photos taken throughout the year by Ryan Clemmens, who has shared some of his photos with Vinton Today readers.

Johnson and the Vikings are already looking forward to the 2012-13 season. Griffifth came to the coach the day after the Sub-State loss to ask him to open the gym so he could practice. The coach told his underclassmen that their work in the off-season in the weight room and on the basketball court will contribute to their success next year.