Jaxson Williams of the Vikings scores against Summertown defenders. Williams had eight points for Community. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
By RICKEY CLARDY
Sports Writer
UNIONVILLE — The Summertown Eagles took advantage of Community Viking turnovers to mount a big lead and the Vikings could not recover as the Eagles defeated Community 75-52 in the District 9-2A opener for both teams Friday night.
With Charlie Haskins scoring six points, Jaxson Williams adding five and Josh Powers scoring four, Community (11-6, 0-1) stayed close with the Eagles as the lead changed hands eight times in the opening quarter.
Summertown finished the quarter with a 19-17 lead.
Haskins scored five points and Powers netted four in the second quarter, but the Viking turnovers started to mount as the Eagles increased their lead.
Summertown led 24-23 with 4:36 left before a 10-0 run gave the Eagles a 34-23 advantage. The Eagles took a 40-25 lead before the Vikings scored the final seven points to cut the Summertown lead to 40-32 at halftime.
It was a frustrating third quarter for the Vikings as Community could only muster four points. The Eagle offense remained in gear with 16 points as Summertown led 56-36 with one quarter to play.
The Vikings could not stop the Eagle momentum as Summertown scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to take a commanding 67-36 lead with 6:13 left. Zach Leathers highlighted the Viking scoring column with two treys off the bench as the Eagles finished with the district win.
Lleyton Sherman scored 16 points to lead a balanced Eagle attack as four Summertown players reached double figures.
Sawyer Sherman added 15 points and Graham Howell scored 14, while Ryder Blackwood had 13 points.
Haskins and Powers each scored 13 points to lead the Vikings.
Summertown was 9-of-15 at the free throw line while the Vikings were 2-of-4.
“They’re really good at what they do and they try speeding you up,” Coach Hunter Ferrell of the Vikings said. “That was a big focus this week for us in practice was taking care of the basketball and knowing where the soft spots would be.”
“It’s a ton of credit to Summertown because they don’t make it easy, but I think we’ve got to find ways to make it easy on ourselves,” Ferrell added. “I think we’re making plays that are too hard to make and we’re doing some stuff that just beats ourselves.”
Summertown 19 21 16 19 — 75
Community 17 15 4 16 — 52
Summertown: Lleyton Sherman 16, Sawyer Sherman 15, Graham Howell 14, Ryder Blackwood 13, Andrew Mabry 7, Casen Edwards 3, Knox Springer 2, Jac Hallmark 2, Max Dillard 2, Hayden Lindsey 1, Landon Holt, Axel Heatherly, Joey Wheeler, Corbin White.
Community: Charlie Haskins 13, Josh Powers 13, Jaxson Williams 8, Johnathan Lawwell 4, Andre Tocchio 3, Zach Leathers 6, Masyn Hill 3, Maddux Thompson 2, Karson Boyce, Boone Gray, Logan Reed, Cordell Dukes, Kaeden Hensel.
3-Point goals: Summertown: (10): L. Sherman 4, Blackwood 3, Howell 2, S. Sherman; Community (8): Williams 2, Leathers 2, Haskins, Powers, Tocchio, Hill.
Halftime score: Summertown 40, Community 32.