SMILES ALL AROUND

A costly turnover late in the game prevented Fremont-Mills from ending Stanton’s perfect season as the Vikings won the Corner Conference Tournament Championship 48-44 Saturday night. 

Stanton improved to 15-0 on the season with the win, which gave them their first CC Tournament championship since 1997. 

Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm early in the game, as Stanton led 9-7 after the first eight minutes. 

The lead changed hands a couple times in the second quarter as Stanton battled foul trouble, losing big men Brady Johnson and Alex Becthold. Playing with a smaller lineup, Stanton rallied and extended their lead to 27-21 by halftime. 

Both teams scored a dozen third quarter points, giving Fremont-Mills a chance to rally late.

A Parker Powers three-pointer, his second of the game, allowed Fremont-Mills to cut the lead to 44-42, and the Knights had the ball in the final minute with a chance to tie the score. 

Stanton, though, forced a turnover and David Sorensen would hit all four free throws he attempted in the game in the final 21 seconds to seal the win for Stanton. 

Sorensen led all scorers with 21 points while Drake Johnson scored 12. 

Powers scored 12 for Fremont-Mills while Sam Phillips added 11 points and six rebounds before leaving the game in the third quarter after picking up a technical foul. 

Stanton qualified for the championship game with a 64-41 win over Essex in Thursday’s semifinal game. 

After struggling on offense in the first quarter, scoring just eight points, Stanton responded with a 25-8 run in the second to pull away 33-12. 

Essex responded in the third quarter, outscoring the Vikings 22-9 to pull within double digits at 42-34. Stanton, though, quelled any rally with a 22-7 run in the final eight minutes. 

In their first-round game, Stanton cruised to a 73-10 win over Heartland Christian. 

Stanton led 24-1 after the first quarter and 47-5 at halftime. 

Easton Blunt scored 16 to lead the Vikings, while adding five assists. Brady Johnson scored 14 and dished out six assists, while Drake Johnson, Connor Hultman and Sorensen all scored 10 each in the win. 

Stanton returns home Tuesday to host East Mills before traveling to Essex Thursday. Friday, Stanton is back home in a rematch against Fremont-Mills, the third time the two teams have played this year. In addition to the conference tournament championship, Stanton beat Fremont-Mills 53-52 Jan. 7.