HAYS — A quick start, and contributions from a pair of seniors, powered North Wilkes to a 58-44 win last Tuesday on Senior Night for the Vikings.
With the win, North Wilkes improved to 7-5 in Foothills 2A Conference play and 13-10 overall — the highest win total since the 2017-18 season when it finished 13-12.
Much like the Jan. 19 matchup in East Bend when the Vikings used a 27-point second-quarter to create separation, a fast start powered the hosts on Tuesday.
North Wilkes came out of the gates and scored the game’s first 11 points in the first three minutes. The Vikings scored 13 of the first 15 points.
Eli Shell, who finished with 21 points, extended the lead to 16-5 with a 3-pointer.
Down as many as 12 in the first half, the Falcons (1-21, 1-11) hung tough, trimming the deficit to seven (23-16) on a runner from Braylen Beane and a triple for Pierce Sprague.
Dylan McClamrock, who led Forbush in scoring with seven points converted a layup off a steal to make it a 26-18 game.
But that would be as close as the Falcons would get the remainder of the game.
While Shell had the big first half for the Vikings (scoring 15 of his 21 in the first half), Solomon Panneton had the big second half.
The senior scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half and pushed the Vikings’ lead to 19 at 48-29 early in the fourth quarter with a pair of buckets.
Despite the loss, Matthew Bryant did provide a bright spot off the bench with a pair of baskets to get the lead down to as little as 13 (52-39) late.
In addition to McClamrock, Gavin Maines, Corbin Bradsher and Bryson Taylor all added six points apiece.
The Falcons dropped two more games to conclude their season, which included an 80-36 loss at Surry Central on Monday night.
In a 76-37 loss against Wilkes Central on Friday, Pierce Sprague led Forbush with 11 points and Beane added 10.
North Wilkes 58, Forbush 44
Forbush 06 12 11 15 — 44
North Wilkes 18 12 14 14 — 58
FORBUSH: Gavin Maines 6; Braylon Beane 5; Dylan McClamrock 7; Pierce Sprague 5; Corbin Bradsher 6; Mason Dudley 2; Bryson Taylor 6; Matthew Bryant 5; Yorland Luna 0; Kanan Davis 2.
NORTH WILKES: Mason Elmore 0; Mason Faw 0; Solomon Panneton 22; Aiden Taylor 3; Eli Shell 21; Matthew Pardo 3; Trey Johnson 0; Devin Hague 0; Miles Berrier 5; Angel Santiago 2.
THREE-POINTERS: Forbush: Bryant, Sprague, Beane. North Wilkes: Shell 5; Taylor, Berrier, Pardo.
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