North Boone’s season nears an end

By Chris Johnson

REPORTER

A win over Harvard was recorded as the second week of regular season game play for the North Boone Vikings. Some internal concerns distracted the squad as they moved through the year and showed up each night to compete.

With a 1-17 overall mark heading into the final week of games, the Vikings have a lot of things to look at and think about before they take their first shots in the upcoming Class 2A Boys’ Basketball Regional.

This week, the IHSA Selection Committee is expected to meet to issue seeds for the opening round games and in an eleven-seed complex, there is a good chance the Vikings will play on night one in a “play-in”  capacity. A win will shoot them into the path of one of the top seeds in the Sectional Complex.

Looking at the field, North Boone must compete against teams from the Big Northern on a fairly regular basis. Other conferences including the NUIC and three Rivers also are sending participants to the two host locations.

Rockford Christian will host one half of the qualifying field and Morrison will host the second half.

Teams from Oregon, North Boone, Rockford Christian, South Beloit, and Winnebago may all appear at the Rockford Christian Regional. Morrison looks to host Prophetstown, Sterling Newman, West Carroll, Fulton, and possibly Byron.

When seeds are determined, more information will be collected and the Class 2A brackets can be filled out.

The Class 2A second round winner will move on to Northern Illinois University for the Sweet 16 and the Super-Sectional with the hope of advancing to the State of Illinois’ Final Four.

North Boone will wrap up regular season action on Friday, Feb. 17 as they play host to Genoa-Kingston.

Prior to that, Stillman Valley travels to Poplar Grove on Tuesday, Feb. 14 and Christian Life begins the season-closing home stand with a Monday, Feb. 13 visit.

On Tuesday, Feb. 7 North Boone met with Oregon.

The Hawks have had problems this season as they sit with a 0-7 mark in the Big Northern Conference.

On Friday, Feb. 10, the Vikings close the road portion of their winter schedule as they travel to Rockford Lutheran for their final showdown with the Crusaders this season.