HAYFIELD – With a record of 12-5, the Vikings of Hayfield will take on Blue Earth Area in Mankato tonight for the Class AA Section 2 championship in boys basketball.

Friday, March 16, 2001

HAYFIELD – With a record of 12-5, the Vikings of Hayfield will take on Blue Earth Area in Mankato tonight for the Class AA Section 2 championship in boys basketball.

The Vikings opened up their season 1-4, but quickly improved. They defeated Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 53-51 on Monday to advance to the finals. The Vikings were behind by 10 points in the fourth quarter of the semifinal game, but they sprinted ahead in the last minute of the game.

"It was a really stressful game," first-year coach Chris Pack said. "The boys are ready to get to sections tonight. They are extremely confident. We are playing the best we have played all year."

Hayfield’s team is made up of nine seniors; no underclassmen are on the court. The one underclassman who did play, Tyler Kramer, broke his collarbone. He is missed, Pack said, because he was the best three-pointer and free thrower.

Tonight’s game against 18-7 Blue Earth Area gets under way at 8 p.m. at Taylor Center on the Minnesota State University campus in Mankato.

"Blue Earth is similar to us," Pack said. "They don’t shoot three-pointers, they drive to the basket and don’t look for layups. We both play good defense."

Four Vikings have averaged 10 points per game: Jon Severson, Willy Hansen, Corey Holton and Aaron Tempel.

Call Sheila Donnelly at 434-2234 or e-mail her at sports@austindailyherald.com.