Victor Pirates force Lynx Varsity to walk the plank

The varsity men of the hometown Lincoln Lynx have been riding a roller coaster of up and down games on the basketball court this winter.

After the raucous home games of last week, the MOA sent up some of their best refs to bring law and order back to Blackfoot Valley athletics Friday, Jan. 26. Instant whistles for infractions and two quick technical fouls on each team for unsportsmanlike conduct in the first minute of the game told everyone that these officials were in charge and no rough behavior would be tolerated. What a relief.

Unfortunately flu also showed up for this contest and some of the Lynx men were playing in a bleary-eyed state. The Pirates, quicker, more accurate and in better health for the contest, were six points ahead at the half and never looked back.

The final score was 55 - 64, a nine point spread that showed how hard the Lynx clawed to stay in the game.

Nathan Brown, one of the ailing Lynx, scored 32 points, took six steals and shot a 60 percent accuracy rating including four from beyond the arc.

Senior Bridger Kamps added six points, five rebounds and three steals. In the Rookie class of new fellows on the team, junior Noah Belcher contributed five scores and five rebounds, senior Aziah Blotkamp had three points and junior Ryan Greenwood made six points and two rebounds.

Greenwood, a varsity hockey star from North Wales, Penn. has never played basketball, but the Lynx team members are helping the 5-foot, 11-inch natural athlete find his place on the floor. He is proving to be a fast learner. North Wales, a suburb of Philadelphia, has a sprawling campus and student population of more than 3,000.

When asked what he liked best about Lincoln high school, Greenwood said, "It's only a short distance from one class to the next." Presumably, a distance measured in feet instead of furlongs.