As the game wore on Tuesday, it had the feeling of being one of those nights for the Warren Central Lady Vikes.

They dominated and controlled the flow of the game against Raymond, but couldn’t seem to slip anything past the goal keeper. Two quick goals early in the second half finally gave them some breathing room, however, and they went on to beat the Lady Rangers 5-0 for their second win in a row.

“We got out here and did our best,” said WC’s Jayda Griffin, who had a goal and an assist.
Laney Smith had a goal and two assists for the Lady Vikes (5-4), and Katelyn Morson had one goal and one assist.

Warren Central only led 1-0 at halftime, but Morson scored off a pass from Smith in the 49th minute and then Smith did the same off a pass from Morson 90 seconds later to blow the game open.

Warren Central outshot Raymond 43-4 in the game, but almost all of its shots were right at the keeper.

Maddie Watkins scored early in the first half, and then Bree Butler and Jayda Griffin closed it out with a pair of goals in the last two minutes for the final margin.

WC goal keepers Anna Hoben and Layken Stockstill combined on the team’s fourth shutout of the season. Hoben made three saves and Stockstill had one.

“We always have a rough 10 minutes, and then after the first 10 minutes we usually start getting our rhythm,” Morson said. “Once you find the people you work good with, that’s how you know you’re going to start getting some goals.”

The win sends the Lady Vikes into the final week of the first half of the season with some positive momentum. They’ll play three games this weekend at the HUDL Showcase in Ridgeland — Friday against Terry, and then a doubleheader Saturday with Madison-St. Joseph and Florence — before closing out the year at Brandon on Dec. 21.

The Lady Vikes were already looking forward to the showdown with Brandon, a perennial power that will give them a stern test heading into the division schedule in January.

“They’re going to challenge our defense a lot. Instead of having 10 minutes to warm up, we need to be ready when the whistle blows,” Morson said.

(B) WC 8, Raymond 0

Warren Central’s boys’ team took a while to get going against Raymond, and then pummeled the Rangers into submission with a relentless barrage of goals.

The Vikings scored four times in the last 15 minutes of the first half — after being held scoreless for the first 25 minutes — and added another early in the second half before the starters gave way to the junior varsity.

Braylen Greer had two goals and two assists, and Hank Holdiness had one goal and one assist.
Sean Dixon, Karsten Keyes, Brandon Gilliam, Kalob Legg and Raymond Rimmey also had one goal apiece.

The Vikings will play in the HUDL Showcase this weekend at Freedom Ridge Park in Ridgeland. They’ll face Jackson Prep Friday at 5:30 p.m., and then play at doubleheader Saturday against Lewisburg at 11:30 a.m. and Madison-St. Joseph at 2:30 p.m.