(Photo/Chris Heerman’18/Media Team)

In the sectional final on Saturday, March 4, the CA boys basketball team steamrolled the Mount Gilead Indians, 69-54. The Vikes have won their first 3 tournament games by a combined 67 points and advance to the district semifinals.

Both teams felt the pressure to begin the game. No one could seem to make a shot on either side, and the Indians took a 1-point lead after a low-scoring first quarter.

Then Academy’s offense exploded in the second period. Senior Nick Stringer and sophomore Dorrian Moultrie took over, attacking the paint for layups and drilling threes.

Perhaps shaken by the raucous Vikings’ student section, Mount Gilead could not break out of its cold spell and found themselves trailing CA 27-18 at the half.

But the Indians did not go away. Refocused after the break, they began to chip away at the Vikes’ lead. But junior center Addis Boyd would have none of it. Boyd scored 16 of his career-high 21 points in the second half, along with 11 rebounds. He willed Academy to a double digit lead after the third and then continued to dominate to close out the game, leading the Vikings to a 15-point win in the sectional championship.

The sectional champ Vikes are now just 2 wins away from achieving their ultimate goal: a district title. Before they can play for it, they must first go through the #4 seed Northmor Golden Knights.

The teams clash on Tuesday, March 7 at Westerville Central.