Junior Shelemiah Crockett breezes by her defender. Sarah Neltner’20/Media

The Vikes came out firing on all cylinders and never slowed down, blitzing the Indians with a 17-3 run to close the game. When the buzzer sounded, the scoreboard showed a historic 15-point victory for Academy. Junior Shelemiah Crockett and sophomore Kiersten Thomassey combined for 24 points, with other scoring contributions coming from senior Lexis Hughes, sophomores Emma Belford and Mackenzie Smith, and freshman Charlotte Adams.

The next challenge for the Vikings came on Saturday, February 24, where the Vikings squared off with #17 seed Johnstown-Monroe. Academy entered the match-up shorthanded, and the effect on the scoreboard was clear. The Johnnies were in control from start to finish, and in the end, they were crowned Sectional champions. Lexis Hughes led CA with 7 points in the 23-11 loss. 

The season was nothing but record-breaking, and the Vikes’ post-season success was no fluke. Academy’s squad has been a work in progress—not since the early-season practices in early November—but for years now. The senior trio of Tori Abell, Lexis Hughes, and Skyla Johnson will be dearly missed for their energy, yet more importantly, for their leadership. The Vikings also had an abundance of underclassmen that rose to the occasion all year, and it is exciting to think about what the future holds. This year was an incredible improvement for the program, and with the talent and superb coaching at hand, more broken records are to be expected in the coming years.