13 year Bomber run ends with a 4th state title
Last summer Bob Vaughan surprised many when he retired from coaching a few months before Braham was about to embark on what was expected to be the last great Bomber run. In 2004 the Bombers won the state title behind…
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Continue ReadingLast summer Bob Vaughan surprised many when he retired from coaching a few months before Braham was about to embark on what was expected to be the last great Bomber run. In 2004 the Bombers won the state title behind Isaiah Dahlman, Noah Dahlman, and Josh Vaughan. It was the first of three championships over a three year span.
The Bombers would make the state tournament four more times under Vaughan with the latest being in 2012 but no title was brought home to join the previous three. Since then a new group of talent emerged led by cousins Chris and Alec Olson and brothers John and Ryan Larson. The 2015-16 season was to be the peak year for this group. Could the Bombers make the run without Vaughan?
When asked about new coach Jeff Eklund earlier in the year (when Vaughan was traveling to watch his son Tyler play every game of his senior year at Minnesota State Moorhead) Vaughan said “I wouldn’t leave the program if it wasn’t in good hands”. Today Vaughan’s statement was proved true as Eklund’s bunch bombarded Jackson County Central.
Halfway through the first half it was one score game (20-18) and nobody had established anything. John Larson was the toughest guy on the floor boarding and Chris Olson was getting shots off but not much was going down. Then the Bombers got a trey from John, a bank trey from Chris Olson, a corner trey from Alec, and then a four point play from Chris.
Those baskets led to a 20-4 run and ultimately a 30-11 run to end the half (50-29 score at the break). Braham was getting anywhere they wanted off the bounce and also made seven first half triples. Defensively the Bombers forced 11 Jackson County Central turnovers and dominated the first half glass 26-16.
NHR previewed the contest last night and ran through the even match-ups and where each team had an ex-factor that the other team couldn’t match-up with. Ryan Larson was the guy for Braham because he was so much quicker than anything that JCC had.
Larson had 12 first half points (5 of 6 shooting) plus two assists while JCC’s ex-factor Bodey Behrends wasn’t able to use the six inches he had on Braham’s center for anything more than two scores. The six blocks of Berhends was impressive but JCC couldn’t use it to help them. Add in that leading scorer Chris Olson had 18 for Braham while JCC’s leading scorer Matt Ringkob had only two first half scores.
Down 21 JCC needed a good halftime speech so we watched them close coming out of the locker room. Braham was out early and had a bounce in their step shooting jumpers. JCC came out late and looked like they were walking out to their own funeral. They proceeded to play like they appeared at first before getting a little help.
Without a band or cheerleaders, it was the JCC student section that gave their team some second half life. Constantly cheering, constantly jumping around, the fans saw their players make a play and then instantly got excited. Matt Ringkob responded with attacks to the cup, Colton Timmer knocked out a couple treys, and Jacob Christopher scored three times. Coach Trent Sukalski started pumping his fist. Life was back into the Huskies. Coach Sukalski called a set that led to Ryan Christopher bounce passing to Bodey Behrends for his fourth score JCC the 21 point led to ten (66-56).
The Huskies continued to chip away at the lead getting it down to seven points at one point. Ryan Larson’s pace push as well as his ability to stroke from the arc helped the Bombers stay ahead three/four scores. Senior Chris Olson was the Bomber that made the big plays preserving the lead. His steal after a JCC set out of a timeout call became a lay-up and he had a foul court attack that was finished as JCC players couldn’t retreat to catch-up. Chris also knocked out foul shots late.
After trimming a 21 point lead down to two scores at one point JCC knew they were out of chances when Matt Ringkob went down to a questionable fifth foul call. He attacked middle and Braham power forward stood in to take a charge to Matt’s left. Ringkob hit Connor’s right shoulder and Matt should have been at the foul line working to cut the Braham lead to two scores but the official fouled him out and a dejected Ringkob embraced his coach. Braham would put the game away at the foul line earning their fourth state title.
When the trophy was handed over to his captains Coach Eklund smiled big and raised a fist of excitement. Somewhere away from the court Coach Vaughan did the same.
Numbers
Chris Olson scored his 33 points on 10 of 26 shooting including four treys and 9 of 13 foul shooting. Chris also had nine rebounds and three steals. Ryan Larson scored 28 making 11 of 13 field goal attempts along with a couple treys and three assists. John Larson had 16 points, eight boards, three steals, and three assists, and Alec Olson made three treys and all his free throws for 15 points.
For JCC, Bodey Behrends was a block away from a triple-double at 16 points, 12 rebounds, and of course nine blocks. Colton Timmer and Matt Ringkob each had 21 points (also combine for 15 boards), Jacob Christopher scored 16 points, and Ryan Christopher scored 11 with five rebounds and five assists.
Class AA State Tournament Team
Annandale: Jarod Wilken
St. Croix Lutheran: Ade Murkey, Trenton Krueger, Aage Rovney
Jackson County Central: Matt Ringkob, Bodey Behrends, Jacob Christopher
Braham: John Larson, Chris Olson, Ryan Larson