A team that scores 32 points in a single quarter of any high school sport certainly has a chance to win the game. The mere thought of scoring 32 points in a quarter draws mental images of people on their feet, the stadium reverberating with cheers, and cheerleaders somersaulting to “Ice Cream and Cake.” However, this was not the atmosphere last Friday in Jack Lynch Gymnasium: home of the Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets.

The fan ratio largely favored Osbourn Park, there were no somersaulting cheerleaders from either team, and while dealing with sometimes inappropriate remarks from the opposition's fanatics, the Woodbridge men's basketball team orchestrated their 32-point quarter the same way they have all season: from a huge deficit.The Vikings lost, 68-73.

In each of the last five games the Vikings have not only played from a deficit in the final quarter, but they have also scored more points in the fourth than in all other quarters. Over the same time period Woodbridge has outscored opponents in the final quarter, 104-77.

“We're really struggling with being consistent for four quarters of basketball,” said first year head coach Brian Hooker. “We show sparks, but we have to put it together for four quarters. We're at the point in our season where we're not in it for moral victories anymore. We have to get to a point where we can play like that for four quarters.”

Hooker took the job at Woodbridge after winning back-to-back district championships, and a Northwest regional championship, as an assistant coach with the Potomac Panthers.

“That was a very good basketball team, but the thing I keep preaching to our guys is that those were good kids, and over half of that team from Potomac was on the honor roll,” said Hooker in an earlier interview. “That's what we're trying to build here at Woodbridge. We must make sure we're doing what we're supposed to in class because I think that leads onto the court.”

Woodbridge (1-7, 0-3) has also had its share of off-court issues which has hindered team consistency. Starter Mikal Boykin has not played in the last five games, for reasons undisclosed by the team, yet he still ranks tied at 45th in 3-point shooting throughout the metro area; senior Yapheth Emiru is tied for 35th. The Vikings could definitely use the shooting range of Boykin, however, Hooker maintains that the talent on the court has potential to win games against any team, yet the inconsistency on and off the court translates into losses.

“If we're not consistent in our life and in general, we're not going to be consistent on the court,” added Hooker. “It's just a matter of giving effort all the time.”

The fourth quarter comeback was fueled by senior John Fiseha, who received playing time in all four quarters, yet didn't make a single basket until the final quarter in which he contributed 12 points. Hanok Zeraye, who also played three quarters scoreless, contributed five points in the fourth; Emiru had the second highest point total in the first, but played the final three quarters scoreless.

Defensively, the Vikings failed to apply their potentially dominant full-court pressure until the last four minutes of the game, in which they went on a 23-11 scoring run.

“When your back's to the wall, and you have nothing left to lose, then you go out and play that way, but that's not good enough,” said Hooker. “We need to do that from the opening tip.”

Stats

Woodbridge: Tre Jones 18 points; Kenny McKnight and Jon Fiseha each 12 points.

Osbourn Park: Cameron Smith 16 points; Liban Awl 24 points; Garrett Smith 13 points.

Indoor Track

Woodbridged placed second overall in men's events and third overall in women's events at their final meet of 2011, against district opponents Gar-Field, Osbourn Park, and Forest Park.

-Olivia Coopwood placed second in the 300 meter dash.

-Chris Clausson finished first in the 300 meter with a personal best time of 37.14 seconds, half a step in front of Forest Park's Josh Washington.

-Nick Eghtessad finished first in the 3200 meter run with a personal best time of nine minutes, 51 seconds.

-Shawn Bowen broke the 20 foot mark in long jump, placing first with a distance of 20 feet, 2 inches.

-Men's 4 x 400 meter relay won by over 15 seconds to qualify for regionals a second time this season.

“The 4 x 4 will qualify either on time or placement,” said coach Andrew McCarthy when asked if he thought the men's team would qualify for the state tournament. “We were in second place last year, but we dropped the baton, so we didn't go. I've had countless 4 x 4 teams make it to states, but for some reason or another—prom, sickness, rough day, whatever—we haven't placed. I think this team can do it! There are also other athletes that are emerging from our preseason workouts. If they stay healthy and maintain fitness, we could see quite a bit of green and gold at the state meet.”