Rangers Stay On Track For Three-Peat
by Mike Erwin - Sports Editor
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A devastating run to start the game set the tone for Roland on Thursday night as the Rangers romped to a 57-35 semifinal win over Vian at the Armstrong Bank Sequoyah County Tournament.

Roland, the No. 5-ranked team in Class 4A, stayed undefeated at 8-0 by taking control early against the Wolverines. As a result, the Rangers will get a chance to play for their third-consecutive county championship when they face Muldrow in Saturday's 8 p.m. final.

Nick Mooney fueled the early surge with seven points and Brandon Lewis capped a 19-5 run with a steal and dunk late in the quarter.

A Ranger three-point bomb handed Roland a 25-8 edge early in the second period before the Wolverines whittled the deficit back down to 11 (34-23) by halftime.

Any hopes of a Vian comeback were dashed by Roland sophomore Robert Thompson, who scored the Rangers' first 10 points of the second half as they stretched their lead to 19 points.

Thompson finished as the game's leading scorer with 17 points, including a breakaway slam in the second quarter. Lewis netted 13, Mooney 10, Tony Brown eight, Andrew Crow six, Heath Matlock two and Dwight Williams one.

Williams was the top reboudner with nine boards and Thompson and Brown both grabbed eight for the Rangers, who held a 37-15 advantage on the glass.

Sophomore guard Vfastv Locust led Vian with 12 point. Londell Taylor added eight, Timmy Hart four, Garrett Ford three, E.J. Drew three, Ryan Taylor two and Demarqua Pratt two.

The Wolverines defeated Central in the first round, but dropped to 4-4 with the semifinal loss. They'll play Sallisaw at 3 p.m. Saturday for third place.

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