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  • Grayling's Steven Enos shoots the ball against Elk Rapids Tuesday at Elk Rapids High School. Enos led the Vikings with 19 points. Record-Eagle/Keith King

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February 8, 2012

Grayling alone in 2nd after topping Elks

Enos' 19 helps Vikings

BY DENNIS CHASE dchase@record-eagle.com

ELK RAPIDS — Steven Enos is back.

The senior, who's been bothered by a back injury suffered last spring while playing AAU basketball, scored a game-high 19 points Tuesday night to lead Grayling to a key 71-65 Lake Michigan Conference win over host Elk Rapids.

"It's been a tough senior year for me," Enos said. "I had the back injury all through football. I went to physical therapy for it and it's finally getting better. I'm finally feeling good."

It was a big win for Grayling, which moved into sole possession of second in the league at 7-2, two games behind St. Francis. Elk Rapids dropped to 6-3.

"This is a huge win," Vikings coach Rich Moffit said. "We have a lot of respect for Elk Rapids and I have a lot of respect for Luke (Elks coach Luke Johnson). We're very fortunate to get out of here with a win."

Although Grayling (11-3 overall) led most of the game, the Elks were always within striking distance.

It was tied at 56-56 with just under five minutes to play. And the Vikings were clinging to a one-point lead, 62-61, after a pair of free throws by the Elks' Philip Hayes with two minutes to go.

But a basket by Enos and four consecutive free throws by sophomore Jake Swander helped put the game away.

"Playing here is always tough," Enos said. "Coach told us we had to play team defense, we had to rebound and we had to share the ball. We did all that for the most part and we came out with the W."

Nine different Vikings scored in the contest. Zane Tobin had 17 points and Swander 11. Enos and Tobin each had 13 at the break. Swander scored all of his points in the second half.

"He (Swander) did some really nice things," Moffit said. "He hit his first shot and that really got him going."

Johnson, meanwhile, was frustrated by the loss and the officiating.

"The calls did not go our way," he said.

Luke Morrison led the Elks with 19 points, 15 in the first half. The Vikings, particularly Devon Dawson and Riley Zigila, challenged every shot the senior guard attempted.

"He's a load," Moffit said of Morrison. "That kid can play. If I'm a college coach, I'm all over this kid."

Alex Braim added 14 points and Hayes 11. Braim gave the Elks (8-4 overall) a lift in the second half, scoring nine points. It was his free throw with 5:08 left that tied it at 56. Elk Rapids could not grab the lead, though. In fact, the Elks never led in the second half.

"I'm proud of the way we battled," Johnson said. "We had chances. We just didn't make the shots when we needed to."

It was the first home loss for the Elks this season and it leaves them three games behind St. Francis in the league race.

Moffit is not ready to count the Elks out, however.

"I don't know about that," he said. "I think a lot of things can still happen. I don't think Elk Rapids is out of it. They play great defense."

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