Spring Valley’s Shaquita Walker tries to get by Dutch Fork’s Alaina Coates. Photo by Marcia Tidwell This one did not feel right from the beginning.

No one scored till Dutch Fork’s Rose Robinson dropped a jumper for a 2- 0 lead 3: 38 into the game, but the host Vikings led 7-6 after the first quarter. However, When Spring Valley’s Asia Dozier drilled a 3- pointer at the final buzzer, it only lessened the embarrassment just a little.

The Dutch Fork Lady Silver Foxes came across town to sink the Spring Valley Lady Vikings, 51-41, in a major Region 4-4A tilt at the Spring Valley gym Tuesday, January 31. The verdict puts a whole new face on the region race and maybe puts new expectations in the state 4A playoff picture.

Coach Faye Norris’s Lady Foxes move to 19-3 overall, 9-1 in the region, and are sure to move back to the top ranking in girls’ state 4A. The Vikings fell to 17-4 overall and 8-1 in the region and must win out their remaining regular season games to have a chance to share the region with their crosstown rivals.

Xylina McDaniel led the Vikings with 19 points and Asia Dozier, who injured her foot on the first play of the game and “was only about 50 percent,” according to coach Anne Long, added 18. Another starter, Kelcee Dozier missed the game with a concussion. Donnesha Shuler had 12 points for the Silver Foxes, and Shelby Curtis added 10.

“ You have to show up,” Long said. “ Dutch Fork is a good team. You have to give them credit. They came out to win and played the whole game to win. We played sporadically. We stood around a lot. But that is a perfect opportunity for somebody to step up and nobody wanted to do it. Dutch Fork played their game and played to win, and we didn’t, and that is what happens.”

Before the raucous locker room celebration, the Dutch Fork message was “stay focused.”

“They were focused,” an emotional Norris said of her players after the game. “ That is what we talked about coming out of the locker room— to stay focused. The guards played well. The post players backed them up. Everybody played a wonderful game.”

After finally wreaking havoc in the Vikings’ galley, the coach went in to share the victory with her players.

“It feels good, it feels good,” the coach smiled. “It breaks down whatever they had on us.”

The Vikings will host Ridge View Friday, while the Foxes are off Friday and host Richland Northeast Tuesday.