The Cornwall Dragons suffered a 62-53 loss to Valley Central in a competitive matchup Friday night, dropping their record to 12-3. The Vikings, now 11-4, extended their winning streak to three games as they continue their push toward the playoffs.

Valley Central opened the game with a quick 7-2 run, using their speed in transition to counter Cornwall’s full-court press. Despite the defensive pressure from the Dragons, the Vikings attacked the rim effectively.

Cornwall responded with tough defensive play, highlighted by senior Jack Demetriow’s chase-down block in the first quarter that ignited the home crowd. Demetriow finished the game with 20 points, but Valley Central’s dominance in the paint, led by Nasir Trotter (22 points) and Noah Ruiz (16 points), kept Cornwall from gaining control. The Vikings held a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Sophomore Malik Sonko provided a spark for the Dragons, draining a three-pointer at the close of the opening quarter. He led Cornwall with 23 points, forming a strong offensive duo with Demetriow. “Malik and Jack are good paint players. We need to find ways to get them the ball in places where they can be successful,” Cornwall head coach Chris Miller said.

The second quarter turned into a defensive battle as Valley Central forced several turnovers that led to transition baskets. Ruiz capped off the half with a three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Vikings a 30-27 advantage at halftime.

Valley Central opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run, once again attacking the paint, while Cornwall struggled to respond offensively. However, Sonko and Demetriow kept the Dragons in the game. A steal and layup by Demetriow, followed by two baskets from Sonko, cut the deficit to three with two minutes left in the quarter. Yet, the Vikings had an answer for every Cornwall run, as Trotter’s contested layup and Shaun Mosby’s buzzer-beating three pushed the lead to 45-37 entering the fourth quarter.

Cornwall responded with tough defensive play, highlighted by senior Jack Demetriow’s chase-down block in the first quarter that ignited the home crowd. Demetriow finished the game with 20 points, but Valley Central’s dominance in the paint, led by Nasir Trotter (22 points) and Noah Ruiz (16 points), kept Cornwall from gaining control. The Vikings held a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Sophomore Malik Sonko provided a spark for the Dragons, draining a three-pointer at the close of the opening quarter. He led Cornwall with 23 points, forming a strong offensive duo with Demetriow. “Malik and Jack are good paint players. We need to find ways to get them the ball in places where they can be successful,” Cornwall head coach Miller said.

The second quarter turned into a defensive battle as Valley Central forced several turnovers that led to transition baskets. Ruiz capped off the half with a three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Vikings a 31-28 advantage at halftime.

Valley Central opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run, once again attacking the paint, while Cornwall struggled to respond offensively. However, Sonko and Demetriow kept the Dragons in the game. A steal and layup by Demetriow, followed by two baskets from Sonko, cut the deficit to three with two minutes left in the quarter. Yet, the Vikings had an answer for every Cornwall run, as Trotter’s contested layup and Shaun Mosby’s buzzer-beating three pushed the lead to 45-37 entering the fourth quarter.

The Dragons started the final period with strong defensive pressure, forcing a 10-second violation. Demetriow hit a crucial three to bring Cornwall within eight, but Valley Central’s relentless offensive attack proved difficult to stop. A late steal by Cornwall’s Matt Cerone gave the Dragons an opportunity, but a missed free throw and a blocked putback attempt kept them from closing the gap.

Frustration mounted for Cornwall as a hard foul resulted in a technical foul in the closing moments. The Vikings maintained composure and secured the win on the road.

“Grit impacts our team a lot, because when we’re in practice, we emphasize that we need grit,” Trotter said after leading Valley Central in scoring. “Coach has been saying, ‘Don’t say grit if you’re not about it,’ and today we showed that we’re about it.”