VIENNA — The Vienna Middle School basketball teams have been keeping a full schedule, playing a stretch of games on Sept. 30, Oct. 3 and Oct. 6. Through tough matchups, high-energy crowds and standout performances, the Vienna squads continue to show their determination and growth early in the season.

It began on Sept. 30 when St. Elizabeth came to town. The Vienna boys B team opened the night in what turned out to be one of the most memorable games of the season so far. After an ice-cold start that left them scoreless through the first half, the Eagles came alive in the third quarter and stormed back in dramatic fashion. The B team dropped 20 points in the second half, 11 in the third and nine in the fourth to win 20–15. Coached by Barrack, the comeback victory was led by scorers Coen Schwartze and D. Martin, who helped ignite the turnaround that had fans roaring from the bleachers.

The girls A team followed, facing a tough St. Elizabeth defense. Although the final score favored the visitors 41–11, several Lady Eagles stood out with their effort. Grace Barnhart led the team with eight points, showing persistence at the rim, while Abigail Otto and Macey Martin both made contributions from the free-throw line.

The boys A team closed out the night, battling hard but falling 44–27. Drew Crum was the standout scorer with 14 points, while Zach Wansing added five. Additional points were spread across the roster with help from Eli Messersmith, Tanner Hallahan, Coen Schwartze and Weston Schwartze.

A few days later on Oct. 3, the Eagles hosted Fatima, and Allen Gymnasium was buzzing with energy. The girls B team opened the night but couldn’t overcome Fatima’s defense, falling 18–4. Rowan Walker and Aniaya Harris provided all of Vienna’s points, both working hard on both ends of the floor.

Then came the boys B team, and it was all about Coen Schwartze. He lit up the scoreboard with a season-high 15 points, outscoring Fatima’s entire team on his own. Vienna cruised to a 27–9 victory with additional support from D. Davis, D. Martin, T. James and J. Massman.

The girls A team followed but faced another dominant Fatima lineup, losing 40–9. Still, there were flashes of promise as Emerson Jeremy scored four points and Candace Geissel added three.

Throughout the night, the Vienna cheer squad brought extra excitement, decked out in pink and black for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Their enthusiasm spread through the crowd, with cheers and chants echoing off the gym walls as a sea of pink filled the stands.

The week wrapped up on Oct. 6 when the teams traveled to Dixon to take on the Bulldogs. The girls played a close, back-and-forth contest that came down to the wire before falling just short, 19–16. Abigail Otto led the Lady Eagles with seven points, followed by six from Macey Martin, who kept the team within striking distance.

The Vienna boys teams finished the night on a high note, both securing victories over Dixon. While full stats were not yet available, the boys A team rolled to a 48–17 win, and the B team followed with a hard-fought 40–35 victory closing out an exciting stretch of games for the middle school program.