After a few near misses earlier this season, the South Tama County Trojans have found their first win.

South Tama (1-15) took on Vinton-Shellsburg (2-13) on Jan. 18 in Vinton for their second meeting of the conference schedule, with the Trojans emerging with a 65-61 win.

In December it was a different story when the two teams first met at the Roundhouse, the Vikings dominating the second half and finishing with a near 30-point win, 60-33.

When the Trojans returned from winter break, it appeared things were starting to come together.

Against conference foes Independence on Jan. 4, the Trojans played competitive basketball for three quarters before succumbing in the fourth by a score of 69-53.

After a couple tough matchups against conference leaders Williamsburg and Clear Creek-Amana, a prime opportunity presented itself last week for the Trojans in their rematch bid against Vinton.

Although the Vikings took a sizable win over South Tama in December, the team has only one other win on the season, a one-point squeeker over 1A Iowa Valley.

Together STC and Vinton-Shellsburg are two among the four lowest ranked teams in the Class 3A standings with one and two wins respectively.

Though some of the ball control issues that plagued the Trojans in their previous meeting with the Vikings remained unchanged (steals, turnovers and fouls), the difference-maker in comparing the two games seems to have been the overall output from the players both offensively and defensively.

South Tama’s field goal percentage improved from 36 percent in the December game to 59 percent in January. The team took nearly half as many three-point shots but converted six of their nine attempts, compared to only two the time before.

Assists were doubled from six to 12 and the Trojans also increased their free throw attempts and percentage by nearly double.

On the boards South Tama out-rebounded Vinton-Shellsburg 31-19 and upped their rebounding by nine total from the previous game.

The Trojans were led by double-digit scoring efforts from guards senior Osceola Tyon and Daniel Wiese.

Wiese finished with 14 points, the bulk of which came off 9-of-10 free throw shooting.

Tyon meanwhile, made a game-high six field goals as well as one three-point bucket to finish with 13 points.

South Tama got further scoring help from Kendall Balderas who had nine points, Lance Davenport who had six and Cade Rosenberger who also had six off the bench.

Davenport and Tyon led the team on the boards, each pulling down six rebounds apiece.

The win snapped a seven-game losing streak the Trojans have carried against the Vikings since 2018 and is the second overall win the South Tama boys varsity team has seen in the past three and a half seasons. Last year STC took a win over Benton Community on Jan. 12 but were held winless for two seasons prior.

Following the Vinton-Shellsburg game, South Tama took losses to Center Point-Urbana on Friday (42-32) and to Benton Community on Tuesday (56-45).

The Trojans will face Clear Creek-Amana on Friday in a return home after a three-game road stint.

Next week the team will travel to Williamsburg on Wednesday and will host West Delaware on Friday. The regular season concludes on Tuesday, Feb. 8 when South Tama will travel to Independence for a rematch with the Mustangs.