The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The final year of Class B basketball as North Dakotans presently know it, also sees the last year of an impressive run of sustained excellence.
Carrington earned their latest trip to the Region 3 Tournament starting today (February 20) at the Jamestown Civic Center with a 49-23 win over Griggs/Midkota Monday evening, February 13.
It marked the 21st consecutive year that the Cards have qualified for regional play under longtime Head Coach Andy Braaten, a streak that now ends with the program's ascension into the new Division A starting next season.
The new division will not have districts, just four regions, meaning that qualification for the six-team Region 2 tournament is automatic.
"Haley [Wolsky] and Isabel [Wendel] helped lead us on the offensive end," said Braaten of the qualifier.
Wolsky finished with 18 points on 6-for-11 shooting and a good 6-for-7 showing at the free throw line, while Wendel had her best scoring effort in quite awhile with 13 points.
The Cardinal defense, an unmistakable presence in their 16 victories so far this season, was up to the task in the first half by holding the Titans to just eight points, and two in the first quarter.
In spite of their shooting woes, G-M had nine different players score, though the top scoring output was four points by both Kaylee Johnson and Vanessa Vollmer.
Four Titan seniors will leave the program to graduation, those being Bailey Ehlers, Lauryn Halvorson, Kaylee Johnson and Olivia Larson.
In postseason honors, Edyn Hoornaert, Madison Johnson and Wendel all earned selection to the All-District 5 Team, and Braaten was once again named District 5 Coach of the Year.
Carrington will play the nightcap game against Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter in the first round of Region 3. Preceding games include Kidder County taking on Oakes, L-L-M against Linton-HMB, and E-K-M against M-P-B.
District 5 Girls' Basketball
Tournament, Jamestown
Region Qualifier
Carrington 49,
Griggs/Midkota 23
G-M 2 6 8 7 23
Cgtn. 20 7 16 6 49
Carrington: Haley Wolsky 18, Isabel Wendel 13, Madison Johnson 6, Kenadie Pazdernik 4, Kaydence VanRay 4, Kacie Rexin 3, Olivia Threadgold 1. Totals: 16-51 FG, 14-18 FT, 6 fouls. Three-pointers: Wendel, Johnson, Rexin.
Griggs/Midkota: Kaylee Johnson 4, Vanessa Vollmer 4, Lauryn Halvorson 3, Brienna Ehlers 2, Kylie Johnson 2, Ryan Johnson 2, Olivia Larson 2, Kennedy Reidman 2, Jessa Spickler 2. Totals: 10-33 FG, 2-4 FT, 14 fouls. Three-pointer: Halvorson.
Carrington Additional Stats
Rebounds: Emma Hone 5, Threadgold and VanRay 4, Johnson, Pazdernik and Wendel 3, Rexin and Wolsky 2, Lauren Hendrickson 1.
Assists: Johnson 3, Rexin, Wendel and Wolsky 2.
Steals: Johnson 6, Wolsky 3, Threadgold, Rexin and Wendel 2, Pazdernik and VanRay 1.
Blocks: Hone 1.
Griggs/Midkota Additional Stats
Rebounds: Spickler 5, Ka. Johnson and R. Johnson 4, Ky. Johnson and Reidman 3, Ehlers, Larson and Vollmer 2, Halvorson and Ruth Haugen 1.
Assists: Spickler 2, Jersey Gronneberg, Ka. Johnson and Ky. Johnson 1.
Steals: Vollmer 4, Gronneberg, Ka. Johnson, Ky. Johnson and Larson 1.
Blocks: Ka. Johnson 1.
All-District 5 Team
Carrington: Edyn Hoornaert, Madison Johnson, Isabel Wendel
E-K-M: Norah Entzi, Kiara Jangula, Mataeya Mathern
Ellendale: Christena Walker
LaMoure/L-M: Tessa Rasmusson
Oakes: Emma Muggli, Laikyn Roney
District 5 Senior Athlete of the Year
Laikyn Roney, Oakes
District 5 Coach of the Year
Andy Braaten, Carrington
District 5 Athletic Director of the Year
Allison Radermacher, Ellendale