Comeback fails in loss to FW-M

The collective memory of how the Four Winds-Minnewaukan Lady Indians' four-point loss to Carrington happened earlier this season served them well this time around.

This time, the Indians matched the Cards free throw for free throw, and made use of early offensive fireworks to hold on for their own win by a four-point margin, 60-56, in Fort Totten Monday night, February 12.

FW-M led by as much as 13 points late in the first half, 26-13, before the Cards made a game of it in the second half and made the Indians sweat it out.

Ultimately, the loss did not affect CHS's seeding position in Region 2, as they remain at 4-5, one half game ahead of FW-M for the third seed in the upcoming tournament at Mayville.

"The girls gave great effort, but we just ran out of time in the end," Head Coach Andy Braaten said. "[FW-M] hit some timely shots at the end of the shot clock, so credit them for that."

A lot of those early possessions for the Indians were cashed in by precocious eighth grade talent Suri Gourd, and the hot-shooting guard had nine of FW-M's first half points. She would finish with 28, and made some crucial foul shots in the second half with an 8-for-9 showing.

Cailee Hanson had two threes in the final period, and finished with nine points for the Lady Indians.

It was Kacie Rexin's turn to have the hot shooting fingers for Carrington in the region loss. She had nine points in the third, and seven in the fourth, to conclude her evening with a team-high 21.

Edyn Hoornaert was one rebound shy of her second consecutive double-double in back-to-back games, hitting for 12 points and grabbing nine boards.

The Cards went 14-of-18 from the line, echoing their effort from the 43-39 win earlier this year, while hitting six threes. Three of those came from Rexin.

Madison Johnson and Isabel Wendel combined for seven assists, and Olivia Threadgold had one of her better nights on the ball with five steals. Wendel also finished with six rebounds, and Rexin five.

Earlier in the week's worth of action, the Cards hit the road for a clash with Region 1 opponent Lisbon, and weathered a frigid first quarter shooting effort to take an 18-point win over the Broncos, 46-28, on February 8.

"We didn't shoot the ball well at all to begin the game, but we turned it around in the second quarter by holding Lisbon to just two points," said Braaten.

The third quarter was much of the same as the previous eight minutes, with the Cards outscoring the Broncos, 18-3.

Johnson led the Cards with 13 points, trailed closely by Hoornaert with 11 and Threadgold with 10. Hoornaert secured 11 boards in the win, while Wendel distributed six assists.

For Lisbon, who fell to 4-17, Kendra Differding was the top scorer with nine points, and Kyra Haecherl went for seven in the Bronco scorebook.

Carrington (15-6) begins play at the Region 2 Tournament in Mayville tonight (February 19) as the third seed, and plays #6 seed Hillsboro/Central Valley (8-13) in the second game of the evening. Opening the proceedings will be #4 FW-M (10-10) taking on #5 Grafton (6-14).

The FW-M/Grafton winner takes on #1 Thompson (20-0), while Carrington/HCV's victor awaits a matchup with #2 Devils Lake (15-5) on Tuesday.

First round losers will be eliminated and their season will come to a close, but the semifinal participants and championship teams will still have a chance to extend their season with either a region title win, title appearance, or third place victory on Thursday.

The Region 2 champion earns one of the four automatic berths to the Division A State Girls Basketball Tournament at the Minot State University Dome February 29-March 2.

The runner-up faces the third place winner from Region 1, while the third place Region 2 team takes on the Region 1 runner-up in the two challenge games on Saturday, February 24, for the remaining two eastern regional state tournament slots.

Nonregion Girls Basketball

Carrington 46, Lisbon 28

at Lisbon

Cgtn. 4 17 18 7 46

Lisbon 8 2 3 15 28

Carrington: Madison Johnson 13, Edyn Hoornaert 11, Olivia Threadgold 10, Kenadie Pazdernik 3, Kaydence VanRay 3, Isabel Wendel 3, Kacie Rexin 2, Harper Kollman 1. Totals: 15 FG, 13-16 FT, 6 fouls. Three-pointers: Hoornaert, Threadgold, Pazdernik.

Lisbon: Kendra Differding 9, Kyra Haecherl 7, Tarynn Gilbert 4, Ella Tuhy 3, Ryatt Wertman 3, Brynley Differding 2. Totals: 12 FG, 1-4 FT, 12 fouls. Three-pointers: K. Differding, Tuhy, Wertman. Fouled out: Haecherl.

Carrington Additional Stats

Rebounds: Hoornaert 11, Wendel 7, Rexin 5, Johnson 4, Kollman and Threadgold 3, Pazdernik 1.

Assists: Wendel 6, Hoornaert 2, Johnson and Rexin 1.

Steals: Threadgold and VanRay 2, Hoornaert, Rexin and Wendel 1.

Region 2 Girls Basketball

Four Winds-Minnewaukan 60,

Carrington 56

at Fort Totten

Cgtn. 7 9 18 22 56

FW-M 15 11 14 20 60

Carrington: Rexin 21, Hoornaert 12, Johnson 9, Pazdernik 7, Threadgold 5, Isabel Wendel 2. Totals: 18 FG, 14-18 FT, 14 fouls. Three-pointers: Rexin 3, Hoornaert, Johnson, Pazdernik.

FW-M: Suri Gourd 28, Cailee Hanson 9, Ava Gourd 7, Sophie Robertson 6, Kendra Spotted Wolf 6, Haven Cavanaugh 2, Gracie Jackson 2. Totals: 21 FG, 13-17 FT, 14 fouls. Three-pointers: Hanson 3, S. Gourd, A. Gourd.

Carrington Additional Stats

Rebounds: Hoornaert 9, Wendel 6, Rexin 5, Johnson and Threadgold 3, VanRay 2, Pazdernik 1.

Assists: Johnson 4, Wendel 3, Threadgold 2, Hoornaert and VanRay 1.

Steals: Threadgold 5, Hoornaert, Kollman and VanRay 1.