Articles

PREP WRESTLING: Crookston's "Franklin Five" each have 100 career wins

They weren’t the million-dollar lineup. For Wyatt Hanson, Cody Weiland, Josh Edlund, Nate Merten and Blake Bergeron, it was more like $500. Each of the five Crookston High School wrestlers finished this season with more than 100 career wins.

• Crookston Pirates logo

AREA PREP NOTEBOOK: Despite inexperience, Grafton ranked high

Six starters, as well as two of the top three pitchers, graduated from last spring’s state runner-up Grafton High School baseball team. And yet, when the preseason state coaches’ poll came out, the Spoilers were ranked second.

16-year-old Grand Forks bowler rolls rare 800 series

Brandon Mord was focused on the first 300 game of his bowling career. And he was close, After rolling 10 straight strikes in the Senior-Junior League at Red Ray Lanes on March 16, the Grand Forks 16-year-old came up just short of the perfect game, rolling a 289.

• Brandon Mord

AREA PREP NOTEBOOK: NDHSAA loosens scheduling regulations

The North Dakota High School Activities Association has taken a proactive approach to the piles of snow across the state. Last Friday, at its monthly meeting, the NDHSAA board of directors lifted some of the association’s limitations for weekly activities for spring sports teams.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Benson County makes first state tournament appearance

The luck of the draw hasn’t been good to Meghan Jorgenson and her teammates. Twice in the past three seasons — with Benson County last season and with Minnewaukan-Leeds in 2010 — Jorgenson’s team lost in the Region 4 girls high school basketball tournament to teams that went on to win the regional.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Thompson returning to state tournament for first time since 2010

Almost all of the five returning starters on the Thompson girls basketball team have seen their scoring averages drop slightly from a year ago. For the Tommies, that has been a good thing. Thompson has more of a share-the-wealth offense as its reserves have played more prominent roles.

• Thompson Tommies logo

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Roughriders' season ends with 62-56 loss to Mandan

Fast start or slow — ultimately, it didn’t make a difference for Grand Forks Red River. The Roughriders’ season ended here Friday with a 62-56 loss to Mandan in the consolation semifinal round of the North Dakota Class A girls high school basketball tournament.

• RR Roughriders logo

ND CLASS A TOURNAMENT: Red River's repeat hopes dashed

Matt Anderson has experienced the thrill of victory, of winning a state title. That made defeat even more difficult. Ben Holen’s layup with less than one second remaining gave Bismarck Century a 51-49 win against the Roughriders.

• Red River's Blake Kemnitz drives past a defender

N.D. STATE CLASS A BOYS BASKETBALL: Meeting expectations once again

Incentive was easy to find for John Hoplin. Hoplin, along with Mac Kroeplin and Matt Anderson, are seniors who started on last season’s Grand Forks Red River boys basketball team. The Riders won their first state title since 1969; then, in preseason polls this season, they were ranked fourth in the state.

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AREA PREP NOTEBOOK: Tommies-Burros: Another close game expected

In the first two rounds of the North Dakota Class B Region 2 girls basketball tournament, Thompson cruised to wins by margins of 41 and 17 points. Now, with a state tournament berth on the line, Jason Brend has no expectations of another one-sided win.

• Thompson Tommies logo

Columns

AREA NOTEBOOK: St. John wins big shootout

After scoring just 50 points in its first six games, North Star erupted for 42 points Friday.

Patriots going with a beefy backfield

There have been some seasons when Mike Bradner has had only two 200-pounders . . .

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