Cards hold off NR-S, escape with win

The New Rockford-Sheyenne girls' basketball team kicked off their season on Monday, Nov. 27 against the rivals from down the road – the Carrington Cardinals.

However, due to the new 3-class system, the Cardinals are now placed in the Division A, Region 2 bracket and the Rockets are placed in the Division B, District 4 bracket.

But the division didn't matter in this matchup.

The Rockets took a strong 6-point lead in the start of the first quarter with baskets scored by NR-S seniors Kelsie Belquist and Lora Wobbema.

But it wasn't long before the Cardinals scored their first points of the night.

With a shot from the box by Carrington junior, Edyn Hoornaert, the Cardinals tied the game up 10-10 at the end of the first.

The Rockets' Ava Peterson kicked off the second quarter by swishing a huge 3-pointer from beyond the arc. With two additional baskets from Katie Allmaras and Belquist, the Rockets were leading by seven.

The Cardinals were only able to score four points – by Hoornaert – in the second quarter, allowing the Rockets to take a 20-14 lead at the half.

In just the first half, the Rockets and Cardinals had a combined total of 24 turnovers – 12 coming from each team.

But the second half of the game took a turn, this time in favor of the Cardinals.

To start off quarter three, Carrington senior, Kacie Rexin, took an open shot from beyond the arc to swish her first points of the night. This set the momentum for the Cardinals in the second half, minus the turnovers, of course.

Another 3-pointer for the Cardinals! This time by Hoornaert.

The next play, the Rockets answered with a 3-point shot by NR-S junior Kaiya O'Connor.

It wasn't long before Madison Johnson secured her first 3-pointer of the night, giving the Cardinals a 28-24 lead.

The Cardinals held the Rockets to four points in the third quarter, to lead 31-24 going into the fourth quarter.

Peterson went to town for the Rockets, scoring two field goals followed by a free-throw just minutes into the fourth quarter.

The pressure was on, literally. The Rockets began to full court pressure, which created a total of 10 Cardinal turnovers in the final quarter.

But the Cardinals also put the pressure on, causing six turnovers by the Rockets.

An open 3-point shot by Johnson brought the Cardinals' lead to seven. The Rockets were able to score five more points against the Cardinals.

With seven seconds left on the clock, the Rockets took possession and tried to put up one more shot before the buzzer, but the Rockets came up short.

The Cardinals defeated the Rockets, 41-39.

Lead scorers for the Rockets were Belquist and Peterson with 14, and Wobbema with six. Hoornaert, Johnson and Rexin led the Cardinals with 12, 10 and nine, respectively.

Carrington (1-0) began Region 2 play on Friday, December 1 at Grafton. In upcoming action, they will travel to Shiloh Christian on Thursday, December 7, and take on former District 5 rival and sixth-ranked Division B team Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier in the finale of the Stutsman County Girls Shootout on Saturday, December 9, at 6:30 p.m.

The Shootout, which also includes M-P-B taking on Washburn at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, has taken the place of the Stutsman County Tournament due to the three-division realignment.

Inter-Division Girls' Basketball

Carrington 41, NR-S 39

at New Rockford

Cgtn. 10 4 19 8 41

NR-S 10 10 4 15 39

Carrington: Edyn Hoornaert 12, Madison Johnson 10, Kacie Rexin 9, Olivia Threadgold 3, Isabel Wendel 3, Brynn Smith 2, Kaydence VanRay 2. Totals: 17 FG, 2-7 FT, 13 fouls. Three-pointers: Hoornaert 2, Johnson 2, Rexin.

NR-S: Kelsie Belquist 14, Ava Peterson 14, Lora Wobbema 6, Kaiya O'Connor 3, Katie Allmaras 2. Totals: 17 FG, 5-9 FT, 12 fouls. Three-pointers: Peterson, O'Connor.

Carrington Statistical Leaders

Rebounds: Hoornaert 6.

Assists: Wendel 4.

Steals: Johnson 3.

Field Goal Percentage: Rexin 60% (3-for-5)