Cardinals conquer Rockets in Carrington

The varsity court experience deficit between the NR-S Rockets and Carrington Cardinals was fairly vast coming into the 2021-22 boys' basketball opening game.

The Cards began their third season with largely the same roster, following records of 3-18 and 7-14 in the previous two campaigns, while the Rockets returned only two varsity contributors from last year's 15-8 team.

However, it was a newcomer to the CHS roster, Josh Bickett, who made the most lasting impression in the 62-31 win for the home team at Carrington's East Gym on Monday night, December 13. The freshman guard led all players with 16 points, including going 4-for-4 from three-point range, and also forced three steals as part of a 23-turnover night for the Rockets.

Carrington got out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter before a NR-S timeout, and took a six-point cushion into the second quarter with a quick, up-tempo attack on offense. The second period was where the Cards blew NR-S out of the water, going for 27 points to the Rockets' nine and rolling to a halftime lead of 42-18. The second half was less eventful, as both teams played their benches extensively.

Six-foot-four forward Nick Berglund, one of the Rockets' returners and expected to be the go-to-player this winter, finished with 14 points on 6-for-14 shooting, and also added six rebounds. Sophomore Lucas Yri came back from a collarbone injury during the football season to score five in NR-S' column. Kaden Jensen, the Rockets' senior guard and the other returning starter, had four rebounds and three assists.

Also for Carrington, Hudson Schmitz scored 13 points, while Lucas Hendrickson, a football injury returnee himself, finished with 12 points of his own. Hendrickson facilitated the Cardinal offense to perfection from the point, racking up nine assists and earning co-leader status in rebounding with seven.

The Cards returned to the court this past Saturday, Dec. 18, traveling to Maddock to face Benson County. The second part of their road trip is Tuesday night, when they board the bus to take on Dakota Prairie in McVille.

Nondistrict Boys'

Basketball

Monday, Dec. 13

Carrington 62, NR-S 31

at Carrington

NR-S 9 9 7 6 31

Cgtn. 15 27 12 8 62

NR-S: Nick Berglund 14, Lucas Yri 5, DJ Mudgett 4, Haydon Meier 3, Jorden Boehm 2, Kaden Jensen 2, Trevor Waldo 1. Totals: 13-42 FG, 2-7 FT, 15 fouls. Three-pointers: Berglund, Yri, Meier. Fouled out: Koby Duda.

Carrington: Josh Bickett 16, Hudson Schmitz 13, Lucas Hendrickson 12, Grady Shipman 7, Jacob Seaburg 4, McCoy Beckley 2, Ryder Bickett 2, Jack Erickson 2, Cole Seaburg 2, Hudson Topp 2. Totals: 23-55 FG, 12-17 FT, 16 fouls. Three-pointers: J. Bickett 4.

B-Squad

Carrington 50, NR-S 38

NR-S 14 4 10 10 38

Cgtn. 16 16 11 7 50

NR-S: DJ Mudgett 12, Bennett Meier 8, Luke Yri 6, Easton Benz 4, Porter Granger 4, Kage Walford 2, Kailar Jacobson 2. Totals: 17 FG, 1-1 FT, 13 fouls. Three pointer: Yri 1.

Carrington: Jack Paulson 21, Josh Bickett 10, McCoy Beckley 6, Noah Paulson 4, Ryder Bickett 4, Owen Hagel 3, Jake Otto 2. Totals: 16 FG, 6-9 FT, 8 fouls. Three pointers: J. Paulson 2, J. Bickett 1, Hagel 1.

C-Squad

NR-S 71, Carrington 24

NR-S 23 18 20 10 71

Cgtn. 4 7 8 5 24

NR-S: Easton Simon 16, Brody Weisenburger 12, Kendrick Hopfauf 12, Easton Benz 10, Kage Walford 9, Kailar Jacobson 8, Alex Weisenburger 4. Totals: 23 FG, 1-4 FT, 5 fouls. Three pointers: Simon 3, B. Weisenburger 2, Hopfauf 2, Walford 1.

Carrington: Owen Hagel 9, Jake Otto 6, Aaron Neumiller 3, Wyatt Kalliokoski 3, Ryder Bickett 3. Totals: 5 FG, 2-6 FT, 2 fouls. Three pointers: Hagel 3, Bickett 1.