NR-S Rockets abort takeoff in Lakota

On Friday, Jan. 28, the New Rockford-Sheyenne Rockets fell 38-59 to the Lakota Raiders in another District 7 showdown.

A worrying trend for NR-S has emerged in recent weeks - the Rockets aren’t taking off very well. As they did versus Harvey a few days prior, the Rockets had a terrible first quarter in Lakota, scoring just six first-quarter points to the Raiders’ 18.

The slow starts are burying NR-S in a hole they have yet to prove they can dig out of. Against Harvey, NR-S clawed themselves out of a 14-point deficit to take the lead, only to lose it again in the closing minutes, and that isn’t the only example. NR-S suffered similar near-comeback losses to Wilton-Wing and Rolla.

Once again, the Rockets didn’t begin shooting well versus Lakota until the second quarter, and from that point forward, it was left to NR-S senior Nick Berglund to provide nearly all of the Rockets’ offense. Of the 26 points NR-S managed in the second and third quarters, Berglund scored all but nine.

With Berglund dominating, NR-S managed to cut their deficit down to just eight points at the end of the third quarter. However, the only Rockets’ player to score in the fourth was sophomore DJ Mudgett, putting in three baskets for six points.

The Raiders, meanwhile, lashed out. Lakota sophomore Ross Thompson had been largely unstoppable all game long, and continued being so in the fourth quarter. With help from Thompson’s four fourth quarter baskets, the Raiders notched another 19 points in the fourth quarter, denying NR-S even a sniff of completing the comeback.

The story couldn’t have been more opposite for the b-squad, meanwhile, as the NR-S junior varsity team dominated Lakota by a score of 62-33. NR-S Freshman Brody Weisenburger continues to stand out for junior varsity, as he once again led the team in scoring. That being said, scoring was largely spread out across the board, as twelve different players contributed on offense.

The Varsity teams’ loss was their fifth in a row, taking them to 2-9 overall and keeping them winless in District 7 matchups. The Rockets’ next home game is scheduled for Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. versus Rolette.

Region 4, District 7

Boys’ Basketball

Friday, Jan. 28

NR-S 38, Lakota 59

at Lakota

NR-S 6 11 15 6 - 38

Lakota 18 10 12 19 - 59

NR-S: Nick Berglund 20, DJ Mudgett 6, Luke Yri 3, Haydon Meier 3, Trevor Waldo 3, Kaden Jensen 2, Koby Duda 1. Totals: 14 FG, 6-13 FT, 14 Fouls. 3-pointers: Berglund 2, Yri 1, Waldo 1.

Lakota: Ross Thompson 23, Jaxon Baumgarn 15, Zach Gibson 13, Isaak Anthony 7, Jack Steffan 1. Totals: 22 FG, 10-17 FT, 11 fouls. 3-pointers: Baumgarn 3, Gibson 1, Anthony 1.

B-squad

NR-S 62, Lakota 33

NR-S 15 25 10 12 - 62

Lakota 8 10 9 6 - 33

NR-S: Brody Weisenburger 12, Porter Granger 11, Easton Benz 9, Alex Weisenburger 8, Easton Simon 6, DJ Mudgett 5, Luke Yri 4, Lucas Laducer 2, Kailar Jacobson 2, Connor Knatterud 2, Kendrick Hopfauf 1. Totals: 26 FG, 8-11 FT, 16 fouls. 3-pointers: B. Weisenburger 2. Fouled out: Hopfauf.

Lakota: Beau Ferguson 14, Gavin Rader 7, Laine Nicolls 3, Anthony Bullis 2, Brody Rainsberry 2, Ozzie Strugar 2, Landen Jundeen 2, Rider Schmidt 1. Totals: 10 FG, 12-16 FT, 13 Fouls. 3-pointers: Nicholls 1.