Rockets defeat Bison/Lady Raiders on the road

On Thursday, Jan. 3, the New Rockford-Sheyenne Rockets skidded over to Leal to take on the Barnes County North Bison. The Rockets pulled off an exemplary win over the Bison, defeating them 81-16.

With BCN seniors Hanna Wieland and Trinity Faber out, the Bison struggled to keep up with the Rockets. NR-S had the opportunity to full-court press, and they took full advantage of it.

With the ability to full -court press, the Rockets were able to steal the ball quite frequently, which led to many breakaways to the basket.

After the first quarter, the Rockets held a 20-point lead over the Bison, and never took a second to look back.

Kelsie Belquist had an extraordinary game on both sides of the ball. If she wasn't driving down the court to the basket, she was stealing the ball from the Bison. In the first quarter, Belquist scored nine of her 24 total points. Along with Belquist, senior Kennedy Demester put in two field goals and her first 3-pointer of the night. Demester was also sent to the free-throw line, but missed both shots. BCN junior Ashley Weiss was the star for the Bison. She scored five points in the first quarter, and eight more in the second half.

Senior Mya Cudworth and Ava Peterson showed up in the second quarter along with Belquist. Cudworth went to work under the basket to put in three field goals, whereas Ava Peterson drove in to the basket to put in five field goals and was sent to the line to put in one free-throw. With Peterson and Cudworth, the Rockets scored a season record-breaker of points in the second quarter, scoring a total of 31 points.

At half time, the Rockets now led 56-5. But Rockets' head coach Elliott Belquist wasn't quite ready to take out his starters yet.

Cudworth came back in the third quarter to put in her final three field goals of the night, along with Belquist who also drained three field goals. Belquist was also sent to the line to put in one of two free-throws. Kennedy Demester put in her second 3-pointer of the night before taking a seat on the bench to allow the junior varsity girls to score some varsity points.

Freshmen Bailey Jacobson, Tillie Swart and Addysen Fandrich earned some varsity points against the Bison. Fandrich went to work under the basket to make a field goal and was sent to the line to put in two free throws. Swart and Jacobson both swished two field goals as well.

BCN junior Jayden Samek was the only other Bison player to earn points. Samek drained a 3-pointer in the third quarter.

Belquist led the Rockets in points with 24. Also scoring in double digits for the Rockets were Cudworth with 14, Peterson with 12 and Demester with 10. Weiss led the Bison with 13 total points.

The junior varsity teams only played two quarters, as most of the BCN players were needed for the varsity game. The Rockets defeated the Bison 32-4.

Lone scorers for the Bison were Brooke Bundy and Kodi Williams, each with two points.

As for the Rockets, Swart held the most points with seven, with Lora Wobbema and Fandrich behind with six.

On Saturday, Feb. 5, the Rockets trekked through a snow squall to Drake to take on the Lady Raiders in their home gym.

Before the start of the game, the Lady Raiders seniors were recognized for their final season of girls' basketball. Seniors Jennifer Ashton-Kennedy, Riley Hauff and Jazzlyn Hase were honored with embroidered towels. Although the only senior to start for the Lady Raiders was Hauff.

Hase injured her knee in the 2020-21 basketball season and was cleared to play summer and fall sports. Although she was cleared to play, Hase still was suffering from pain in her knee. Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021 was Hase's last day playing on the Lady Raiders court. Hase may not be on the court with her teammates, but she is found on the bench cheering on her fellow teammates.

Ashton-Kennedy played during the fourth quarter of the junior varsity game. The Rockets' junior varsity girls were made aware that she has special needs, and allowed her to shoot two baskets and attempt to shoot many more with little defense from the Rockets. Fans from Drake-Anamoose and New Rockford-Sheyenne cheered as loud as can be when Ashton-Kennedy made her two shots.

This wasn't the first time playing the Lady Raiders, as the Rockets competed against them in the opening round of the CNDC Tournament in Rugby back in December, losing 31-41.

But this game held a different story for the Rockets. NR-S started off pretty slow, only scoring 11 points to their 16 points, with six of those points coming from Demester's two 3-pointers in the first quarter. But once the Rockets woke up and were ready to play, it showed.

Demester's 3-pointers didn't stop in the first quarter, she shot three more in the second quarter, to bring the Rockets ahead of the Lady Raiders by three.

Halie Fletschock of the Lady Raiders put up two 3-pointers in the third quarter, in hopes of sneaking in front of the Rockets. Cudworth and O'Connor began making shots in the third quarter. Cudworth swished two field goals and a free-throw, whereas O'Connor drained two field goals. The Rockets still led the Lady Raiders 43-34.

Demester came back in the fourth quarter to swish her sixth and final 3-pointer of the day. Along with Demester, Belquist also drained a 3-pointer. Fletschock put up a 3-pointer for the Lady Raiders along with a field goal, but it simply wasn't enough to catch the Rockets. The Lady Raiders were defeated 54-42.

Fletschock led the Lady Raiders with 27 points, with Taryn Sieg coming in behind with eight.

Belquist and Demester both scored in double digits for the Rockets with 18 and 20 respectively.

The Rockets junior varsity team also came home with a 60-29 win. Peterson led the Rockets with 20 total points. Wobbema also scored in double digits with 11 points.

Aydryen Felber led the Lady Raiders with eight points, with Ashton-Kennedy, Shaylee Hase and Mariah Mack following behind with four points each.

Non District

Girls' Basketball

Thursday, Feb. 3

NR-S 81, BCN 16

at Leal

NR-S 25 31 16 9 - 81

BCN 5 0 5 6 - 16

NR-S: Kelsie Belquist 24, Mya Cudworth 14, Ava Peterson 12, Kennedy Demester 10, Kaiya O'Connor 7, Madisen Myhre 4, Addysen Fandrich 3, Lora Wobbema 2, Tillie Swart 2, Bailey Jacobson 2. Totals: 33 FG, 6-11 FT, 10 fouls. 3-pointers: Demester 2, O'Connor 1.

BCN: Ashley Weiss 13, Jaydem Samek 3. Totals 5 FG, 3-7 FT, 12 fouls. 3-pointer: Samek 1.

Junior Varsity

NR-S 32, BCN 4

NR-S 15 17 - 32

BCN 2 2 - 4

NR-S: Swart 7, Fandrich 6, Wobbema 6, Trysta Thumb 4, Logan Cudworth 4, Bailey Jacobson 2, Emmie Belquist 2, Paige Knatterud 1. Totals: 15 FG, 2-10 FT, 3 fouls.

BCN: Kodi Williams 2, Brooke Bundy 2. Totals: 2 FG, 8 fouls.

Non District

Girls' Basketball

Saturday, Feb. 5

NR-S 54, D-A 42

at Drake

NR-S 11 15 17 11 - 54

D-A 16 7 11 8 - 42

NR-S: Demester 20, Belquist 18, Cudworth 7, Peterson 5, O'Connor 4. Totals: 14 FG, 5-12 FT, 12 fouls. 3-pointers: Demester 6, Belquist 1.

D-A: Halie Fletschock 27, Taryn Sieg 8, Aydryen Felber 4, Riley Hauff 2, Jamie Lemer 1. Totals: 11 FG, 5-13 FT, 14 fouls. 3-pointers: Fletschock 4, Felber 1.

Junior Varsity

NR-S 60, D-A 29

NR-S 10 9 22 19 - 60

D-A 7 5 11 6 - 29

NR-S: Peterson 20, Wobbema 11, L. Cudworth 8, E. Belquist 7, Addison Wallace 4, Fandrich 4, Swart 4, Jacobson 2. Totals: 23 FG, 14-21 FT, 15 fouls.

D-A: Felber 8, Jennifer Ashton-Kennedy 4, Shaylee Hase 4, Mariah Mack 4, Ava Wagner 3, Jade Duchscherer 2, Kilie Reider 2, Kaidence Hase 2. Totals: 10 FG, 3-14 FT, 15 fouls. 3-pointers: Wagner 1, Felber 1.