Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Easton Benz leaps to stop the basketball from going out-of-bounds against Benson Co. on Feb. 14.
The New Rockford-Sheyenne Rockets have broken a seven-game losing streak with wins over the Hatton/Northwood Thunder and Benson County Wildcats.
On Saturday, Feb. 11, the Rockets began their two-game winning streak in Hatton, where they breezed to their most comfortable win of the season.
In the first quarter alone NR-S scored 24 points and held Hatton/Northwood, who'd only won a single game this season, to just 13.
Making his triumphant return to the court for the first time since suffering a hairline fracture in his shoulder on Feb. 2, was NR-S freshman Easton Simon.
Simon had been the leading scorer for NR-S in most of their games this season, and his return was a boost to his teams' offense. He scored 10 points in the first quarter against H/N, and would later play a major role in the Rockets' win over Benson County.
Other standouts for NR-S were Bennett Meier and Luke Yri.
Throughout the season, Meier appears to have built confidence and accuracy with his jumpshots, and against the Thunder that accuracy helped him score 16 points. Yri, meanwhile, had no interest in mid-range jump shots or simple layups. He did his damage from beyond the arc instead, scoring six of his team's seven 3-pointers to score 18 points and lead the Rockets in scoring.
That offensive firepower allowed NR-S to amass 74 points, their highest point total this season, while holding their opponents to just 52.
The win put an end to their seven-game skid, and with a Valentine's Day showdown with Benson County next on the schedule, they had an opportunity to earn back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
However, by game time on Tuesday, Feb. 14, Maddock had won four games this season compared to New Rockford's three, meaning the Rockets would likely have to hold on for a close win.
Much of the game was indeed close. The Wildcats were proving to be accurate from 3-point range that night, scoring four 3-pointers in the first half alone, and for most of the first 16 minutes, the Rockets were trying to keep up.
As halftime neared, however, NR-S picked up the pace and managed to enter the locker room with a four-point lead.
The Rockets' fortunes only improved in the second half, and even more so in the fourth quarter. Bennett Meier was, once again, very effective from mid-range, as he led the team in points with 18, eight of which came in the fourth quarter.
Easton Simon, meanwhile, was scoring effortlessly from the free-throw line. Tuesday's game was high in fouls, and Simon was often the beneficiary, taking advantage by shooting a perfect 11-of-11 from the line.
Clutch shooting from Simon and Meier allowed NR-S to pull away in the fourth quarter 63-48 victory. That was not the end of their night, however.
For the next roughly two hours, all of the NR-S players, parents and fans gathered in the Maddock gym while a blizzard outside deteriorated conditions to near-zero visibility.
The Benson County Sheriff's Department reported on Facebook that they had responded to numerous incidents, and the N.D. Department of Transportation labeled the roads back to New Rockford as "no travel advised."
Meanwhile, the kids and players kept themselves occupied by shooting hoops, and the kind folks in Maddock kept the concession stand open for those waiting out the blizzard. The bus finally left town a little after 10 p.m.
It was a late night, but the NR-S fans and team were happy to head home having won their second straight game, bringing their overall record to 4-14 on the season.
Non-Region
Boys' Basketball
NR-S 74, H/N 52
Saturday, Feb. 11
at Hatton
NR-S: 24 20 19 11 – 74
H/N: 13 11 15 13 – 52
NR-S: Lucas Yri 18, Bennett Meier 16, Easton Simon 10, Easton Benz 9, Alex Weisenburger 5, Porter Granger 3, DJ Mudgett 3, Trevor Waldo 2. Totals: 30 FG, 7-16 FT, 16 fouls. 3-pointers: Yri 6, Simon 1.
Hatton/Northwood: Aiden Johnson 15, Drew Iverson 12, Leonel Borjon 10, Weston Enger 9, Aiden Feickert 4, Chase McDonald 2. Totals: 20 FG, 4-8 FT, 13 fouls. Fouled out: McDonald. 3-pointers: Johnson 3, Iverson 3, Enger 2.
Super Region 4
Boys' Basketball
NR-S 63, BC 48
Tuesday, Feb. 14
at Maddock
NR-S: 15 16 11 21 – 63
BC: 15 12 9 12 – 48
NR-S: Bennett Meier 18, Easton Simon 15, Easton Benz 8, Kailar Jacobson 8, Lucas Yri 5, DJ Mudgett 4, Kage Walford 3, Porter Granger 2. Totals: 21 FG, 19-23 FT, 20 fouls. Fouled out: K. Jacobson. 3-pointers: Yri 1, Walford 1.
Benson County: Gunnar Larson 11, Lane Benson 10, Logan Maddock 9, Paxton Neppl 8, Macyn Olson 7, Logan Fossen 3. Totals: 15 FG, 13-19 FT, 19 fouls. Fouled out: Benson, Neppl. 3-pointers: Larson 2, Olson 1, Fossen 1, Benson 1.
Junior Varsity
NR-S 51, BC 37
NR-S: 20 13 11 7 – 51
BC: 6 10 5 16 – 37
NR-S: Ashton Reimche 12, Porter Granger 10, Brody Weisenburger 9, Alex Weisenburger 8, Haydon Meier 3, Lucas Yri 2, Connor Knatterud 2, Keaton Cudworth 2, Zach Dockter 2, Shaun Reimche 1. Totals: 21 FG, 4-7 FT, 2 fouls. 3-pointers: B. Weisenburger 3, H. Meier 1, Granger 1.
Benson County: Colton Green 9, Holdyn Jacobson 8, Cole Knudson 8, Ryker Stuberg 4, Grant Engebretson 3, Aiden Thomas 3, Damien Herman 2. Totals: 16 FG, 1-2 FT, 6 fouls. 3-pointers: H. Jacobson 2, Thomas 1, Engebretson 1.
