Haley hits 1,000 and the Rockets advance to Region 4

Erik Gjovik | Feb 18, 2019

Jenna Lee Photography count

Hannah Haley was named to the All-District 7 team and scored her one thousandth point during the regional qualifier game against Warwick.

The peaks and valleys of the season for the New Rockford-Sheyenne Rocket girls' basketball team are but a memory, and now it is do-or-die time in the heat of the Class B postseason.

NR-S saved some of their best ball for the District 7 Tournament at Four Winds High School, and the result is a berth in the Region 4 at Devils Lake starting today (Feb. 18).

The Rockets took a come-from-behind 68-51 win in the first round of play Friday, Feb. 8, against Dakota Prairie. In that game, Coach Mandy Fandrich's team climbed all the way out of an early 14-0 abyss, and flipped the script in the second and third quarters to take a lead of over 20 points at one juncture.

In the win, Hannah Haley finished with 23 points to lead all players. NR-S also received double-figure outputs courtesy of Dani Bjerke (17 points) and Allison Dockter (16) in the triumph over the Knights.

Carly Lippert paced Dakota Prairie with 18 points. DPHS would later qualify for the Region 4 tournament with a 58-48 win at the expense of Benson County.

The tournament hosts, ninth-ranked Four Winds-Minnewaukan, had too much firepower for the Rockets in the semifinal round the following evening. The Lady Indians made use of a torrid effort in both the second and third quarter to take a 22-point win, 75-53.

The trio of scorers for the Rockets repeated their first game success, but just five NR-S players total scored in the loss to FW-M. Bjerke led the way with 18 points, followed by Haley's 14 and Dockter's 12-point showings.

FW-M, who improved to 17-3 with the victory, was spurred by 29 points from junior Riah Littleghost. Myona Dauphinais, a freshman for the Lady Indians, had 11, and 10 each were poured in by Latasha Bellile and Hailey Keo.

Another comeback would be needed in last Monday's qualifier after spotting Warwick an early seven-point advantage after one period, and the Rockets wrested back control with a 22-13 second quarter and 16-11 advantage in the third. NR-S would prevail, 64-56, and earn District 7's third seed at Region 4.

Haley had her biggest game of the tournament, scoring 30 points. She would also become the latest member of the 1,000-career-point club at NR-S, accomplishing the feat as a junior. Bjerke also had 11 points in the Rockets' column.

Ending a remarkable prep school career was the Lady Warriors' Madison Leaf, as the six-year starter and author of 2,000-plus points left the court with a 29-point final effort.

In postseason awards, Haley was named to the All-District 7 Team for NR-S, the only player to be honored as such. HWC's Jaye Fike earned the Senior Athlete of the Year Award, while Coach of the Year honors went to FW-M's Sean Gourd.

NR-S (9-11) will play the nightcap game tonight versus District 8 second seed Dunseith (14-6) around 7:30 p.m. The Dragons fell to district champion Langdon/Edmore/Munich by a score of 60-29 this past Monday in Cando.

Additional first round games at Region 4 pit L/E/M (18-2) against Dakota Prairie (8-12) at 3 p.m., followed by HWC (15-7) taking on Rolla (9-13) and FW-M opposite St. John (12-8).

District 7 Girls'

Basketball Tournament,

Ft. Totten

First Round

NR-S 68, Dakota Prairie 51

DP 16 7 11 17 51

NR-S 8 24 20 16 68

NR-S: Hannah Haley 23, Dani Bjerke 17, Allison Dockter 16, Cassie Longnecker 5, Carli Lies 4, Brianna Price 3.

Dakota Prairie: Carly Lippert 18, Shaye Frederick 9, Paige Haakenson 9, Paytan Lippert 7, Jordan Johnson 3, Erika McPherson 3, Marit Ellingson 2.

Semifinals

Four Winds-Minn. 75, NR-S 53

NR-S 12 18 13 10 53