Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Rockets close regular season with a crowd-pleasing victory
Before the start of the game versus Wilton/Wing on Saturday, Feb. 17, the two NR-S seniors were recognized. From left to right: Luke Yri and parents Mike and Alaina Yri and Ashton Reimche with parents Kali Clelland and Chad Reimche.
NR-S sophomore Easton Benz puts up a shot around the hands of Langdon Area/Edmore/Munich defender Eastyn Schaefer. Benz scored six points against the Cardinals on Monday, Feb. 19.
Layton Jacobson (left), Thomas Allmaras (center) and Dashyl Bichler (right) were found cheering along with the student section on Thursday, Feb. 15 during the overtime thriller against the North Prairie Cougars.
On Monday, Feb. 19, the entire student body of New Rockford-Sheyenne was on hand to watch the NR-S Rockets boys' varsity team take on the Langdon Area/Edmore/Munich Cardinals in their last regular season matchup. The student section was filled to the brim with enthusiastic support, and the energy inside the NR-S Gymnasium was electric.
The New Rockford-Sheyenne Rockets got a special treat to end their regular season on Monday, Feb. 19.
Their game against the Langdon Area/Edmore/Munich Cardinals that day was scheduled to take place just after 12:30 p.m., during the school day.
It's not often a basketball game takes place before school's out, and NR-S took advantage of the opportunity by having their entire student body attend the game to cheer on the Rockets.
With students of all ages in attendance, the atmosphere inside the NR-S gymnasium was electric, more reminiscent of a playoff or championship game than a relatively inconsequential regular season matchup.
And with so much energy and support behind the Rockets, there was a sense of inevitability that Langdon wouldn't be leaving that gymnasium with a victory.
The Cardinals entered the game having won three in a row, with a 10-8 overall record – exactly the opposite of the Rockets' 8-10 record.
However, with such a great crowd cheering them on, the Rockets looked more like an undefeated powerhouse.
The Rockets began the game with a 9-0 run in the first 3.5 minutes, the crowd cheering and screaming with every basket. The Cardinals eventually managed to score a few points, but after the first quarter, NR-S had already built an impressive 16-5 lead.
The Rockets' energy and effort was especially palpable on defense. As in many of their games this season, Head Coach Tyler Cook had his team applying full-court pressure, and the Cardinals had a difficult time getting the offense in rhythm as a result.
Meanwhile, they were shooting the ball with precision on offense.
Particularly accurate was senior Luke Yri, who hit three shots from beyond the arc in the first half, much to the delight of the large NR-S student section. Yri would go on to finish his last regular season game as a Rocket with five 3-pointers and 17 total points.
Also sharp, as always, was Bennett Meier, who scored 11 points of his own in the first half, and would go on to finish the night with a game-high 21 points.
By halftime, NR-S had built a 32-17 lead, or so it seemed until Langdon senior Rayce Worley drained a buzzer-beater from beyond half court with just under a second remaining in the half, making the official halftime score 32-20.
Regardless, NR-S still clearly had the upper hand, and that 12-point lead soon ballooned well out of the Cardinals' reach.
The Rockets' lead hovered above 20 points for most of the second half, as the Cardinals continued to struggle on the offensive end, and eventually it became clear how this game would end.
By the end of the third quarter the score was 47-30, and after the final eight minutes the final score was ultimately settled at 64-47, a perfect end to the regular season and a great momentum boost as the Rockets begin their postseason.
Prior to the win, the Rockets had lost two games in a row to Wilton-Wing and North Prairie, bringing their overall record for the season to 9-10. Not quite the winning record they were hoping for, but a far cry better than the 4-win season they endured a year ago.
The No. 5 Rockets began their district tournament in Larimore on Friday, Feb. 23 against No. 4 Benson County. The Rockets would need to win at least one game to move on to a region qualifier game to make the Region 2 Tournament. The top two finishers automatically qualify for the tournament.
The results of the district tournament will be covered in next weeks' edition of the Transcript.
Region 2
Boys' Basketball
NR-S 55, North Prairie 57
Thursday, Feb. 15
in New Rockford
NR-S: 10 18 11 11 4 - 54
NP: 8 9 17 16 7 - 57
NR-S: Ashton Reimche 13, Bennett Meier 11, Kailar Jacobson 10, Kage Walford 8, Easton Simon 6, Luke Yri 3, Easton Benz 2. Totals: 22 FG, 8-11 FT, 23 fouls. Fouled out: Simon and Benz. 3-pointers: Yri 1, Simon 1.
North Prairie: Nate Tastad 15, Kade Mitchell 13, Blake Mattson 12, Jonathan Mears 8, Jacob Mattson 3, Isaac McCloud 3, Carter Casavant 3. Totals: 20 FG, 8-18 FT, 15 fouls. 3-pointers: Mitchell 4, B. Mattson 2, Casavant 1, McCloud 1, J. Mattson 1.
Junior Varsity
Boys' Basketball
NR-S 45, North Prairie 43
Thursday, Feb. 15
in New Rockford
NR-S: 9 14 13 9 - 45
NP: 18 12 7 6 - 43
NR-S: Shaun Reimche 12, Thomas Allmaras 11, Layton Jacobson 7, Kason Nass 6, Aaden Benson 6, Dashyl Bichler 3. Totals: 18 FG, 6-14 FT. 3-pointers: Allmaras 1.
North Prairie: Kade Mitchell 10, Jacob Mattson 8, Payne Wilkie 6, Julius Elick 6, Mason Ortiz 5, Brody Heinz 4, Logan Olson 4. Totals: 18 FG, 4-13 FT. 3-pointers: Mitchell 2, Wilkie 1.
Non Region
Boys' Basketball
NR-S 46, W-W 47
Saturday, Feb. 17
in New Rockford
NR-S: 14 12 10 10 - 46
W-W: 22 9 9 13 - 53
NR-S: Easton Simon 13, Luke Yri 12, Kailar Jacobson 8, Bennett Meier 6, Kage Walford 3, Ashton Reimche 3. Totals: 20 FG, 2-4 FT, 11 fouls. 3-pointers: Yri 4, Simon 1, Walford 1.
Wilton-Wing: Braden Wallace 18, Hunter Wolff 14, Teigen Earsley 11, Hudson Wolff 6, Jonah Miller 4. Totals: 17 FG, 11-14 FT, 11 fouls. 3-pointers: Hunter Wolff 3, Hudson Wolff 2, Wallace 2, Earsley 1.
Junior varsity stats unavailable.
Region 2
Boys' Basketball
NR-S 64, LA/E/M 47
Monday, Feb. 19
in New Rockford
NR-S: 16 16 15 17 - 64
LA/E/M: 5 15 10 17 - 47
NR-S: Bennett Meier 21, Luke Yri 17, Easton Simon 11, Easton Benz 6, Kage Walford 5, Ashton Reimche 2, Kailar Jacobson 2. Totals: 27 FG, 3-6 FT, 9 fouls. 3-pointers: Yri 5, Simon 1, Walford 1.
LA/E/M: Rayce Worley 12, Tanner McDonald 9, Levi Swanson 8, Easton Schaefer 7, Jayden Lee 5, Cody Amble 4, Nickolas Kingzett 2. Totals: 19 FG, 3-6 FT, 9 fouls. 3-pointers: Worley 2, Swanson 1, McDonald 1, Lee 1, Schaefer 1.
Junior Varsity
Boys' Basketball
NR-S 48, LA/E/M 39
Monday, Feb. 19
in New Rockford
NR-S: 16 11 9 12 - 48
LA/E/M: 5 13 7 14 - 39
NR-S: Thomas Allmaras 11, Dashyl Bichler 10, Shaun Reimche 8, Layton Jacobson 8, Jax Demester 6, Kason Nass 3. Totals: 21 FG, 0-2 FT, 11 fouls. 3-pointers: Bichler 2, Demester 2, Allmaras 1.
LA/E/M: Maddux Stremick 13, Devin Bernstrom 8, Jake Sanders 8, Kade Hanson 4, Jacob Lowery 2. Totals: 15 FG, 4-4 FT, 5 fouls. 3-pointers: Sanders 2, Bernstrom 2, Stremick 1.
