NDHSAA Wednesday Water Cooler (September 25)

By Tom Mix
NDHSAA Media Specialist

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Each Wednesday NDHSAA Media Specialist Tom Mix posts several notable news items, current events and buzz-worthy games upcoming on the NDHSAA prep sports calendar on the NDHSAA NOW website. Keep visiting each Wednesday for all the latest midweek newsworthy items.

• The 2024 NDHSAA Class B Girls Golf State Tournament is next week in Fargo. We’re just days away from reaching the start of the 2024 NDHSAA Fall State Tournament Postseason Calendar as both the Class B and Class A Girls Golf State Tournaments tee off starting on Monday, September 30. The 2024 NDHSAA Class B Girls Golf State Tournament will be played September 30 & October 1 at the Fargo Country Club. With the graduation of four-time NDHSAA Class B girls golf individual medalist Avery Bartels last spring there will be a new individual champion crowned next week. On the team side of the competition, Oak Grove will be trying to become the first team since Kindred (2012-2014) to win three team state championships in a row. The Grovers started off the 2024 postseason with a decisive win at the Region 2 Tournament on Monday, September 16 at the Fargo Country Club scoring a team total of 334 and winning the region team crown by 16 strokes. Be sure to follow the action at the 2024 NDHSAA Class B Girls Golf State Tournament by visiting www.ndhsaanow.com.

• The 2024 NDHSAA Class A Girls Golf State Tournament is next week in Mandan. Class A girls golfers will be blazing a trail west to Mandan’s Prairie West Golf Club for the 2024 NDHSAA Class A Girls Golf State Tournament schedule for September 30-October 1. Region Tournaments were played earlier this week. After sweeping the regular season meets, West Fargo Sheyenne won the 2024 NDHSAA East Region Girls Golf Tournament on Monday, September 23 played at Bois de Sioux Golf Course in Wahpeton. The Mustangs fired a cumulative team score of 318. West Fargo Sheyenne junior Payton Stocker won the region individual crown by defeating Grand Forks Red River junior Ella Speidel in a two-hole playoff on Monday. Speidel and Stocker both finished the 18-hole round at 6-over 77. West Fargo Sheyenne, Wahpeton, Grand Forks Red River, West Fargo, West Fargo Horace and Fargo North were the top six team finishers to earn spots at the state tournament. Out at the West Region Tournament, Mandan scored a team tally of 350 to edge out Minot North (351) to win the region team crown. West Region individual medalist honors went to Minot North junior Emersyn Kopp who scored a 78. Mandan, Minot North, Bismarck St. Mary’s, Bismarck Century, Jamestown and Williston finished in the top six of the team race to earn spots at the state tournament. Be sure to follow the action at the 2024 NDHSAA Class A Girls Golf State Tournament by visiting www.ndhsaanow.com.     

• Boys Soccer regular season winding down, race to postseason heating up. With only a couple of regular season dates left on the regular season calendar, the 2024 NDHSAA boys soccer season is starting to reach its pinnacle. The State Tournament is drawing near and with only eight spots in the tournament field available the final matches of the regular season will hold great importance. In the East, only four points separates Grand Forks Red River (currently in third place in the conference standings with 19 points) and Fargo North (currently in sixth place in the conference standing with 15 points). Out West, Jamestown clinched the regular season Western Dakota Association championship with a 1-0 win against Bismarck Legacy on Tuesday, September 24. Minot High has control of the second place position in conference standings with 29 points. Bismarck Legacy is in third place with 24 points and Williston currently is in fourth-place with 22 points – one points more than Mandan/St. Mary’s (20). Williston hosts Mandan/St. Mary’s on Thursday, September 26, which will go a long way in the points standings. Be sure to follow the latest Boys Soccer scores/standings by visiting www.ndhsaanow.com.

• Seven 9-man football squads remain undefeated. Hankinson (5-0), LaMoure-Litchville/Marion (5-0), New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock (5-0), North Border (5-0), Westhope/Newburg/Glenburn (5-0), Linton/HMB S-Z (5-0) and Central McLean (5-0) all sport unblemished records in the midst of the second half of of the regular season. Be sure to visit www.ndhsaanow.com on Friday night for the latest football scores.   

• JOTTINGS. The latest NDHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Meet qualifiers and performance list can be found by visiting https://d2q0tptsfejku7.cloudfront.net/uploads/files/2024_25_Sports_and_Activities/Swim%20Girls/2425_Girls_Swim_Qualifiers_9252024.pdf  …. 2010 West Fargo High School graduate Matt Strahm continues to be an effective arm in the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen. Strahm is 6-2 with a 1.93 ERA with 76 strikeouts.     

Follow NDHSAA on Twitter at @NDHSAA and visit www.ndhsaanow.com for the latest NDHSAA sports and activities news from around the state.