Gymnasts Look for Strong Season

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1 High School Preview A preview of Valley City High School, Maple Valley, Barnes County North, and LaMoure Special Section A supplement to the Times-Record Gymnasts Look for Strong Season Coming off of a season that brought them to third place at the state meet, the Valley City High School gymnastics team has high expectations. Those expectations come from a strong belief in the potential of each gymnast, according to Head Coach Suzanne Fisher. My goal is to help each gymnast reach their full potential, Fisher said. I look at each girl s strengths and try to accentuate those strengths. I try to find skills they re good at. Several of the girls on the team follow a yearround training schedule that can be grueling and requires deep dedication and commitment. The Hi-Liners include senior Taylor Johnson, juniors Grace Anderson and Hannah Sorensen, sophomore Michaela Thibert, freshman MaKayla Gordon, and eighthgraders Jocey Kriewald, Olivia Olson, and Britta Roehrich. Fisher said each member of the group is defined by their individuality. Each of them is very, very different and they have to work together to be a team, Fisher said. The team s physical flexibility is an asset and strength, helping with leaps and jumps. That flexibility comes into play on beam and floor. Fisher said the team looks for a good year on floor. Our strongest event this year is probably going to be floor, Fisher said. We have a lot of gymnasts that have full GYM, Page 6 Pictured from left are (back row) Assistant Coach Dave Fisher, Britta Roehrich, Grace Anderson, Hannah Sorensen, Taylor Johnson, Head Coach Suzanne Fisher, (front row) MaKayla Gordon, Olivia Olson, Michaela Thibert and Jocey Kriewald.

2 Pa g e 2 Valley City Ti m e s-re c o r d VCHS Wrestling Builds Strong Culture The Valley City High School wrestling team returned to action this season with two strong wins over Grand Forks Central and Fargo North. This season, the team has 20 wrestlers between grades seven and eleven in the program, according to Head Coach Aaron Larson. We are a relatively young team with no seniors on the wrestling team this season, Larson said. After a successful year last season, Larson said the team has set high goals again. Our goals are to win the EDC individual team WRESTLING, Page 6 The Valley City High School wrestling team proves hard work and belief pay off. The team has no seniors, but returns five state placewinners from last season.

3 Valley City Times-Record Page 3 MV Boys Basketball LaMoure Continues to Seek Excellence Works as a Unit This year, the Maple Valley Raiders basketball team returns to the courts with a good mix of returning players and newcomers. While the team lost seniors Caid Combs, Jesse Johnson, and Riggs Nudell, they return Dustin Kasowski, Hunter Smith, AJ Punton, Sean Beilke, Carter Killoran and Tanner Smith. First year varsity players include Jacob Johnson, Adam Punton, Grady Karges, Carson Hovelson, Tyler Zaun, and Connor Drogan. Head Coach Jay Kocka, who is entering his twelfth season at Maple Valley, said early on in the season, the team is working hard in practice to improve upon last season. We will need to continue to gel and learn how to play as a unit each day, Kocka said. Kocka is assisted by Tom Milbrandt, who enters his twelfth season with the Raiders as well. The team statistician is Jake Schnase. The team finished last season with a record playing a tough Region 1 schedule, a factor which will not change this season, according to Kocka. With another very challenging schedule, this group will need to continue working hard, pride themselves on defense, and continue to improve each day, Kocka said. Kocka said the team s work ethic is a major strength and will provide a solid base for the team this season. If the work ethic continues to be this strong, we expect our team to make huge strides as the season goes along, Kocka said. The Raiders open their schedule on Friday, Dec. 9, with an away game at Finley-Sharon/HopePage. They open at home on Monday, Dec. 12, against Griggs County. The LaMoure-Litchville/Marion Loboes girls basketball team always sets the bar high. Last year, they placed third both in Region 3 and District 5. According to Head Coach Mitch Carlson, the team also looks to improve. Our goals are to keep improving every game and week, and be ready when tournament time comes around, Carlson said. In order to reach the team s goals, Carlson expects all of the team s players, including the bench, to be contributors. We need balance throughout the team, Carlson said. Carlson plans to build the team around being a strong defensive team, and said the team s hard work and intensity are what defines the team. Youth and size are two of the challenges the Loboes will face this season. We will have to overcome a height disadvantage at almost every position so rebounding will be a concern, Carlson said. We will have to develop some of our younger players early in the year so they can contribute at the end of the season. Carlson said the roster has some good shooters in the line-up, and good ball handling at all positions. We will have an above average quickness factor, Carlson added. Returning to the line-up are starters Anna Holen and Jackie Meiklejohn. Kindra Hamlin, Ellie Holen and Kallene Klever are returning bench players who saw extensive time last year. A few players are looking to fill a role on this team. Those are Caitlin Miedema, Olivia Bliss, Mallory Thielges, and Allie Hebl. Carlson is assisted by Roger Potts and Dawn Schmitt.

4 Pa g e 4 Valley City Ti m e s-re c o r d VCHS Boys Work Ethic Brings Success The Valley City High School boys basketball team comes back this season after a very progressive season last year. This year, the team has 20 players in grades 9 through twelve. Head Coach Dallas Dockter said the team s goal is to be competitive in the EDC, and match or exceed their win total from last year. The team finished the season with a record of 9-11 last year. The Hi-Liners focus will be detailed to achieve those goals. Dockter said the team s effort will be on working hard, working as a team, working hard on defense, and keeping VCBB, Page 6 The Valley City High School boys basketball team worked hard to make progress last year, and will focus on being competitive in the Eastern Dakota Conference this season. BEK Communications proudly supports our local teams! The Clean YOU expect, The ServiCe YOU DeServe! Call US at WeST Main valley CiTY 415 Winter Show Road SE Valley City, ND Connections that matter.

5 Valley City Ti m e s-re c o r d Page 5 VCHS Girls Hold Tremendous Potential Despite going through a challenging developmental year last year, the Valley City High School girls basketball team has made a lot of progress with their strong work ethic and hustle, according to Head Coach James Howard. That work ethic defines the Hi-Liners, according to Howard. The girls are always pushing each other in practice and never take plays off, Howard said. As a team, we hustle all the time and that is why we are going to continue to improve as a team. Howard is assisted by Liz Lindteigen and Preston Myers. Last year, the Hi-Liners VCGB, Page 7 The Hi-Liner girls basketball team from left includes (back row) Head Coach James Howard, Courtney Lloyd, Molly Dockter, Taryn Dieterle, Josie Berntson, Jadyn Dieterle, Assistant Coach Preston Myers, Assistant Coach Liz Lindteigen, (middle row) Megan Roswick, Grace Scherr, Lexi Ondracek, Mackenzie Pederson, Reagan Ingstad, McKenna Taylor, (front row) Mikayla Wolla, Macy Schlaht, Aubrey Becker, Hailee Peterson, and Kacee White.

6 Pa g e 6 Valley City Ti m e s-re c o r d GYM From 1 start values for their floor exercises. The high school system uses a system of bonuses that allows a gymnast add skills to help them achieve a start value of Fisher said the team has gotten a lot better on bars, which is always a difficult event. She said she also hopes to see the gymnasts doing their vaults in meets to the ability they do in practice. Fisher is looking forard to the upcoming eason to see the team s rogress. I think the team s gong to be strong this year, nd we re off to a really ood start, Fisher said. I m looking forward o the meet at the end of he month with all of the eams from the west. WRESTLING From 2 title and to finish in the top 5 at the State Class A Wrestling Tournament, Larson said. The team has five returning state placewinners and all five are underclassmen. Those are Logan Erlandson who placed fifth at 145 lbs., Parker Larson who was sixth at 120 lbs., Jaden Oestern who was seventh at 195 lbs., Jared Undem who was eighth at 120 lbs., and Rylee Bjork who placed eighth at 126 lbs. Larson said the team also relies on returning state qualifiers David Peterson, Jonathon Langer, and Callen Oestern. We will also count on newcomers to the varsity, Sage Kvien, Austin Rogelstad, and Bennett Rogelstad, Larson said. Larson said one of the keys to reaching those goals is to keep the team healthy. We can t afford for one of our key guys to go down to injury or sickness, Larson said. The Hi-Liner wrestlers show a deep belief in themselves and their abilities. Our team is defined by a group of kids that believe they are going to win every time they step on the mat, Larson said. We are currently on a streak of winning 11 consecutive EDC Duals. That streak is the current school record. The team faces the challenge of filling all 14 weight classes. We have a large group of kids bunched up around 150 pounds, Larson said. We are trying to spread them out. The attitude and effort the VCHS wrestlers display every day in the practice room are the team s biggest strengths according to Larson. We are a young team that is only going to get better as the season progresses, Larson said. The Hi-Liners will travel to the Grand Forks Sertoma Tourney on Friday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Dec. 10. They are away at Grand Forks Red River on Tuesday, Dec. 13, and at Fargo Davies on Thursday, Dec. 15. They return home to host the Valley City Holiday Tourney on Saturday, Dec. 17. Closing out the year, they go to the Rumble on the Red on Thursday, Dec. 29, and Friday, Dec. 30. VCBB From 4 turnovers to a minimum. The tough defense will be important as the Hi- Liners do not have a lot of height. We don t have a lot of height, so playing against taller players may be a challenge, Dockter said. That s where working hard on defense comes in. VCHS steadily became stronger and made improvements throughout last season, which clearly mirrors how Dockter defines the team. They re hard working, determined, and never give up, Dockter said. The team also looks to its strengths to help them over the season. We have good quickness, good shooters, and returning starters, Dockter said. The team returns seniors Levi Nix, Nate Rodriguez and Drew Oberlander. According to Dockter, Hunter Burchill, a junior, will be out for the season with a knee injury. Dockter said the team is committed to striving to be better on the court each day. The team has been working really hard to start the season, Dockter said. I see a lot of positives since practice has started. The Hi-Liners opened their season with an away game at Shanley on Tuesday, Dec. 6, and will also be away at Wahpeton on Tuesday, Dec. 13. They open at home on Tuesday, Dec. 20, against Jamestown, in a doubleheader with the Hi-Liner girls. The boys game is at 5:45 p.m. and the girls play at 7:30 p.m. at the Hi-Liner Activity Center.

7 Valley City Times-Record VCGB From 5 were an extremely young presence on the court. Howard said the team is hoping to improve on what they did last year. We need to push the basketball and get points in transition, Howard said. We are much better when we run and push the tempo rather than play a half-court game. The team faces a challenging schedule in the Eastern Dakota Conference as they are still one of the youngest teams in the EDC. Some of our greatest challenges are going to be our youth, Howard said. We are still an extremely young team in the EDC. With that said, a lot of girls got experience playing at the varsi- ty level last season and that should transition to more confidence on the basketball court this season. The team returns Kacee White, Reagan Ingstad, Mackenzie Pederson, Lexi Ondracek, Courtney Lloyd, McKenna Taylor, Taryn Dieterle, and Grace Scherr to the team. The returning players are joined by newcomers Josie Berntson, Jadyn Dieterle, Megan Roswick, Molly Dockter, and Mikayla Wolla. Howard said the offseason work the girls put in will also benefit them greatly during the season. The girls have put a lot of work in over the summer, and early here in practice, Howard said. We are going to be a much-improved team from last season and are going to be fun to watch as the girls continue to get better. The team has developed strengths for their season. Our strengths are that we always hustle and are good in transition, Howard said. We have improved over the summer on the defensive end and that is going to help us through the season. The Hi-Liners open their schedule on the road at Shanley on Tuesday, Dec. 6, and at Wahpeton on Tuesday, Dec. 13. They come home to the Hi-Liner Activity Center on Tuesday, Dec. 20, for a match-up with Jamestown. The girls play at 7:30 p.m. in the Hi-Liner Activity Center after the VCHS boys basketball team plays at 5:45 p.m. BCN From 8 confidence in themselves. The group of girls includes returning players Tess Scott, who led in assists, steals and points last season. Hannah Willson and Jayda Haugen are also back. Heinze said the team lost Willson to a broken leg last year. Haugen was the leading rebounder for the team last season. Heinze said those three are the players with most experience. Macy Willness and Sydni Everson will be key to our inside and outside game, Heinze added. Ashley Samek and Clara Wieland were strong JV players last year and we are looking to them to add to our speed. Tabitha Muncy and Bailey Soupir are also expected to play roles as they gain experience. Hallie Anderson is one of the sophomore members of the varsity team. Heinze said the team is defined by its goals and expectations and its willingness to work to achieve them. I coached this group as junior high players and they have always had that work hard attitude, Heinze said. In the early part of the season, Heinze expects inexperience to be a challenge. The team s size will also bring some challenges. Even though we have five seniors, only three of them have much varsity experience and the rest of the varsity squad has seen minimal floor time, Heinze added. Page 7 Heinze looks to the team s defensive strengths, attitude and work ethic to bring them through. This group has grown as far as encouraging teammates and working together, Heinze said. By the end of the season I hope to really see things gel together. Heinze and Assistant Coach Kelly Scott are looking forward to seeing what their team can accomplish this season. Many of them have set some high goals for themselves, Heinze said. The Bison defeated Maple Valley on the road in their first game of the season. They will play in the Barnes County tournament this weekend at the W. E. Osmon Fieldhouse on the campus of Valley City State University.

8 Pa g e 8 Valley City Ti m e s-re c o r d BCN Girls: Growing Together as a Team With a roster of just nine girls, the Barnes County North girls basketball team has started off their season strong with a win over Maple Valley Raiders. According to Head Coach Tracy Heinze the small roster means the team needs to make sure their field goal and free throw shooting percentages are high. We want to improve our overall record and have a good showing during tournament time, Heinze said. Heinze said to reach the team s goals, they will need to spend that extra time in practice and have BCN, Page 7 The Barnes County North girls basketball team has come together as a team through their years playing together. They started off their season with a convincing win over Maple Valley West Main Street, Valley City