FARGO & ST. MICHAEL-ALBERTVILLE
I started out with section 8AA on Monday and finished on Saturday
with some more 8AA action. I braved the snowy, icy roads to head to Fargo for some Minnesota games. No, Fargo has not been annexed to the Gopher State. The Heart O’Lakes hosted a six game event at the Fargo Civic Center with games starting at 10 am (in case you are wondering why there were no scores from last night, it was because I departed at 6 am). The HOL teams generally faced off against a rival from 8AA. I stuck around for four of the games and the HOL was 2-2. The big fish game (as far as the QRF was concerned) featured Roseau and Barnesville, both (prior to the game) in the top 100. I decided at half time in the next game to head back to the metro to get another top 100 team off the list: Zimmerman. The Breakdown was hosting a community event (basically a girl/boy double header) at two different schools in the St. Michael-Albertville district. Besides the current high school, the “old” high school, now a middle school, hosted a few of the games. I left Fargo around 3:45. I had to fill on gas and then hit the gas for a three hour trip to STMA. By then the snow was over, but not the blowing. I made it to the current high school only to discover I had to travel another short stint. I made it to the MS on time, but my computer was reluctant to start. I had to transcribe the first few minutes of the Rogers game. I also had to leave my perch in the rafters and move closer to the action because the Rogers uniforms are not easy to follow from a distance due to the black number on a blue uniform. ‘
As for the action on the court today, one of the themes was sisterhood, or family. A big name was Borowicz. Kacie and Katie Borowicz are familiar to statewide fans due to their state tournament championship last season. Together they combined for 60 points, one less than Barnesville. Cousin Emma also topped out on scoring for Crookston. The Thompson sisters are both listed at 6-3. Both can play on the perimeter. Younger sister Paige ran the point in the mismatch with Warroad.
CROOKSTON 52, PELICAN RAPIDS 43
Perhaps the surprise of the day. This event was organized by PR, but Crookston spoiled their party with better shooting from the floor. The Pirates nailed six 3s, five more than the Vikings.
PERHAM 62, STAPLES-MOTLEY 50
Staples is in a rebuilding mode. The Yellowjackets took advantage of the Cardinals inexperience with a plus ten differential on turnovers.
ROSEAU 80, BARNESVILLE 61
High energy. High octane. Perhaps the differential in turnovers (seven) was enough to keep the Rams on top. This was only the third loss for the Trojans.
HAWLEY 31, WARROAD 6
Mismatch with size, with experience, with depth. It was an opportunity to see Hawley after not seeing the Nuggets last year. One half was enough to convince me who would win.
ROGERS 75, ZIMMERMAN 65
This was the “best” game of the day if measuring the pp100. This also was a sisterhood game….kind of. Both schools are in the Elk River school district, but the Rogers main rival is ER. All three schools belong to different conferences as well. Let’s call this a meeting of distant relatives. Both teams combined for twenty 3s. The Royals shot 41% while the Thunder were hitting lightning from the outside to the tune of 56%. Rogers was better in two point territory and that carried them to the win. The flow of the game would go something like Rogers would get a ten point lead and then the Thunder would storm back to get close which prompted a return of the veterans.
| Team | PP100 | scorer | Distributor | D stops |
| Crookston | 92.9 | Emma Borowicz 14 | Hayden Winjum 6 | Rachel Hefta 7 |
| Pelican Rapids | 75.4 | Adriana Torres 10 | Maddie Guler 5 | Adriana Torres 10 |
| Perham | 87.3 | Mesa Schultz 20 | Lizzy Lafond 8 | Gabby DeBoer 13 |
| Staples-Motley | 70.4 | Claire Wolhowe 16 | Claire Wolhowe 5 | Tabatha Allen 12 |
| Roseau | 98.8 | Kacie Borowicz 34 | Katie Borowicz 10 | Kacie Borowicz 13 |
| Barnesville | 77.2 | Two with 13 | Nicole Herbranson 9 | Nicole Herbranson 8 |
| Hawley | 100.0 | Marissa Thompson 14 | Paige Thompson 6 | Marissa Thompson 7 |
| Warroad | 19.4 | Sky Boucha 3 | Three with 1 | Two with 3 |
| Rogers | 105.6 | Ellie Buzzelle 19 | Sam Orth 9 | Emily Rubbelke 7 |
| Zimmerman | 92.9 | Two with 21 | Alyssa Daugherty 7 | Alyssa Daugherty 9 |
TRENCH PLAYERS
GAME 1: Emma Borowicz of Crookston
GAME 2: Mesa Schultz of Perham
GAME 3: Kacie Borowicz of Roseau
GAME 4: Marissa Thompson of Hawley
GAME 5: Raven Schwieters of Rogers
One last note: I am in the doghouse for not “clearly” communicating my change of plans to significant others.