Schmitt excelling in Bottineau

Former TGU volleyball and basketball star Mattie Schmitt is continuing to thrive in both sports as a freshman at Dakota College at Bottineau. (Schmitt also competed in track and field for Rugby High School).

In her first collegiate season of volleyball, Schmitt played in all 26 matches and all 83 sets. Schmitt led the team with with 88 blocks (66 solo), and the next closest teammate had 42. Her 224 digs were good for third on the squad.

Offensively, she led the team with 219 points, was second in kills for the Lady Jacks with 129, and fifth in aces with 13.

DCB struggled as a team, finishing 5-21 overall, and 0-8 in the Mon-Dak Conference.

Schmitt is enjoying more success in basketball, as the Lady Jacks are off to an 8-2 start through Nov. 22. Schmitt, the District 11 Senior Athlete of the Year in 2014, started eight of the team’s first 10 games. Through that stretch she was third on the squad, averaging 12.9 points on a team scoring 75.9 per game.

Schmitt is second on the team in rebounding with 8.3 per game, barely off Whitney Brandvold’s average of 8.7.

Schmitt has scored 20 or more points on three occasions, with a career-high 24 coming in a 73-61 win over University of Jamestown’s junior varsity.

Aide huge in overtime win

Former Bottineau-Rugby hockey standout Harrison Aide had one of the strongest performances of his juniors career in a 5-4 shootout win for the Bismarck Bobcats on Nov. 22.

Following a 7-0 blasting by the Minot Minotauros the night before, the Bobcats avenged the lowly outing with the overtime win over Minot.

Aide, who finished with three shots, scored his team’s final goal of regulation, giving Bismarck a 4-2 lead with about six minutes remaining in the third period. Aide’s goal came on the power play, which was a comfortable spot for him, having assisted on a man-advantage goal in the first period.

Minot scored a pair of goals in the final three minutes to force overtime. The game had to be settled in an eight-round shootout. Aide missed his shot to open the shootout, and the teams managed just one goal apiece before Bismarck’s Logan Rivard scored the game winner.

Aide and former Bottineau-Rugby Brave Cody Longie each finished +1 in the game. On Nov. 21, the Bobcats spent 18 minutes in the box, and Minot capitalized with three of its seven goals on the power play.

Bismarck (10-12-1) is fourth in the North American Hockey League’s Central Division with 21 points. Minot (13-7-3) leads the division with 29 points.

Aide is fourth on the team with 12 points (4 g, 8 a), and Longie has eight assists.

Know of an area athlete competing beyond high school? Let us know by emailing tchapman@thepiercecountytribune.com

– Tribune Staff Report