Panthers girls’ basketball takes Region 6 title
For the fifth time in seven years, coaches Jennifer Brossart, Jeremy Johnston and Danny Schneider have brought the Rugby Panthers to the North Dakota High School Activities Association Class B Girls’ Basketball Tournament.
Ranked number four in the state, the Panthers punched their ticket to state Feb. 23 with a patient and focused approach that kept shots coming and opponents neutralized.
The regional tournament took place in the Minot State Dome in Minot. The Panthers would return to the same venue in their quest for a state title. The tournament’s final rounds are set for today.
“I thought we played a phenomenal Region 6 Tournament,” Panthers Head Coach Brossart said as the Panthers celebrated a tough 48-41 win over the Our Redeemer’s Christian School Knights in the championship round.
The victory capped a big night at regionals for District 11 teams.
In the third place game preceding the championship round, Bottineau’s Stars dominated the South Prairie-Max Royals from the start, winning 60-34.
The Panthers had seen similar wins by large margins earlier in the tournament, beating District 12’s Surrey 56-35 in the quarterfinals, then District 12 second seed South Prairie-Max 59-32 in the semifinals.
In the championship round, however, District 12’s number-one seed Our Redeemer’s stood between Rugby and a berth at state.
Knights forward Mya Vibeto led all scorers with 19 points. She struck the first blow for ORCS, who played as the home team, when she landed a three-point shot, giving the Knights a short-lived lead.
The Panthers initially struggled to make the ball fall their way, but forward Kendyl Hager soon landed a three-point shot to answer Vibeto.
Meanwhile, forwards Joey Wolf and Peyton Hauck found ways inside the paint for rebounds. The quarter ended with a 13-12 Rugby lead.
Vibeto and teammate Aubrey Griedl, a six-foot-two threat at the net, would make sure the Panthers earned every point.
A distance shots from Vibeto tied the game at 23 each in the second quarter before buckets from Peyton Hauck and Joran Jundt put the Panthers ahead by seven just before the half ended.
Foul totals mounted, but neither team saw players foul out. Two free throws in the first half by Jundt made their mark, putting the Panthers at 100% from the bonus line.
With help from Hauck, a player Brossart said “flies under the radar,” the Panthers kept their lead and kept Griedl and Vibeto at bay.
Hauck would lead all Panthers in points for the game with 14.
Vibeto shot for an impressive 19 points, with Greidl contributing 13. However, the rest of the Knights found themselves shut away from the goal, making just nine points.
Rugby’s deep bench contributed 21 points to the team’s total.
The second half saw Rugby build on its lead point-by-point. More fouls at the net came for both sides.
The Knights led slightly from the free throw line in the second half, averaging 66.7%. Rugby averaged 53.55%.
Hager, who took a trip to the bonus line in the fourth quarter, shot through pain after suffering a fall on her hip from a foul.
Still the Panthers managed to pull ahead by as many as 11 points. With the last minutes of the game ticking away, Rugby led by nine until Vibeto landed the last bucket of the season for Our Redeemer’s.
“It’s a heck of a team over there, and I knew we were going to have our struggles, but I thought Peyton Hauck did a great job tonight,” Brossart said. “Mykell Heidlebaugh did a great job tonight. Kendyl Hager did a great job. Joran Jundt- all of them did. Their defense was phenomenal.”
“And we made it difficult for Vibeto,” Brossart added. “She got her points – she’s going to get her points, she’s a great basketball player, but they really stepped up.”
Brossart would be named Region 6 Coach of the Year.
Loss sparks pledge to win
She recalled the Panthers’ defeat in the quarterfinal round at regionals in 2022.
“You know, we left here at Minot Auditorium last year very disappointed. We made a promise every one of us that we would get these girls back here.”
“As coaches, we put together practice plans. We kept it fresh. We got the girls after it,” she added.
“I don’t know if there’s ever been a more talented group that’s gone through this program from start to finish,” she said.
“We’ve had great teams go through Rugby Panther basketball,” Brossart noted, her voice wavering with emotion. “But as a collective whole, defensively and offensively, it’s been a pleasure and an honor to coach these girls.”
Seniors return to state
Heidlebaugh, who had traveled to state as an eighth grader to help bring Rugby to runner-up status in 2019 said, “My heart’s pounding. I’m just so excited. I’m so happy. I just love this team and I’m so glad I can go back in my senior year.”
Hager, who had also traveled to state in 2019 to cheer on her older sister, Karsyn, said, “I give a lot of credit to Peyton. Holy smokes, she had a lot of confidence.”
“We would just tell her to keep shooting, and they were just going in. I’m so proud of her. She worked so hard,” she said.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Hager said of the trip to state for her senior year. “We have a few days to practice, so we’re just going to give it our all these last few practices together. And, we’re ready. We’ve been ready since last year.”
Hauck said she had also traveled to state with the Panthers in 2019. “I was a camera girl,” she said.
“I tried to take as many risks as I can,” Hauck said of her game against Our Redeemer’s. “I wanted to rise to the challenge.”
Hauck said the victory was “definitely” a confidence-builder for her.
She said she looked forward to seeing the state tournament from the court as a senior. “It’s going to be a new experience and it’s definitely going to be more fun.”
Named to the All-Region 6 Team for 2023 were Hager, Heidlebaugh and Wolf of Rugby; Vibeto and Griedl, Our Redeemer’s; Kyra Beckman and Kylie Simpson, Bottineau; Sophie Bachmeier, TGU Towner; Emma Jones, Glenburn; Magee Rovig, Bishop Ryan; and Kimberly Taberez and Ellie Braaten, Westhope-Newburg.
In another win for District 11, tournament organizers named Braaten 2023 Region 6 Senior Athlete of the Year.