Washburn bounced out of Regionals
By Adam Thomas, BHG News Service
The Washburn Girls Basketball team yet again found themselves in the Mandan High School gym for another Region 5 Tournament; taking second place a week earlier at the district tournament in Underwood. Although their second seed placed them against the third seed out of District 9, New Salem-Almont, the game promised to be a difficult one for the Cardinal girls. Washburn held up against the physical style and all-around play of the Holsteins of NS-A in the first half, but the deeper Holstein team had the stamina to slug it out in the second half while the Cardinals couldn't match that pace, resulting in Washburn taking an early exit from the tournament, 54-44. Cori Moberg got the game started by giving the Cardinals their first points off of a rebound and put-back layup. However, neither team could take full advantage of defensive stops. Kennedy Retterath found the net on a pair of jumpers and Spanky Clayton took it to the hoop on a fast break in the first, but the Cardinals trailed 12-10 at the end of one. Clayton's three-pointer opened the second quarter but was immediately responded to by the Holsteins. Eighth grader Carly Freeman and seventh grader Mandy Schell both made shots before the half and Washburn was easily in striking distance going into halftime23-20. Early in the third quarter, NS-A's dominating post player Emily Wolf was called for her fourth foul and initially it looked like a blessing had been given to Washburn, but then two minutes later Cori Moberg was also whistled for her fourth foul and had to sit down.
