Ruth Vosper

Ruth Vosper age 68, of Neche, ND died on Wednesday, March 28, 2007, at Ridgeview Medical Center, Waconia, MN, surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held Monday, April 2, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at the Christ Lutheran Church, Neche, ND. Visitation will be held on Sunday, April 1st from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a 5:00 p.m. prayer service at the Jensen-Askew Funeral Home, Cavalier, ND. Burial in the Neche Union Cemetery. Ruth Small was born May 6, 1938, in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan, Canada, to Milford and Lillian (Peck) Small. She grew up with her brothers and sisters in Dauphin, Manitoba. Later, she moved to Winnipeg with her two sisters and worked at Winnipeg Children’s Hospital. On December 27, 1960, she married Wesley Vosper at Neche. They began their life on the farm and started raising their family. She was a devoted mother and wife, lovingly raising her four children. As an active community member, Ruth served a President of the Neche PTA, member of the Eastern Star and American Legion Auxiliary. Also served as a Quick Responder and was certified as an Emergency Medical Technician, worked on the County Fair, and led Brownie, Cub Scout, and Boy Scout troops. While a member of the Neche United Methodist Church for over 46 years, she sang in the choir, lead years of Sunday and Vacation Bible School, and was active in the church quilting group. Ruth was known as a consummate hostess and will be remembered for her love of cooking, gardening, and spoiling her beloved grandchildren. She is survived by her husband, Wesley; children, Leslie (Stan) Sheley, Greentown, IN; Todd (Mindy) Vosper, Coronado, CA; Craig (Sara) Vosper, Loretto, MN; and Jon Vosper, Phoenix, AZ; grandchildren, Christi, Vanessa and Wesley Vosper; Wyatt Sheley; Cole and Savannah Vosper; brothers, Cliff and Bunny Small both of Dauphin, MB; sisters, Joyce Linde, Hanover, MA; and Muriel (George) Nicholson, Tacoma, WA. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Laura Friesen; and brothers, Glenn and Alec Small. Clergy: Rev. Beth Peterson.

(Jensen-Askew Funeral Home, Cavalier, ND)

LeRoy Eivind Holten

The ForumPublished Friday, March 30, 2007

LeRoy Eivind Holten, 73, Moorhead, died Thursday, March 29, 2007, in MeritCare Palliative Care Unit, Fargo.

Mr. Holten was born May 17, 1933, in Duluth, Minn. He graduated from Fergus Falls (Minn.) High School in 1951. In 1953, he earned a degree in auto mechanics from North Dakota State School of Science, Wahpeton. From 1953 to 1955, he served in the U.S. Army. He was an Army Reservist for eight years.

On Oct. 5, 1957, he married Vivian Sternberg in Fergus Falls, where they lived. He operated Holten Lumber and Hardware there with his father. He expanded the business to Dalton, Minn., and operated a Behlen dealership. In 1972, he and his wife moved to Bozeman, Mont., where he worked for Brennen-Dorn Implement. In 1974, they moved to Rochester, Minn. He worked for Lampert Yards in Cannon Falls, Minn. In 1975, they moved to Moorhead, where he worked for Steiger Tractor. He later worked for Duo Fast of North Dakota as a salesman. From 1988 to 1992, he worked for Meeks Lumber, Rocklin, Calif. He then earned his insurance license and worked part time for Moorhead Insurance Agency until he retired.

He is survived by his wife; two sons, Steve (Dianne), Crystal Lake, Minn., Kurt, Isanti, Minn.; three daughters, Kathy (Blaine) Gerlach, Moorhead, Patty (Jack) Gerberding, Neche, N.D., Pam (Roy) Musland, Jamestown, N.D.; a sister, Gloria Sheils, Fergus Falls; and eight grandchildren.
Visitation: Monday from 5 to 7, with a prayer service at 7, and Tuesday from 1 to 2 in Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls.

Funeral: Tuesday at 2 in the funeral home.
Burial: Oak Grove Cemetery.
Online: http://www.glendenilson/ .com

Prep Track Results

Pembina County Indoor
At UND

Boys team totals
Langdon 122, Drayton-St. Thomas-Valley 98.5, Thompson 93, Larimore 63, Cavalier 57.5, Hatton-Northwood 56, Park River/Fordville-Lankin/Adams-Edinburg-Edmore 52, North Border 26, Nelson County 22, Grafton 20

Two mile relay -
1. Cavalier 9:27.4;
2. Larimore 9:27.7;
3. North Border 10:10.4

Girls team totals
Langdon 146.5, North Border 85, Drayton-St. Thomas-Valley 81, Park River/Fordville-Lankin/Adams-Edinburg-Edmore 61.5, Hatton-Northwood 53, Thompson 48, Larimore 40, Grafton 40, Nelson County 38, Cavalier 31.

One lap
1. Gallagher :19.02;
2. Brandi Lorz, NB, :19.21;
3. Lamb :19.29.

440
1. Kelsey Adamson, Graf, 1:07.25;
2. Samantha Brorby, Thomp, 1:07.49;
3. Morgan Beattie, NB, 1:09.95.

Mile
1. Nicole Woinarowicz, Graf, 5:49.76;
2. Lauren Dietrich, Lang, 6:12.40;
3. Hailey Longtin, NB, 6:15.99.

Two mile
1. Toni Fritz, NB, 13:13.14;
2. Chloe Tweeten, Graf, 13:14.36;
3. Ashley Sundre, NC, 13:14.71.

Mile relay
1. North Border 4:40.06;
2. Thompson 4:50.00;
3. Langdon 5:00.00.

Two-mile relay
1. Grafton 11:17.4;
2. North Border 11:18.4;
3. Larimore 11:41.0.

Flood Watch 2007

Neche, N.D. city manager Philip Renwick checks the pumps in low areas in the city Tuesday. An earthern dike protects the city from overland flooding and the Pembina River. Renwick said he has more problems getting the water out of the city than water coming into the city this year. Grand Forks Herald photo by Jackie Lorentz

River on the way down in Neche
Herald Staff ReportPublished Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Water levels are looking better today in Neche, N.D., Becky Ault, Pembina County emergency manager said.

"Although it is raining, we're still feeling a little better about things," Ault said.
The Pembina River in Neche rose to about 19.5 feet Tuesday, more than a foot higher than minor flooding stage. Today, the river has gone down about a foot with further declines projected.

Ault said officials still are monitoring ice chunks floating down the river for possible jams that could cause flooding. "That will be ongoing for awhile," she said.
County employees will finish shoring up the city's dike near Highway 18 today, Ault said.

The long wait
Published Wednesday, March 28, 2007-Grand Forks Herald

NECHE, N.D. The highway south of here had a much calmer appearance Tuesday than it did a year ago, but still, the town readied for water to hit.

Last year, travelers encountered a wall of water as they headed north along state Highway 18 toward this small town located near the U.S.-Canadian border in northern Pembina County. The town was an island surrounded by a swollen Pembina River to the north and east and by the river's excess water at the south and west.

Tuesday, there was no overland flooding, and access to the city was not compromised, but city officials were on alert as ice chunks floated down the river. If ice jams occur, water could once again spill across Neche.

Pembina County officials met and declared a countywide state of emergency Tuesday afternoon. Neche declared a state of emergency Monday, readying for water that might damage homes and city buildings or that might not breach the dike at all.

"We're being proactive to assure that we're ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at us," said Becky Ault, Pembina County emergency manager. The declaration can open up funds to use for any repairs needed because of flooding, she said.

Sandbags are ready for use in Neche, and county public works employees were shoring up about 300 feet of the city's dike near Highway 18. Sandbags also were being prepared for Leroy, N.D., a town about 15 miles west of Neche.

The Pembina River in Neche has risen to about 19.5 feet, more than a foot higher than minor flooding stage, according to Mark Newell, Neche City Council member.

Read more here....

North Border Center Visits UND

Mike Mathison, #4, 6'10", North Border center, was on campus at the University of North Dakota for an official basketball recruiting visit. Photo Courtesy of NDHSAA

North Border Defeats Minot Bishop Ryan for Third

North Border's Mike Smith(11), shoots for two after grabbing a rebound in North Borders 58-56 win over Minot Bishop Ryan for third place in the North Dakota State Class B Basketball Tourney. Photo courtesy of NDHSAA

North Dakota Class B Tourney link with statistics from all North Border games, awards and hundreds of photos.
Class B Tourney Link

All-Tournament Team
Nathaniel Packineau (unanimous)** Tournament MVP ** Parshall
Tanner Friesen (unanimous) Shiloh Christian
Jamie Mauch (unanimous) Hankinson
Austin Vetter (unanimous) Bishop Ryan
Tony Ironheart Four Winds
Beau Sizer Barnes County North
Michael Mathison North Border
Mark Keithley Trinity
Rudy Young Bird Parshall
Jordan Rising Trinity

Pep Rally Overall Award - North Border

North Border hangs on
By STEVETHOMAS BismarckTribune

With a 22-6 record and a third-place finish in the state Class Atournament, it's been a pretty good season for North Border.But junior guard Tanner Carpenter concedes the Eagles have made things harder on coach Dave Symington than need be."We've played like that a lot this year," Carpenter said after North Border edged Minot Ryan 58-56 in Saturday's third-place game at the state Class B boys basketball tournament. "We never really put teams away, but we keep working hard at the end and finish."

That, in a nutshell, is the story of the tournament's penultimate game at the Bismarck Civic Center.North Border took the lead for keeps at 29-28 on Carpenter's 3-pointer with a minute to go in the first half. Still, the final 17 minutes were anything but a day at the beach for the Eagles.

It appeared North Border might be ready to put the game away when 6-10 senior MichaelMathison scored on a nice inside move to make it 47-37 with 5:36 to play.

But Ryan was not about to go belly-up. The Lions promptly launched a 13-6 run, cutting the deficit to 53-50 on a nifty three-point play by Brooks Backes with 1:17 to play.Two free throws by Carpenter and a fast break basket by Dustyn Chale increased the North Border lead to 57-50 - temporarily. Baskets byBackes and 6-4 junior post Austin Vetter enabled Ryan to pull within three at 57-54 with :17 to go.

Ryan's last gasp came on a field goal by Blake Eggl with :06 left, but North Border managed to kill the clock, two missed free throws by Chale notwithstanding.With Backes scoring seven points and Matt Mueller adding six, Ryan outscored North Border 21-16 in the fourth quarter.

Minot Ryan coach Scott Medalen praised his team for continuing the fight when all appeared lost."With a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and the shots not falling it would have been easy to mail it in ... but we hung in there," Medalen said.Backes took game scoring honors with 21. Vetter added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Mueller had 13 points.Carpenter's 14 paced North Border.

Mike Smith, a 6-4 sophomore, came off the bench to score 13 points and grab 12 rebounds. Mathison and Nick Chaput finished with 10 points each.Shooting woes doomed Ryan's hopes. The Lions connected at just a 24 percent pace from the floor in the second half and 28 percent for the game. North Border hit 43 percent of his shots."There were times this year where we did that - just struggled putting the ball in the hole. You've got to make shots,"Medalen said.

In consolation games there's always the danger of a team coming out flat, but Carpenter said that would have been out of character for the Eagles. "We knew we had to come out fast. We wanted to win going out," he said. "...Everyone was ready to go. We were ready to work hard. There's nothing better."Mostly, the game was about having fun, according to Carpenter."We wanted to go out and have a blast,"he said. "It would have been better to be in the title game, but this is a great way to go out."

Box Score

North Border 12 18 12 16 58
Minot Ryan 13 15 7 21 56

North Border - Daniel Gunderson 2, Michael Mathison 10, Mike Smith 13, Nick Chaput 10, Dustyn Chale 6, Tanner Carpenter 14, Paul Meyer 3
Minot Ryan - Blake Eggl 2, Matt Mueller 13, Matt Burckhard 2, Brooks Backes 21, Austin Vetter 16, Donald Allard 2

Making a name for himself
By CINDY PETERSON Bismarck Tribune

The door to the hotel room was decorated with art work that showed support for the North Border boys basketball team.

A sign was made for each player who occupied the room - Nick Chaput, Byron Shablow and "Big Mike."That's what North Border's 6-foot-10, 255 pound center Michael Mathison is simply known as - "Big Mike."The senior from Walhalla made a splash during Thursday's quarterfinal round of the Class B state tournament with 15 points and 15 rebounds in a victory over Shiloh Christian. In a semifinal loss to Parshall, Mathison had 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Playing in a state tournament is a new experience for Mathison. But being a full-time varsity starter is something Mathison needed to get accustomed to this year. He was a late bloomer in basketball."It took me awhile to get in the groove," Mathison said. "I didn't reach my height until a year ago. I didn't know what I should be working on."Mathison started playing basketball in third grade but never focused on developing his skills.

But through the years, Mathison grew, grew and grew some more.He stood 6-3 as a freshman, 6-5 as a sophomore and 6-7 as a junior. He believes his growth spurt is complete.As a sophomore, Mathison just wanted to get better at the game. He approached North Border coach Dave "Cooter" Symington about developing his skills. Symington found Mathison to be a quick learner."I was tickled pink he asked for help," Symington said. "I knew if he put time in, he could be a huge factor for our team."Symington saw a big, strong kid who held a lot of raw talent.

Mathison played on the C squad as a sophomore, and after working for a week on his skills, saw playing time on the B squad. He helped the C squad finish the season unbeaten.Last season he played primarily on the B squad and led it to an undefeated season.

This season, as a full-time varsity starter, he came into the tourney averaging 11.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks a game.Mathison continued to study the fundamentals of basketball, such as boxing out, shooting and improving his footwork."We couldn't believe how he showed a big improvement after all those drills within only a couple of days," Symington said. "The other team has to worry about his presence.

He directs some (attention on defense). If a team has to put one big guy on him, that helps out Paul Meyer."Since Mathison didn't focus on his game at an early age, he found himself lacking in fundamental skills that other players possessed. He agreed that his turnaround jump shot was an eyesore. After playing on a travel team this past summer, Mathison broke out of his shell."The travel team helped me a lot," Mathison said. "All summer I played against the top athletes from other states."

The fact that Mathison cracked the starting lineup on a team that qualified for the state tournament is the most thrilling part for him."Being one of the top eight teams in Class B is a goal itself," Mathison said. "Every game we win is just more icing on the cake."

Mathison hasn't decided where he will attend college, what he will major in or if he will continue his basketball career at the collegiate level.Symington said he has gotten some inquires about Mathison from colleges.If Mathison plays at the next level, Symington recommends a redshirt season and believes his best years are yet to come."He would have better equipment and drills," Symington said. "His coaches would know more than what we know, and that will help him."

Mathison isn't too hurried to make a decision. He's enjoying the spotlight of the Class B state tournament."Without the support of the community, fans and players this wouldn't have come true, this season," Mathison said.

Bismarck Tribune Link

North Border Plays for Third Tonight

North Border's title run ends
By Greg DeVillers, Grand Forks Herald

BISMARCK The size advantage went to North Border. But the lane and with it, a berth in the state championship game belonged to Parshall.

The Braves, using their quickness to create close-range scoring opportunities repeatedly, handed North Border a 65-56 defeat here Friday in the semifinals of the North Dakota state Class B boys high school basketball tournament.

North Border will play Minot Ryan in today's 6 p.m. third-place game, followed by Parshall playing defending state champion Dickinson Trinity for the title.

North Border's Dustyn Chale aims at the basket before shooting as Parshall's Neil Packineu guards him during the North Dakota Class B Boys Basketball in Bismarck.

Parshall was 23-of-52 from the field. Four of those baskets were treys; 15 were in the set offense on layups or short-range jumpers.
"They attacked us," North Border coach Cooter Symington said. "It didn't really surprise us. That No. 5 (Nathaniel Packineau, who had a game-high 25 points) is very good at taking the ball to the hole. He's so quick we haven't run into any guard that quick this year."

The aggressive offense was by design.

"We wanted to keep attacking, to get their big guys in foul trouble," Packineau said. "That didn't work out.

"(But) we set picks on their posts and got around them. (Our quickness) had a little bit to do with it. That's how we've gotten a lot of our points all year, with penetration."

That attacking style was evident early. Parshall jumped to an 18-9 lead in the opening 6:25 behind Packineau. The 6-foot-2 senior guard scored 14 in that run, hitting a pair of treys, scoring on a steal and breakaway layup and challenging North Border's tall frontcourt as he drove into the lane for three more layups.

But North Border cut the deficit to 18-14 after one quarter, then pulled ahead with a 15-4 run in the second quarter.

Senior 6-10 Michael Mathison sparked the comeback with seven points, including a basket from the right post with 2:50 left in the half for a 26-24 advantage. Mike Smith and Dustyn Chale each had a pair of baskets in the run.

After a Mathison offensive-rebound putback gave the Eagles their biggest lead at 31-26 with 1:30 left in the half, the lead evaporated. Rudy YoungBird hit two 3-point shots in the final 34 seconds to give Parshall a 32-31 halftime edge.

"That was a huge momentum swing," Symington said. "They got it from us. It's a big difference, going in down one at halftime instead of up five. I don't think we ever really got the momentum back."

Back-to-back drives into the lane by Packineau built the Parshall lead to 42-35 with 4:13 left in the third quarter. But a 3-point play by Mathison started another Eagles rally and Nick Chaput's putback basket with three seconds left cut the Parshall lead to 44-40 after three.

North Border was still within 47-44 when Parshall had another run, outscoring the Eagles 7-2. Neil Packineau had the final six Braves points in the spurt, which left them with a 56-46 advantage with 3:39 to go. North Border got no closer than six the rest of the way.

Neil Packineau and YoungBird each added 17 points in the Braves' three-pronged attack.
Mathison had a double double with 17 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Chaput added 16 points and Chale 12.

But 18 turnovers overall and 8-for-28 shooting in the second half were too much for the Eagles to overcome.

"We had 10 turnovers in the first half, way too many," Symington said. "We had turnovers on four straight possessions at one point in the third quarter. I thought it would be a battle down to the buzzer, but we couldn't knock down our shots.

"They're a good team. We couldn't afford that many mistakes, shoot that poorly in the second half and expect to win."
Grand Forks Herald Story Link


Braves finally back in title game
By MICHAEL WEBER Bismarck Tribune

It took 32 years, but Parshall finally found its way back to the Class B boys basketball state tournament championship game.Powered by the three-pronged attack of Nathaniel Packineau, Neil Packineau and Rudy Young Bird, the Braves defeated North Border 65-56 in Friday's state tournament semifinals.

Parshall emerged victorious in its last title game appearance, defeating Larimore 54-48 in 1975 for its only state crown."This is awesome ... a dream come true for all of us," Parshall senior Nathaniel Packineau said following the victory at the Civic Center. "All of that hard work paid off. Now we have one more game to go."

The Braves, 22-4, will face defending champion Dickinson Trinity tonight for the Class B title.
"Trinity has a great defense and they've been playing well," Nathaniel Packineau said. "We can't make many mistakes and we have to knock down our shots early. We can't let them take control.

"Nathaniel Packineau is making the state tournament his own personal showcase. One day after scoring 32 points in a 62-54 win over Hankinson, the 6-foot-2 guard poured in 25 to lead all scorers. This time, he had more help as Neil Packineau and Young Bird both connected for 17 points. Neil Packineau recovered from his 1-for-14 shooting effort on Thursday night.

"Neil and Rudy knew they had to pull their weight tonight ... and they did," Parshall coach Ken Hall said. "That made a big difference for us. We need for all of our big three to step up at tournament time.

"Nathaniel Packineau sparked a strong start by Parshall, scoring 14 of his team's first 18 points in an 18-9 first-quarter run. North Border got the deficit down to 18-14 before the frame ended and followed that with a strong second quarter.

After falling behind 22-16, North Border put together an 11-2 run that ended with a Michael Mathison free throw with 2:18 remaining. After a Young Bird basket, Mike Smith and Mathison scored back-to-back to make it 31-26, North Border, with 1:26 to play in the half.Then Young Bird, a 6-foot-5 post, showed his range. The junior drilled a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left to make it a 2-point game.

After a North Border turnover, Young Bird netted another trey to put the Braves ahead to stay at 32-31."Those shots were big. ... They gave us lots of momentum," Nathaniel Packineau said. "That's the great thing about Rudy. He's a post player, but he can step out and hit the three.

"The Eagles got to within six twice (58-52 and 59-53), but never closer.Nathaniel Packineau said the Braves used quickness as a means of offsetting North Border's size advantage.

"They were taller than we were, but we were quicker," he said. "Their big guy (6-foot-10 Mathison) ... we knew we couldn't challenge him right on, but we were able to get around people for good shots."

Bismarck Tribune Story Link

Parshall Outguns North Border

Parshall 18 14 12 21 65
North Border 14 17 9 16 56

Parshall - Nathaniel Packineau 25, Rainbow Goodbear 2, Neil Packineau 17, Rudy Young Bird 17, Weston Smith 4
North Border - Michael Mathison 17, Mike Smith 4, Nick Chaput 16, Dustyn Chale 12, Tanner Carpenter 7

Championship - Parshall vs Dickinson Trinity
Third Place - North Border vs Minot Bishop Ryan


North Border's Nick Chaput (15), Tanner Carpenter (23), Mike Smith (11), Dustyn Chale (21) on defense as Parshall's Neil Packineau drives to the lane. Neon clad North Border fans cheer for their Eagles. Photo courtesy of NDHSAA








Keeping His Eyes on the Prize

Lou Babiarz Bismarck Tribune

Tanner Carpenter was a fifth-grader when unranked North Border - in its first season as a co-op - made a surprising run to a Class B boys basketball title, upsetting the No. 1 team in the state, unbeaten Cando, in the championship game.Carpenter was at the Minot State University Dome that night, the last time the Eagles played in the Class B state tournament."They were fun to watch," Carpenter said. "They were the underdogs a lot of times, but they won."

Having seen their handiwork up close, Carpenter understood the message members of the 2001 squad had for this year's Eagles after they topped Midway-Minto in the Region 4 championship, earning a berth in the state tournament.

"They said congratulations, but we've got to work hard," Carpenter said. "We can't stop here."

This year's Eagles have just two returning starters - senior Paul Meyer and Carpenter. As a result, Carpenter, a junior point guard, has been thrust into the position of team leader.

It's a role that suits Carpenter according to coach Dave "Cooter" Symington.
"He's a coach's son, so he's always been around the gym or on the football field," Symington said. "He's like a coach on the floor."

And Carpenter, who was an all-district selection as a sophomore, has delivered when it matters most.

Never was that more obvious than in the Region 2 tournament.

Carpenter, who was North Border's top scorer on the season at 12.7 per game, upped that number to 19.3 during the tournament, leading the Eagles in all three games.

More important, he came through when the Eagles needed him most.

North Border faced Midway-Minto, a team that had already beaten the Eagles twice and led for most of the region championship game.

But the Eagles kept it tight enough for Carpenter to hit three free throws in the final 10 seconds, sending the game into overtime.

Carpenter scored eight of his 27 points in the extra session as the Eagles pulled out a 58-56 win.Symington said the Eagles were confident they could finally find a way past the Mustangs.

In the District 4 championship, it was North Border that led most of the way, only to have Midway-Minto rally for the victory."We missed free throws and a couple of bunnies," Symington said. "We didn't finish the game. We were 3 of 14 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

We handed it to them."But Carpenter's poise in the regional rematch rubbed off on the rest of the Eagles. And the composure the squad has developed is one reason Carpenter thinks North Border has a chance to add to the legacy the 2001 team established."If we put a decent game together, we feel like we can play with anybody," Carpenter said.

The Eagles get their first chance to put their game together in the final quarterfinal today.

Bismarck Tribune Link

Eagles don't rebuild, they reload

By LOU BABIARZ, Tribune Sports Editor

The North Border boys basketball team had only two returning starters this season, but the thought of being in rebuilding mode never crossed anybody's mind.After all the Eagles knew reinforcements were coming from a junior varsity squad that had rattled off 40-plus consecutive victories.That's why it came as no surprise that the Eagles - regional finalists in 2005 and 2006 - took the next step despite their inexperience and qualified for this year's state tournament.

North Border (20-5) meets an even younger team, Shiloh Christian in a quarterfinal.

"The kids who played on the JV weren't playing varsity minutes, but they were playing a lot of big games," North Border coach Dave "Cooter" Symington said.

The Eagles did have a core to build around in 6-foot-4 senior forward Paul Meyer and 5-10 junior point guard Tanner Carpenter. Both were all-district picks last year.

Meyer has been a force inside, averaging 9.0 points and 11.8 rebounds a game.

"He leads by example," Symington said. "He works his butt off on offense and defense, diving for loose balls. The rest of the team looks to him."Joining Meyer inside is North Border's imposing presence in the middle - 6-10 senior center Michael Mathison. Mathison has been a major contributor, averaging 11.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

Carpenter heads up a three-guard lineup that has provided North Border with balance. Carpenter is the team's leading scorer at 12.7 points per game, with 5-11 junior Dustyn Chale (10.0 ppg) and 6-1 senior Nick Chaput (9.8 ppg) starting.

"We've got quite a bit of size and pretty good guards," Symington said. "We're quicker than last year and have a bit more depth."Sophomore Mike Smith, a 6-4 forward, has come off the bench to contribute 6.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Other reserves who are regulars in the rotation include seniors Dan Gunderson, Byron Shablow and Marcus Ramsay.

The sum total is a team that Symington believes can hold its own defensively, but has yet to click on the other end, despite averaging 67.8 points per game. He's hoping the Eagles peak comes now.

"We need to execute better on offense," Symington said. "We've really struggled with that. We probably haven't put together our best offensive game yet. We haven't jelled yet in a game."

Bismarck Tribune Link

Tall Order

Greg DeVillers - Grand Forks Herald Link here

BISMARCK - Michael Mathison is used to going home after basketball games with a sore back from all the pushing and shoving he takes. It's the price he pays for standing 6 feet, 10 inches in height.

But Thursday, he had a new source for the discomfort.
“Tonight, they had their heads down and I could feel them ramming into my back,” the North Border senior said. “But I'm sort of used to stuff like that.”

Mathison was head and shoulders above the competition. The senior, towering above the much shorter Shiloh Christian lineup (no starter taller than 6-3), led North Border to a 61-46 win in the quarterfinals of the North Dakota Class B boys high school basketball tournament.
The 21-5 Eagles will meet Parshall at 8:15 tonight in the state semifinals.

Mathison had a game-high 15 rebounds, leading the Eagles to a 40-29 edge on the boards. He had a team-high 15 points, making 7-of-13 from the field. He blocked four shots, plus his size was a psychological factor.

“He definitely was a factor,” Shiloh Christian coach Mike Dwyer said. “We just didn't have the strength to hold our own against him (on defense). We didn't have the muscle to do it. It affected our perimeter defense (trying to help down low). And when we went inside, we had a tough time scoring.”

While Shiloh Christian tried to match up with the Eagles' size, it was guard Nick Chaput who jump-started the North Border offense.

The Eagles were never headed after building an early 12-4 lead. Chaput had the first six of those points, and eight of his 11 in that run.

“Chaput got us off to a great start,” Eagles coach Cooter Symington said. “He can do that - he's one of our best outside shooters.”

The Eagles led 16-8 after one quarter, 33-20 at intermission and 49-31 after three quarters, leading by 11 or more the entire second half.

Mathison dominated the boards in the first half with 10 rebounds. He dominated on offense in the second half with 10 points.

“This was a good game for Michael,” Symington said. “He's had several games like this. He really went after the boards; that was a key for us, not giving them many second shots. And we told him to just turn and shoot. We thought he could score with his height advantage.”

Said Mathison: “My main goal was to get double digits in rebounds. I just happened to be in the right spots (for the rebounds). We knew they didn't have a lot of height, so we worked on establishing our inside game.”

Tanner Carpenter added 13 points and five assists for the Eagles, while Paul Meyer contributed nine rebounds and a game-high five steals.

Tanner Friesen had a game-high 19 points for Shiloh Christian.

The Skyhawks had more shot attempts than North Border. But Shiloh Christian, which started three sophomores, was just 19-of-55 from the field compared to North Border's 26-of-53.
“We're young,” Dwyer said. “We were a little too uncomposed, a little too hurried.”

And they were a little too short to offset the presence of Mathison under the basket for the Eagles.

Eagles Win First Round Game

North Border 16 17 16 12 61
Shiloh Christian 8 12 11 15 46

Shiloh Christian - Tommy Dwyer 6, Tanner Friesen 19, Jared Miller 7, Trevor Singer 9, Jordan Huwe 1, Brady Bohl 4
North Border - Daniel Gunderson 2, Michael Mathison 15, Marcus Ramsey 2, Mike Smith 6, Nick Chaput 11, Dustyn Chale 8, Tanner Carpenter 13, Paul Meyer 4

Dickinson Trinity Titans 59, Four Winds Indians 47
Bishop Ryan Lions 65, Barnes County North Bison 44
Parshall Braves 62, Hankinson Pirates 54

Class B Site link here

Final Four
Dickinson Trinity vs Minot Ryan
North Border vs Parshall

Paul Meyer grabs a rebound as Mike Mathison heads down court. Photo courtesy NDHSAA

Eagles aren't denied this time

By Greg DeVillers, Herald Staff Writer

The big show had barely eluded Paul Meyer and his North Border teammates so many times that they were beginning to wonder if it was ever going to happen for them.

In both the 2004-05 and 2005-06 boys basketball seasons, the Eagles finished one win shy of the Class B state tournament, losing both times to Mayville-Portland-Clifford-Galesburg in the Region 2 final.

In the 2005 state football playoffs, eventual state champion Velva-Sawyer broke up a pass in the end zone late in the game to edge the Eagles 20-14 in the quarterfinal round.

The close calls have ended, however. North Border is going to the state Class B boys basketball tournament, which begins Thursday in Bismarck. The Eagles rallied to edge Midway-Minto 58-56 in overtime last week in the Region 2 final.

"It was starting to wear on us," Meyer said of the close calls. "You think about it a lot, not wanting the same thing to happen again.

"It's nice to make it to the state tournament before graduating. After what we've been through in the past, it makes it a lot more satisfying."

To Eagles coach Cooter Symington, the state berth isn't a surprise.
"We felt this group was one that had a good chance of getting us back to state," said Symington, who coached the North Border team that won the 2001 state championship. "We have some size and some nice shooters. And it's a real good bunch of kids, one of the hardest-working groups I've coached."

Balance and size

Unlike last season, there isn't a dominant scorer in the Eagles' lineup.
Zach Winkler, a senior on last season's team, averaged 20 points a game. But no other Eagle averaged more than seven points. In contrast, balance is the style this season. The starting unit consists of Tanner Carpenter (12.7 ppg), Michael Mathison (11.4 ppg), Dustyn Chale (10 ppg), Nick Chaput (9.8 ppg) and Meyer (9 ppg).

"Last year, if Zach struggled, there wasn't anybody else who could step up," said Carpenter, the team's point guard. "This year, it seems like it's different guys every game doing the scoring. Defenses can't key on any one person.

"It's good (for a point guard). I can get it to anybody who's open and they can hit the shot."
The offense with its balance is similar to the 2001 North Border state championship team. Where the teams vary is in size these Eagles can go with the 6-foot-4 Meyer and 6-10 Mathison, with 6-4 Nick Smith coming off the bench. All three average more than eight rebounds per game; Smith and Mathison both average two blocks.

"We have some size," Meyer said. "We can get some mismatches on offense. And we can stretch our arms out and really cover the lane and alter shots."

Good-luck look

Meyer has a 1970s look. He has a beard and a bushy hairstyle.

"I didn't shave during Christmas break," Meyer said. "We went on a little run and I decided to keep it. It's something different, something you don't see very often."

Meyer isn't sure whether he'll be cleanshaven for the state tournament. And he doesn't need the look to stand out; his performance draws attention.

"Paul works so hard on the boards and on defense, it forces the other kids to work hard," Symington said. "He leads by example and the others follow."

They've followed the lead to the state tournament. And Carpenter knows the excitement of playing at that level.

"It's a blast," the junior said. "You can't have a better time. We just need to go, have fun and work hard. And this is more well-known than the Legion tournament. There will be a lot of people there watching."

As for baseball the wires that support the batting cage in the gymnasium at Pembina already have been hung.

"I had to tell the baseball coach that it's still basketball season here at North Border," Symington said.

DeVillers can be reached at (800) 477-6572, ext. 128, (701) 780-1128 or by e-mail at gdevillers@gfherald.com.

Grand Forks Herald link here

Bismarck Dining

Upscale:
The Bistro (12th & Front),
The East 40 (1401 Interchange),
Pirogue (Downtown), The Pier (Southport Marina),
Elks (S Washington),
Peacock Alley (%th & Main).

Moderately priced steakhouses:
Texas Roadhouse (Pinehurst area),
Jack's (S 12th),
Chophouse and Tavern (Mandan Strip)

Italian:
Johnny Carino's (Pinehurst area),
DiDonna's (E Expressway),
Minerva's (Kelly Inn)

Mexican:
Paradiso (Gateway area),
Fiesta Villa (Downtown Main)

Chain:
Fridays (Riverwood Drive),
Ground Round (S 3rd),
Applebees (S 3rd & Hwy 83 N),
Green Mill (S Washington),
Grizzly's (Kirkwood Mall),
Red Lobster (Hwy 83 N),
Walrus (Arrowhead Shp Ctr).

Ribs:
Space Aliens (Hwy 83 N),
Famous Dave's (E Expressway).

Pizza:
A & B Pizza (E Interstate Ave)

KMAV Radio to Carry Games

All North Dakota Class B Tournament games will be broadcast on KMAV

North Border Eagles First Round Game
6:30 PM - KMAV 105.5 FM High School Boys Basketball
State Class B Quarterfinals
North Border Eagles vs Shiloh Christian Skyhawks
Announcer: Dan Keating

KMAV Link click here.....

Bismarck Between Games

North Border Hospitality Room - Radission Inn, 605 E. Broadway

For the people arriving Wednesday Night the Dakota Wizards vs. Arkansas
Bismarck Civic Center, 7:00 pm. FMI (701) 258-BALL or www.dakotawizards.com
Fort Abraham Lincoln - General Custer Home
Lewis and Clark - Historic Attractions from the famous expedition
Bismarck Art Gallery Assoc
North Dakota State Historical Society & Museum
North Dakota State Capital Building
Saturday - Baseball Card and Sports Collectible Show - Doublewood Inn, 1400 E. Interchange Ave

ND State Class B Tournament Schedule

Bismarck Civic Center

Thursday's quarterfinals

1 p.m. - Four Winds vs. Dickinson Trinity
2:45 p.m. - Barnes County North vs. Minot Ryan
6:30 p.m. - North Border vs. Shiloh Christian
8:15 p.m. - Hankinson vs. Parshall

Weather service: Flooding unlikely

Herald Staff Report-After a slow start to the winter, the season's snowfall has rebounded to normal amounts, but National Weather Service forecasters still don't see much chance of significant flooding this spring.

-- Neche, N.D.: 17 percent.
-- Pembina, Hillsboro, Minto and Walhalla, N.D., all have less than 10 percent chances of moderate flooding.

read more here.....

2007 Region 2 Boy Basketball Champs

http://www.pembina.k12.nd.us/Sports/BoysBB.html

Shiloh Wins Region 5 Crown

Shiloh pulls off a miracle
By LOU BABIARZ Bismarck Tribune Sports Editor

Shiloh Christian boys basketball coach Mike Dwyer said that instead of having his Skyhawks practice today, he may show them the movie "Miracle.

"Or if he's looking for an inspirational underdog story, Dwyer could just pop in a tape of Thursday's Region 5 championship game.

After Dwyer's son, Tommy, banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Shiloh a 55-52 win over Center-Stanton at the University of Mary McDowell Activity Center, the Skyhawks were giddy about qualifying for the state Class B tournament.

"This is a miracle team," coach Dwyer said. "This is an absolute miracle."

If it seems strange to claim underdog status for a team that will be heading to state for the fourth time in five years, keep in mind five of Shiloh's top eight players are sophomores and the Skyhawks (14-11)went 9-10 during the regular season.

Click title to read the rest of the story.............

Carpenter sparks North Border to title in OT
-Greg DeVillers Grand Forks Herald

Tanner Carpenter has never been so happy about a missed free throw.

The North Border junior, after making the front end of a bonus, missed his second free throw with 10 seconds left in regulation. But he controlled the long rebound off his own miss in the lane, was fouled and hit two more free throws with seven seconds remaining. That tied the score at 44, forcing overtime.

North Border went on to defeat Midway-Minto 58-56 in the championship of the North Dakota Class B Region 2 boys high school basketball tournament in the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Thursday night.

The way things turned out, "That was a good feeling," Carpenter said about the miss.
"I honestly wanted to make that second shot. I was a little long on it. Our big guys did a great job of getting their hands on the basketball, tipping it back to me. Then I knew I just had to focus and do what I'd been doing."

Dustyn Chale's offensive-rebound putback gave North Border a lead at 46-44 to start overtime its first lead since going up 11-10 early in the second quarter. The Mustangs' Curt Enger answered with a basket.

Then Carpenter, who had eight of his game-high 27 points in overtime, rattled off five points in 31 seconds. He banked in a short jump shot from the left side, was fouled and hit the free throw. After a Midway-Minto turnover, Carpenter banked in a 12-footer from the right wing for a 51-46 lead with 2:01 left.
"Tanner's a big-time player," Eagles coach Cooter Symington said. "He wants the ball in his hands in those situations."

Midway-Minto got within two points three times thereafter, at 54-52 when Ryan Ulland banked in a trey with 1:14 left, at 56-54 on an Enger basket with 37 seconds left and on a Jake Zikmund basket with five seconds left.

Stephen Mondry led Midway-Minto with 16 points, all in the first half, to spark the Mustangs to a 27-21 halftime lead. Enger added 13 points and Zikmund came up big off the bench, scoring 12, including eight in a 9-4 run that gave the Mustangs a 38-33 lead with 2:35 left in regulation.
"Jake kept us in the game," Mustangs coach Shane Robinson said. "But we didn't go to the basket (late in the fourth quarter) like we had been. We got tentative. That hurt us."

A Paul Meyer basket underneath and a Nick Chaput 3-pointer got the Eagles' offense going, tying the score at 38 with 1:42 left in the fourth quarter. North Border had only 29 points with four minutes left in regulation; the Eagles matched that total in the game's final eight minutes.

"Our offense was unbelievable down the stretch," Symington said. "We made better decisions. And we hit some huge shots. That was the big thing."

North Border, the region runner-up each of the past two seasons, takes a 20-5 record against Region 5 champion Shiloh Christian in the state tournament quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. on March 15 in Bismarck. Midway-Minto finished with a 21-4 record.

Box Score

Midway-Minto - 8 19 5 12 12 56
North Border 8 13 8 15 14 58

North Border - Tanner Carpenter 27, Michael Mathison 9, Mike Smith 3, Nick Chaput 5, Dustyn Chale 6, Paul Meyer 6, Daniel Gunderson 2
Midway-Minto - Stephen Mondry 16, Curt Enger 13, Jake Zikmund 12, Russell Schanilec 5, Jacob Narloch 6, Ryan Ulland 3, Justin Mozinski 1

North Border Headed for State

North Border wins 58-56 over Midway-Minto in Overtime.

Pairings for North Dakota Class B Boys Basketball
Four Winds vs Dickinson Trinity
Barnes County North vs Minot Ryan
North Border vs Shiloh Christian
Hankinson vs Parshall

Region 2 Finals Tonight

Click here to listen on KMAV

Region 2 Champ - From today's Grand Forks Herald

For Shane Robinson, the Region 2 boys basketball title may come down to pace.

Robinson's Midway-Minto team meets North Border in the region final at 7:30 tonight at Grand Forks' Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Midway-Minto is 2-0 against North Border, holding the advantage against a North Border frontcourt that includes 6-foot-10 Michael Mathison, 6-4 Paul Meyer and 6-4 Mike Smith.

"They're a little bigger than us," said Robinson, whose team is a second-year co-op. "They'll try to slow it down and look inside. Their size will be a factor. We want to get up and down the court and use our speed to our advantage."

North Border is in familiar territory, as the Eagles were in the region final each of the last two seasons, losing each time to Mayville-Portland-Clifford-Galesburg.

North Border managed only 48 and 54 points in its two losses to the Mustangs.

"And that's a credit to their defense," Eagles coach Cooter Symington said. "They got us out of our offense. We have to do a better job of running our offense."

Listen to the Region 2 Championship Game

KMAV Link

7:45 PM - KMAV 105.5 FM
High School Boys BasketballRegion 2 Tournament Championship Game
Midway-Minto Mustangs vs. North Border Eagles
Announcer: Craig Keating

North Border Reaches Region 2 Finals

Grand Forks Herald Link

North Border 63, Park River 54:

With both teams struggling to find consistency on offense, North Border's domination on the boards was crucial.

The Eagles, despite being outrebounded by six in the first quarter, finished with a 48-38 edge on the boards. Senior 6-foot-4 Paul Meyer (12 points, 13 rebounds) and 6-4 sophomore Mike Smith (13 points, 10 rebounds) each had a double double to lead the Eagles' inside game.

"We couldn't get into a flow on offense," North Border coach Cooter Symington said. "It was kind of a sloppy offensive game for both teams. Defensively, we played well, and so did Park River. But we were able to hold them to one shot and out a lot, and we had some big offensive boards."
Said Aggies coach Rob Scherr: "We got very few second-chance shots. And (rebounding) is their forte. We knew we had to eliminate their second shots and make our first ones."

Park River never led after North Border went on a 9-2 run to end the first quarter with a 17-13 advantage. The Eagles led 27-17 at halftime and 44-39 after three.

Two mid-range jump shots from the right side by Tanner Carpenter, who led the balanced Eagles with 14 points, put North Border on top 53-45 with 3:38 left.

"It was hard to get a knockout punch," Symington said. "They wouldn't go away. But Tanner hit a couple of key hoops to stretch the lead out."

Nick Chaput also reached double figures for the Eagles with 11 points.

Max Otto had 18 points and Ryan Waechter and Jay Jelinek each scored 11 for the Aggies. Park River was hurt by the limited playing time by standout Justin Moe, who was playing on an injured ankle and also was in foul trouble most of the game. "The ankle was bothering him," Scherr said.

North Border - 17 10 17 19 63
Park River - 13 4 22 15 54

North Border - Dan Gunderson 2, Michael Mathison 9, Mike Smith 13, Nick Chaput 11, Dustyn Chale 2, Tanner Carpenter 14, Paul Meyer 12
Park River - Justin Moe 3, Kellen Dobmeier 1, Ryan Waechter 11, Nathan Carda 3, Max Otto 18, Ryne Anderson 5, Jay Jelinek 11, Ben Hylden 2

MIDWAY-MINTO 47, MAY-PORT-C-G 46

Midway-Minto vs North Border 7:45 p.m. championship game
Thursday, Betty Engelstad Arena, Grand Forks.

North Dakota Class B Boys Sweet 16

Fargo Oak Grove vs. Hankinson
Midway-Minto vs. North Border
Linton vs. BCN
Wells County vs. Four Winds
Shiloh vs. Center-Stanton
Dunseith vs. Minot Ryan
Hazen vs. DickinsonTrinity
Parshall vs. Watford City

Boys Basketball Region 2

Grand Forks Herald Link
North Border 59, Hatton-Northwood 47:
With the game on the line, the North Border defense dominated.

The Eagles held a narrow 27-24 halftime lead. But they held Hatton-Northwood to just two points in the third quarter and five in the first 12:30 of the second half.

“Offensively, we were a little sloppy,” North Border coach Cooter Symington said. “But our defense played well enough to allow us to stretch our lead. We did a good job of helping out front. (Dustyn) Chale and (Nick) Chaput did a great job of protecting against their high screen and covering their 3-point shooters.”

Tanner Carpenter hit two of his four treys in a second half-opening 9-0 run. And Chale had all nine points in a 9-2 run that opened up a 50-29 Eagles lead in the fourth quarter. Carpenter had 17 points and Chale 13 to pace North Border.

“Tanner's a good shooter, our best outside shooter,” Symington said. “And Dustyn had a nice run there.”

Ben Strand scored 12 and Mark Wallace 10 to lead the Hatton-Northwood offense. “It wasn't good,” Thunder coach Keenan Konschak said of his team's offense. “North Border did a nice job of getting in the passing lanes and we made some poor decisions.”

Hatton-Northwood 14 10 2 21 47
North Border 21 6 12 20 59

Hatton-Northwood - Ben Strand 12, Kyle Funseth 3, Gus Kueber 7, Eli Wold 2, Tony Evenstad 5, Zach Wold 8, Mark Wallace 10
North Border - Michael Mathison 8, Marcus Ramsay 1, Mike Smith 10, Josh Keller 2, Nick Chaput 4, Byron Shablow 1, Dustyn Chale 13, Tanner Carpenter 17, Paul Meyer 3

MAYVILLE-PORTLAND-C-G 65, GRAFTON 50
MIDWAY-MINTO 47, LARIMORE 43
PARK RIVER 66, THOMPSON 57

North Border Quarter Finals Lineups

Monday 8:15 p.m. Hatton-Northwood vs. North Border

Hatton-Northwood 14-8, third in District 3.
Coach: Keenan Konschek.

Thunder's lineup:
5-11 jr. G Ben Strand (9.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.5 apg);
6-0 sr. G Zach Wold (13.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.8 apg);
6-4 soph. F Gus Kueber (8.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg);
6-1 sr. F Tyler Rogers (2.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg);
6-4 jr. C Mark Wallace (8.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg).

North Border Record: 17-5, second in District 4.
Coach: Cooter Symington.

Eagles' lineup:
6-1 sr. G Nick Chaput (10.5 ppg, 2.5 apg);
5-10 jr. G Tanner Carpenter (12.5 ppg, 5.3 apg);
5-11 jr. F Dustyn Chale (10.5 ppg, 2.5 apg);
6-4 sr. F Paul Meyer (10.2 ppg, 11.5 rpg);
6-10 sr. C Michael Mathison (11.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.5 bpg).

Grand Forks Herald Link

Boys Basketball All District Honors

All-District 4

North Border
Tanner Carpenter
Paul Meyer
Dustin Chale;

Boys Basketball Region 2

N.D. Region 2 tournament
In Betty Engelstad Sioux Center

Monday's quarterfinals
3 p.m. - Mayville-Portland-Clifford-Galesburg vs. Grafton
4:45 p.m - Midway-Minto vs. Larimore
6:30 p.m. - Thompson vs. Park River
8:15 p.m. - North Border vs. Hatton-Northwood