NAHL: Tauros shut out by Oklahoma to open NAHL Showcase

The Minot Minotauros got off to a rough start in their opening game at the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minn., unable to find the back of the net in a 3-0 loss to the Oklahoma Warriors on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

The Warriors (3-2-0-0 W-L-OTW/SOW-OTL/SOL) scored a goal in all three periods in three different fashions: even strength, on the power play and shorthanded. Oklahoma jumped out in front at 3:01 of the opening period, netting a shorthanded goal by AJ Iwinski. Despite Ethan Gonyeau serving a tripping penalty, Oklahoma managed to light the lamp down a skater.

Gonyeau would be on the ice for Oklahoma’s final two goals, registering an assist on both. While on the power play in the second period during a Cap Priem holding penalty, Gonyeau found Mack Blue to put the Warriors ahead 2-0 halfway through the contest. The Warriors would grow their advantage early in the third, as Kyle Sorensen took a pass from Gonyeau and beat Minot goaltender Magnus Loponen for the tally.

Minot (0-2-0-1) held a 27-23 advantage in shots on goal, but couldn’t solve Oklahoma goaltender Billy Stuski, who earned the shutout with 27 saves. Loponen made 20 saves for the Tauros. Minot was held to just four total shots in the final frame.

The Minotauros continue the NAHL Showcase on Friday, Sept. 26, against the New Hampshire Mountain Kings.

Girls Swimming & Diving: Majettes pick up dual victory against Bismarck Legacy

The Minot High girls swimming and diving team participated in the three-team Bismarck duals and picked up a 95-90 victory over Bismarck Legacy on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Bismarck Aquatic Center. Bismarck Century also competed in the event, dualling against Legacy and posting a 109-76 victory.

Minot High’s Samantha VonBokern won a pair of events and Gracyn Bergan claimed the 1-meter diving event with a score of 233.70. Bergan’s best dive earned her nearly 70 points clear of Legacy”s Zoey Reis.

VonBokern took the 50-yard freestyle event with a time of 25.59 seconds, just ahead of Century’s Aubrey Caster (25.82). Minot High’s Emily Dunstan was third at 26.14. VonBokern also won the 100 backstroke, clocking in at 1:02.11. Legacy’s Brinley Steele was second at 1:02.90, followed by Minot High’s Maggie Fricke at 1:07.58.

The Majettes won three total events. The Sabers took the 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay. The Patriots were the top team in the 200 medley relay, 200 individual medley, 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay and 100 breaststroke. Legacy’s Lilyana Hochhalter won a pair of events, winning the 100 freestyle in 54.12 and the 200 freestyle in 2:00.29.

Boys Tennis: Minot North edges Williston; Minot High drops close match with Legacy

The Minot North boys tennis team notched its second conference win of the season, splitting its six matches and taking two of three doubles matches for a 5-4 victory over Williston on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

Parker Vigestad and Lucas Griffith each won their respective singles matches before teaming up at No. 2 doubles to pick up another victory. All of them proved necessary with the Sentinels (4-8 overall, 2-4 West Region) winning the match by the slimmest of margins. Griffith defeated Rhett Carns at No. 4 singles, 6-2, 6-2, and Vigestad topped Gavin Douglas, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 3 singles. The duo bested Douglas and Brooks Bratlien, 6-2, 6-3.

Brayden Callahan won Minot North’s other singles match, defeating Kane Shannon, 6-3, 6-2. Callahan and Reece Blikre paired up at No. 3 doubles to top Carns and Carter Anfinson, 6-4, 7-5.

Minot High fell just short of handing Bismarck Legacy its first region loss of the season, but the Sabers were able to stay unbeaten by taking two of three doubles matches for a 5-4 victory.

The Magicians (14-5, 4-2) claimed victories at No. 2, 3 and 5 singles and Connor Ressler and Henrik Evanoff provided their lone victory in doubles, winning a three-set match against Carter Madison and Braxton Spooner, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Three of the nine matches went to three sets, with Legacy winning the other two.

The game of the match came at No. 6 singles. Legacy’s Kevin Kalb outlasted Minot High’s Aiden Bye, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (8).

Oliver Thompson, Ressler and Tyson Barden picked up singles wins for the Magicians.

The Sentinels and Magicians both return to the court on Thursday, Sept. 25. Minot North hosts Bismarck High at 4 p.m. Minot High travels to Bismarck Century at 3 p.m.

Prep Volleyball: Sentinels snap skid with victory over Mandan

The Minot North volleyball team put an end to a five-match losing streak, defeating Mandan in four sets, 25-21, 27-25, 25-17, 25-22, on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

The Sentinels (6-8 overall, 2-6 West Region) grabbed the opening set before the Braves battled back to square the match after winning an extended second set. But Minot North regrouped and claimed the final two sets to get back in the win column for the first time since sweeping Williston on Sept. 4. The Sentinels had dropped 15 of 18 sets during the skid.

Brynnn Francis filled out the stat sheet for Minot North, finishing with 38 assists, 17 digs, seven kills, two blocks and an ace. McKinnley Kragh led the Sentinels with 15 kills. Elli Laskowski added 14 kills and Aven Kelly provided nine more. Kelly also had 2.5 blocks.

Aubrey Karsky and Allyson Holzer led the Braves (3-10, 2-5) with eight kills each.

The Sentinels have the rest of the week off before returning to host Bismarck St. Mary’s on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m.

Prep Football: Top teams remain unchanged in Class A, 9-man media polls

Langdon Area-Munich and New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock continue to win and continue to hold the top spots in their respective classes, as they remain the No. 1 teams in North Dakota according to the most recent media poll released on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

Langdon Area-Munich received 18 first-place votes following a 42-12 victory at Rugby last week to hold on to its spot at No. 1 in the Class A media poll. The Cardinals have outscored opponents 187-26 in five games this season and 119-20 in three region contests. Killdeer received the only other first-place vote and jumped up one spot to No. 2. Despite a 34-6 victory on the road against Des Lacs-Burlington last week, Velva/Drake-Anamoose/Garrison dropped a spot to No. 3. Park River Area and Ellendale/Edgeley/Kulm rounded out the top five.

Bottineau and Dickinson Trinity each received votes in the poll.

The top teams in 9-man put up monster numbers offensively last week, with the top three teams all eclipsing the 60-point threshold. NR-S-M put up 62 against North Prairie and received 15 first-place votes to continue a run of 14 straight weeks in the rankings.

Only LaMoure-Litchville-Marion has been ranked longer, appearing now 15 straight times, remaining at No. 2 after scoring 64 over then-No. 4 Hankinson. Linton-HMB garnered the final first-place vote on the heels of its 62-point performance against Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter. Alexander moved up one spot to No. 4 and Divide County was the lone newcomer to the rankings at No. 5.

Hankinson and Grant County-Flasher received votes in the poll.