MDN File Photo Royals senior Skotti Beck (No. 21) guards TMCHS Brave Aubree Jeanotte (15) in first quarter action of the 2024 NDHSAA Girls Basketball State Tournament at the MSU Dome on Thursday, March 6. Beck led the Royals in points in their season opener against the Carrington Cardinals with 18.

Constant ties and lead changes gave the South Prairie-Max Royals girls’ basketball team a 54-47 loss against the Carrington Cardinals in their season opener on the road Monday night, Dec. 1.

Monday’s turbulent games started out rough for the Royals. The Carrington Cardinals went on an early run, leading 6-0 in the early minutes of the game. Royals senior Skotti Beck scored the first points of the game for South Prairie-Max on a runaway lay-up after a rebound by junior Rylee Routledge. The Royals were up to work their way up to an 8-8 tie with a three-point shot by senior Maycie Talbott. South Prairie-Max were then able to take the lead, going on a seven point run to 15-8. The Royals kept their lead through the rest of the half, fighting the Cardinals neck and neck to 24-21, leading at the end of the first half.

The Royals’ struggles on the court continued in the early part of the second half. Carrington struck first once again, tying the game at 24-24 and taking the lead at 26-24. The Royals struck back, tying the game and taking the lead back at 28-26. The Cardinals tied the game one more time at 28-28 before the Royals went on another run, scoring five unanswered points before the Cardinals worked their way back to another tie. Both teams stayed close together through to 45-44. The Cardinals took the lead back soon after, going on an 18-4 run in the last minutes of the half, giving them the win 54-47 at the end of the game.

Both teams tied a total of five times of the course of the game and saw four lead changes. Senior Skotti Beck was the foremost point-earner for the Royals, scoring 18 points over the course of both halves. Sophomore Rylee Routledge took runner-up with 11 points. The two were the only players for South Prairie-Max to score double digit points for the game.

The Royals ended the night with their first loss of the season and will stay on the road, taking on Kenmare/Bowbells on Tuesday night, Dec. 2. The Royals will have their first game at South Prairie on Dec. 18 against the Bishop Ryan Lions.