GRAND FORKS, N.D. – As Fargo Shanley continued to build on the narrow 41-39 lead it held at halftime, somehow you got a feeling that Devils Lake would eventually make a run and push the Deacons to the limit.
That run never fully materialized.
Fargo Shanley used its strength inside and made the most of its free throw attempts to hold off the Firebirds 90-78 in a state-qualifying game Saturday at the Eastern Dakota Conference tournament at the Alerus Center.
The win sends the Deacons to the state tournament, which begins March 11 at the Bismarck Civic Center. Fargo Shanley will take a 10-12 record and No. 3 seed from the EDC into the tournament and will take on Mandan in the first round.
Devils Lake ends the season at 9-13.
“We thought we had one more run in us,” Devils Lake senior standout Taylor Hoffart said, “but we just couldn’t get it done.”
The Deacons extended its halftime advantage to 64-53 midway through the second half. But that was when the Firebirds appeared to begin making their run at the Deacons.
Devils Lake scored the next eight points to pull to within 64-61 with 8:13 left in the game. Calvin Crawford started that run by hitting three of four free throws and a field goal. Brantley Light’s 3-pointer capped the spurt for the Firebirds.
The Firebirds went cold from the field over the next seven minutes as Erickstad’s field goal at 6:27 would be the only basket during that span as Shanley regained its double-digit lead. A Dylan Dunn field goal put the Deacons in front 74-63 with 4:06 left in the contest.
Erickstad, who scored the first 13 points of the game for Devils Lake, finished with a game-high 29 points in his final high school game. Hoffart, also playing his final prep game, finished with 20 points, including 15 from beyond the arc.
They were the lone two Firebirds to reach double figures.
Hoffart and Erickstad were both selected to the All-EDC squad, which was announced after the championship game on Saturday night.
Shanley placed four players in double digits with Josh Rodenbiker leading the way with 23 points, while A.J. Jacobson added 19 points. Dunn and Montplaisir chipped in with 15 and 12 points, respectively.
Shanley converted 26 of 38 free throws in Saturday’s game that lifted them into the state tournament.
Devils Lake, which shot more than 80 free throws in the three-day tournament, finished with 30 of 37 charity tosses against the Deacons.
That Devils Lake had even made it to the brink of its first state appearance since 2007 seemed improbable as the Firebirds dropped seven of their first eight games of the season. They had won six of eight to close the regular season and headed into the EDC tournament with some momentum.
“We had a terrible start,” said Hoffart to the opening of the campaign. “Losing Ben (Wolf) early really ruined it for us. If he had been with us, I think the season would have turned out a whole lot differently.”
Wolf, a key member of Devils Lake’s football team that advanced to the Dakota Bowl before falling to Shanley in overtime, reinjured his knee early in the season and appeared in just one game before being forced to the bench for the remainder of the year.
Fargo Shanley (90): Josh Rodenbiker 23, A.J. Jacobson 19, Dylan Dunn 15, Myles Montplaisir 12, Stefan Webber 6, Ian Lancaster 6, Josh Wolf 5, Mike Jones 4.
Devils Lake (78): Ben Erickstad 29, Taylor Hoffart 20, Brantley Light 9, Jacob Joramo 5, Tyler Mertens 6, Nathan Mertens 4, Calvin Crawford 4.
3-pointers: Shanley 2 (Rodenbiker 1, Lancaster 1), Devils Lake 6 (Hoffart 5, Light 1). Rebounds: Shanley 36 (Dunn 11), Devils Lake 31 (Erickstad 8). Personal fouls: Shanley 30, Devils Lake 26. Technical fouls: Montplaisir, T. Mertens, Light. Fouled out: Webber. Wolf, Hoffart, T. Mertens. Assists: Shanley 5 (Jacobson 2), Devils Lake 10 (Light 3). Steals: Shanley 6 (Dunn 2), Devils Lake 9 (Joramo 3). Blocked shots: Shanley 3 (Jacobson 1, Jones 1, Buth 1), Devils Lake 2 (Erickstad). Turnovers: Shanley 16, Devils Lake 14.
Records: Fargo Shanley 10-12, Devils Lake 9-13
