The Class B all-state teams were announced this week, with three squads from the Lake Region represented on both the First and Second Teams. North Star, Sheyenne-New Rockford and Langdon Area/Edmore/Munich each had a player on both lists.
The First Team included North Star’s Dane Hagler, S-NR’s Connor Knatterud and LA/E/M’s Mason Romfo.
All there were seniors this spring. Hagler brought one of the hardest fastballs in Class B, and racked up impressive strikeouts as the Bearcats’ ace, with 50 in 23 1/3 innings. He also played shortstop and batted .484 as North Star’s lead off hitter.
Knatterud was also a leadoff hitter, and helped out on the mound as well. His biggest moment of the season came in the first round of the state tournament, when he provided four scoreless innings of relief in an 11-inning thriller. S-NR was the only team from the Lake Region that actually made it to the state tournament, despite North Star and LA/E/M delivering strong seasons in their own right.
Romfo was a pitcher and second baseman for the Cardinals. He typically hit leadoff or second in the order. He was a dynamic force in both, hitting .464 and pitching to a 1.66 ERA.
On the Second Team, S-NR’s Keaton Cudworth, North Star’s Zach Jorde and LA/E/M’s Theo Romfo received honors.
Cudworth was another massive part of the Black Sox’ aforementioned victory in the state tournament. He threw the first seven innings for S-NR, allowing two runs (none earned) with four strikeouts. He was the team’s No. 1 pitcher all season.
Jorde, meanwhile, provided North Star with a strong No. 2 pitcher behind Hagler. He struck out 22 in 14 2/3 innings. He also hit .452 as the team’s three-hole hitter.
T. Romfo is Mason’s younger, talented cousin. With a .432 average and 1.11 ERA — and 61 strikeouts in 38 innings — he arguably deserved to be on the First Team. He did this as a sophomore too, so he should only get better over the next two seasons.
Thompson won the Class B state tournament and had two players on both teams. Head coach Nate Soulis also took home Class B Baseball Coach of the Year.
Shiloh Christian’s Michael Fagerland won Class B Senior Athlete of the Year.
