West Fargo Sheyenne baseball team (Photo by Kolby Koerner)
The spring sports season officially concluded this past weekend with the state baseball and softball tournaments.
No immediate teams from the Lake Region were represented this year, but here’s what went down in each of the four fields.
Class A state baseball champion: West Fargo Sheyenne
The Mustangs won state for the fourth time in the last five years. Their three-year streak of winning it ended last season, but they brought home another trophy despite underperforming for much of this spring.
Sheyenne was just the No. 7 seed out of eight teams in the EDC tournament, one spot below Devils Lake. Its overall record was 19-12, but it went just 10-12 in EDC points. Devils Lake was 11-11 overall and 12-10 in EDC points.
The Mustangs upset No. 2-seeded West Fargo Horace 7-3 in the first round of the EDC tournament, forcing Devils Lake to play Horace in its consolation round. The Hawks wound up ending the Firebirds’ season with a 2-0 win. Horace, meanwhile, beat West Fargo 6-1 to win a state qualifier game.
Sheyenne beat Fargo South 14-5 in the EDC semifinals to punch its ticket to state. It lost 1-0 to Fargo Davies in the EDC championship, so it went to state as the No. 2 seed from the EDC.
All three of Sheyenne’s state tournament runs were one-run victories.
The Mustangs’ run started with a 4-3 walkoff win, scoring two in the bottom of the seventh to take down Bismarck Legacy. Hudson Dinger, one of the top baseball prospects in the state, allowed three runs — all unearned — on two hits in six innings while striking out eight. After Dinger was intentionally walked, Jayce Burns had the two-run hit to end it, aided by an error in right field.
In the semifinals, Sheyenne beat Fargo South 6-5. The Mustangs gave up two in the seventh but held on to win it, stranding the tying run on third.
The championship was a similar story, with Sheyenne going up 5-0 and giving up four in the sixth to make it interesting. It ended up being another 6-5 win, over Minot, to win the state title. Once again, the opposing team had the tying run on third in the seventh inning. Landon Zink induced a lineout to finish it. Parker Rolfson went the first 5 2/3 innings for Sheyenne, with three runs allowed.
Kellen Burke, a catcher for the runner-up Magicians, was named the Class A Senior Athlete of the Year in baseball. Hans Anderson, head coach of third-place Fargo Davies, was honored as the Class A Baseball Coach of the Year.
With four state championships, Sheyenne is still second to Dickinson’s five as the most in Class A. The Midgets — soon to be the Mavericks — haven’t won a baseball title since 2016.
Devils Lake has never won a Class A baseball title. It’s been to four state tournaments: 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Class B state baseball champion: Thompson
The Tommies won the Class B baseball title for the fourth consecutive year. According to an article by Grant Hubbard of The Forum, it’s the first time since the late 1950s/early 1960s that a Class B baseball team has achieved that.
Thompson dismantled Renville County 9-1 in the opening round before winning a 4-3 thriller over Northern Cass.
Tied 2-2 after six innings, the Tommies surrendered a run in the top of the seventh before walking it off with two in the bottom half. They won on a bases-loaded hit by pitch.
They took down LaMoure-Litchville/Marion 10-7 in the title game. Dex Avdem and William Welke each had three hits in the contest. The Tommies survived giving up six runs over the last three innings, including three in the final frame.
Among the four straight championships for Thompson, three have been won over L-L/M in the championship game. With nine total state titles, Thompson has the most of any Class B baseball team. L-L/M has never won it despite coming close.
Brett Omdahl, head coach of third-place Park River Area, won Class B Coach of the Year. Center fielder Trey Husar, from fourth-place Northern Cass, was named Class B Senior Athlete of the Year.
North Star junior Hunter Hagler was named to the Class B All-State First Team, as was Langdon Area/Munich’s Theo Romfo.
Class A state softball champion: Williston
The Coyotes had never even been to a state tournament before. They are now state champions.
They beat Sheyenne 14-4 and Bismarck 7-4 in the first two rounds. The title game saw them edge out Minot 3-2. Alana Thomas pitched a complete game, allowing only two runs on three hits while striking out nine. Both runs came in the third inning.
Williston head coach Jesse Stundal was named Class A Coach of the Year for softball. Fargo North’s Aubrey King was the Class A Senior Athlete of the Year.
Since softball was sanctioned in North Dakota in 2009, Williston is the fifth different school to win a Class A championship. West Fargo won the state title in 10 of the first 11 years, but hasn’t won it since 2019.
Williston’s championship ended a two-year streak for Dickinson.
Devils Lake was second-to-last in the EDC standings this year and did not make the postseason.
Class B state softball champion: Central Cass
The Squirrels won their seventh state softball championship, the most of any Class B team.
Class B softball has existed in North Dakota since 2012. Only three schools besides Central Cass have ever won a state title: Kindred/Richland (four times), and one each for Beulah and Enderlin/Maple Valley.
Central Cass won the opening round 17-0 over Carrington, which made its first ever state softball appearance. The Squirrels went on to beat Beulah 9-2 in the semis.
They won 4-1 over Des Lacs-Burlington to take home the title. Whitney Mitchell allowed just one unearned run in seven innings, while Sophie Scherweit hit a home run.
Velva/Drake-Anamoose’s Bryce Gutknecht, whose team placed fifth, won Class B Softball Coach of the Year. Peyton Quam, from third-place Hillsboro/Central Valley, was named Class B Senior Athlete of the Year.
Next up in the high school diamond sports world, the American Legion Baseball summer season commences this week. Devils Lake, competing in the middle division of a three-class system, looks to defend last year’s state tournament appearance.
