Maple River girls end season 16-3 and on an eleven game winning streak

The fifth ranked Maple River girls played their last game of the regular season and the last game in the Raiderdome. Maple River will be moving into their new gym next season.

It was also senior night for Maple River. Kiana Lerud, Jada Von Bank and Iris Richman played their final home game of their careers.

Hatton-Northwood looked like they were going to spoil the evening by jumping out a 13-5 lead in the first quarter. But the Raiders came back with a 15-4 run to end the quarter. A back door layup by Violet Richman started the run with 4:09 to go in the first quarter. Adyson Hannig scored inside with 57.2 seconds to go in the quarter to give the Raiders then 16-15 lead. Two free throws by Hannig with 30.1 seconds capped the run making it 20-17 Raiders after one.

The Thunder started the second quarter like they started the game and used an 11-4 run to take a 28-24 lead. But the Raiders came back to tie it at 30 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Hatton-Northwood a couple of leads at 37-36 and 40-39. But the final lead change of the night came when Iris Richman scored on a layup with 3:27 to go in the quarter and Maple River now up 41-40. They would lead 50-46 at the end of the third quarter and outscored the Thunder 11-5 in the fourth to win 61-51. Raider head coach Nathan Hoots said they this game could have gone wrong fast. “In the final night of the regular season, we knew there were going to be a lot of emotions. The combination of the final game in this gym, along with it being senior night, provided distractions that could’ve kept us from finishing the season the way we wanted to.”

Hatton/Northwood provided a great challenge for us, especially with their size and physicality. It took us a bit of time to figure out how we wanted to defend them, but I’m excited the way the girls answered the bell, stood up to the challenge, and found a way to win.”

Violet Richman led the Raiders with 22 points, four assists and three steals.

Adyson Hannig had 13 points, and four rebounds. Iris Richman and nine points and three assists. BriElle Killoran filled the stat sheet with eight points, eight rebounds, six assists, four steals and four blocked shots. Kiana Lerud had five points and five rebounds while Carly Hovelson and Jada Von Bank each scored two points.

Maple River ends the season 16-3 and on an eleven game winning streak and will be the top seed in the District tournament. Coach Hoots says it is time for the second season. “I’m happy with the win, but both the players and the coaches understand that what we’ve really been working for begins this Friday at NDSCS in Wahpeton.