Sports

Braves skid continues

By Tyler Ohmann

02/12/2013

Bottineau fought strongly in front of a home, Snow Fest crowd last Monday to try and avoid going winless in district play.

However, Drake-Anamoose got the better of the Braves in a 60-51 win that pushed the Raiders into the two seed for the tournament, and gave Bottineau a goose egg and the eighth seed.

Bottineau hung in the entire game, trailed by seven at the half and then managed to tie the game at 38 after three quarters.

However, the Raiders made a spurt in the final period to earn their fourth district win.

Ryan Kuntz, Derek Fahy and Tanner Volson combined for 45 of the Raiders 60 points. Bottineau was led by a valiant 24-point effort from freshman Parker Engelhard. Seven other Braves scored in the contest, but none could claim double digits.

The loss was the 11th straight for Bottineau, dating back to the Mandan Holiday Tournament.

However, the loss to the Raiders wouldn’t be the last Bottineau suffered. The Braves fell to the St. John Woodchucks on Saturday on senior night and the regular season closer.

The Woodchucks delivered the Braves their 12th straight defeat in an 86-47 drubbing. Four St. John players were in double figures led by Dalton Poitra’s 17 points.

Senior Ty Domben had a career-best 11 points, while Garrett Pollman had nine points and Jake Carroll added eight.

St. John was ahead early and Braves could not rally from a slow start. The Woodchucks led by 14 after the first quarter, and by halftime that lead ballooned to 22.

St. John continued scoring in the second half and wound up with a 39-point win.

The losses dropped the Braves to 4-15 this season. Their 0-7 District 11 record put them as the eight seed in the upcoming district tournament in Rugby.

As the eight seed Bottineau will play the top seeded Rugby Panthers in the first game of the tournament at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

If the Braves would manage to pull off the upset they would play at 6 p.m. on Friday. If they fall they will play at 3 p.m. on Friday.

The action on Saturday begins at 4:30 p.m. and closes with the championship at 7:30 p.m.

The top four finishers will move on to the Region 6 tournament in Minot beginning on Monday, Feb. 25.