TUESDAY'S SPORTS BRIEFS: DWU gets first win of season

YORK, Neb. — Brittany Pritchard scored a game-high 24 points and pulled down a game-best 12 rebounds to lead the Dakota Wesleyan University women’s basketball team to its first victory of the season Monday night.

The Tigers came back from a 16-point first-half deficit to beat York College 72-70.

“I thought she played a better second half than first half,” Christensen said of Pritchard. “She was posting up stronger. She’s a special kid when she plays to her abilities.”

Pritchard, a junior forward, was 9-of-13 shooting and made both her 3-point attempts. She also had a pair of blocks in the game.

The Tigers cut the 16-point deficit to two by halftime, but did fall behind by as much as nine in the second half before rallying.

York (1-5) led by seven with less than 7 minutes to play, but the Tigers went on a 9-2 run to tie the game at 57. Micaela Erickson made two free-throws with a minute remaining to give DWU a three-point lead and it held on from there.

Elizabeth Lamb had 16 points, while Brittany Hills had 12 and Alexandria native Amanda Hart scored 11 for DWU, which shot 50 percent from the floor as a team after halftime.

“Our shot selection was better,” Christensen said. “In the first half, we rushed a lot of our shots. The second half, we were more patient.”

The Tigers out-rebounded York 45-36 in the game.

Injuries hampered DWU, which will be without senior Kenzie Dvoracek for six weeks.

The Tigers host Dordt College (Iowa) at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Corn Palace.

Olsen named MVP of Cornbelt Conf.

By The Daily Republic

Jeb Olsen showed his dominance in the Cornbelt Conference this season, helping the Canistota football team to the Class 9B state championship and beating conference rivals Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan and Hanson along the way.

Olsen was honored by the coaches on Monday, being named the conference’s most valuable player. He’s just one of seven Canistota selections on the all-conference first team, which includes quarterback Sam Jolley, tight end Trevor Schroeder and lineman Nic Golder on offense. On defense, linebackers Troy Hofer and Eric Tieszen made it as did defensive back Ryan Tieszen. Canistota also had one second-team selection and a pair of honorable mentions.

Hanson, which won the 9A state title, had six players on the first team in linemen Jacob Bartscher and Jacob Bender and fullback Tyson Tuttle on offense, and linebacker Pierce Smith, defensive back Cole Wenande and lineman Jordan Craig on defense. Hanson had one second-team and two honorable-mention selections.

Class 9AA champion B-E/E had four first-teamers in running back Jordan Connor, tight end Tyson Kayser and defensive linemen Darin Bartscher and Brandon Berg. The Seahawks had two second teams and one honorable-mention selection.

Marion also had a first-team pick in Steven Schoenwald at linebacker.

First team

Canistota: Sam Jolley, Jeb Olsen, Trevor Schroeder, Nic Golder, Troy Hofer, Eric Tieszen, Ryan Tieszen.

Hanson: Tyson Tuttle, Jacob Bartscher, Jacob Bender, Jordan Craig, Pierce Smith, Cole Wenande.

B-E/E: Jordon Connor, Tyson Kayser, Darin Bartscher, Brandon Berg.

Parker: Cedric Hay, Blake Reynolds.

Marion: Steven Schoenwald.

Second team: Alex Robertson, Canistota; Justin Schaefers, Hanson; Justin Grosdidier and Ryan Hanks, B-E/E; Caleb Lang, Chet Hermsen and Tyson Lager, Freeman; Taylor Koehn and Phil Luke, Marion; Nate Rasmussen, Parker.

Honorable mention: Jalen Weber and Nathan Dick, Canistota; Alex Kayser and Reid Smith, Hanson; Anthony Huber, B-E/E; Bryce Sayler and Slade Mutchelknaus, Freeman; Dylan Cotton and Clint Even, Marion; Seth Dykstra, Tyson Lemke and Karter Lingen, Parker.

Trio of Tigers make all-conference team

By The Daily Republic

Three Dakota Wesleyan University men’s soccer players were honored by the Great Plains Athletic Conference as all-league selections, it was announced Monday.

Eric Moller, Hugo Gonzalez and Dane Hagen each were named to the All-GPAC honorable mention team.

Hagen, a junior from Pierre, led the team with 27 points and 12 goals.

Gonzalez, a sophomore midfielder, had 15 total points, five goals and three assists.

Moller, a freshman defender from Rapid City, had four goals and eight points to help lead the Tigers to their first-ever trip to the GPAC tournament.

DWU finished the season 9-9-2 and tied for the second most wins in school history.

Young wins three titles at Pierre meet

By The Daily Republic

PIERRE — Mitchell Aquatic Club’s Katrina Young took first place in three events Sunday at the Pierre Invitational.

Young, 17, won the 50-meter freestyle, 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly in the 17-19 year-old division. She finished the 50 freestyle in a time of 26.93 seconds, the 200 freestyle in 2:04.21 and the 100 butterfly in 1:01.03.

Gage Nelson, 10, also had three victories in the 9-10 year-old division over the weekend-long event. Nelson won the 50 freestyle (30.90 seconds), 50 breaststroke (40.62) and the 100 breaststroke (1:28.57).

Abigail Young, 14, also posted a pair of first-place finishes in the 13-14 year-old division. She won the 50 freestyle and 200 freestyle for the MAC.

Marlin girls open preseason with win

By The Daily Republic

PIERRE — The Mitchell Marlins girls hockey team opened its preseason with a 6-0 win over the Pierre Capitols on Saturday.

The six goals were scored by six different players for the Marlins.

Kayla Murtha, Haley Stahl, Emily Sudbeck, Anna Rice, Camie Rauscher and Rachelle Zimmer each scored while Kylie Barington and Lindsey Lawrence each had two assists.

Cara Beck had nine saves and Hannah Spates had eight saves between the pipes for the Marlins, who outshot Pierre 35-17.

The Marlins junior varsity team also won 2-1.

The Marlins start league play against the Sioux Falls Flyers at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Expo Ice Arena in Sioux Falls.

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