Blackhawks hoping to use last year's experience at state

The Sanborn Central/Woonsocket girls’ basketball team is heading into the Class B state tournament with something new this year.

The Blackhawks, who were in their first year as a cooperative a year ago, played their way to fourth place in last year’s state tournament.

Every girl on this year’s squad contributed to that fourth-place finish last season, giving the team a wealth of postseason familiarity.

“It’s not the first time being there for any of our players,” co-head coach Rob Baruth said. “The girls feel comfortable and confident going in with experience.”

Sanborn Central/Woonsocket is the fourth seed heading into the tournament and faces fifth-seeded Sully Buttes in its opening game of the state tournament at 1:45 p.m. today at Huron Arena.

“We have to play our game and we’ve been doing it all year long,” Baruth said. “It starts on the defensive end of the floor. We’ve got to limit them to one shot and be patient on offense.”

Neither school has ever won a state championship and that is something the Blackhawks are gunning for.

“We want to win the whole thing,” Baruth said. “Every team has that same goal, but you can only do that by taking one game at a time. We need to take care of that first game and that will set up the rest of the tournament.”

The Blackhawks earned their way to the Class B state tournament for the second straight year by sticking to their strengths.This season, the Blackhawks have been led by junior Shelby Selland with 17 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game. Senior Rachelle Moore averages 10.5 points per game and eighth-grader Myah Selland has 9.9 points per game.

The Blackhawks defeated each of their opponents by more than 35 points en route to the District 9B championship, beating Wolsey-Wessington and James Valley Christian.

Sanborn Central/Woonsocket earned its state tournament berth by edging Mitchell Christian 53-47 Friday in Huron in come-from-behind fashion.

Baruth said the communities are thrilled and ready to cheer on the team as it attempts to earn its first state girls’ basketball title.

“Everybody is excited,” he said. “It’s just fantastic that we’re able to play so close to home.”

Tags: sports, updates, forestburg, letcher, artesian, woonsocket, basketball