North Dakota Preview: Region 8 Top Forwards

<span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s never too early for too-early-season. With fall sports and school underway, it’s only a matter of time before the winter sports season is upon us. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the top forwards in Region 8</span> <strong>Jacee Turcotte, Trenton</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Turcotte averaged 10 points and nine rebounds as a sophomore, helping the Tigers reach the state tournament for the second year in a row. She averaged a double-double in the region tournament and she’ll have more offensive opportunities and responsibility as an upperclassman. She’s a skilled shooter and has the motor to produce consistent offense no matter the matchup.</span> <strong>Wynter Dean, Parshall</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dean has the ability to put up double-doubles on a nightly basis and with the Braves graduating a pair of double-figure scorers from last year’s 17-win team, she’ll have a lot more offensive responsibility as a senior. She’s a quality interior defender who can rebound and protect the paint. And she’s a capable finisher in traffic who can do a lot of the dirty work inside. </span> <strong>Bethany Schmidt, Tioga</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Schmidt was a bright spot for Tioga last season, averaging a double-double on a team that lacked a lot of offensive punch. She’s one of the best interior players in the region, combining solid finishing ability with the defensive prowess to anchor a team that allowed just 41 points per game. </span> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="195380" first="Leevi" last="Meyer"], Stanley</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Meyer is one of the top players in Region 8 and a potential double-double threat every night. She’s got great size and skill, making her one of the toughest players in the area to match up with. She can handle the ball a little bit, she can make plays a little bit, she gets to the rim and she’s got a solid shooting touch. The Bluejays should be competitive in Region 8 in large part because they have a terrific inside-outside duo with Meyer inside and [player_tooltip player_id="97773" first="Taylor" last="Dean"] outside. </span> <strong>Brenna Stroklund, Kenmare</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Stroklund was a key contributor in her freshman year, helping the Honkers reach the region championship game. She’s an excellent two-way player up front and while she isn’t the tallest player, she’s active and athletic. Stroklund showed signs of being a player who can produce in a big way on the offensive end of the floor - expect her numbers to rise in a big way as a sophomore.</span>