Class A Region 1 Predictions – Top 3

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1 - Valley City Hi-Liners</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Head Coach Jimmy Howard is entering his 11th year at Valley City. During his tenure he had to endure some tough stretches where it was difficult to find wins. He helped navigate the Hi-Liners' transition to the Class A division. He built a program that won the Class A State Championship in 2024-2025. His squad this year will be one of a handful of favorites to win it again. They have length, height, and strength which will be difficult for opponents to handle. Leading the way is All-State player [player_tooltip player_id='933463' first='Katie' last='Burchill']. She is an absolute stud and will be ready to ball-out day one. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1056624' first='Dacota' last='Potratz'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1056705' first='Maddy' last='Anderson'] are two college prospects and good basketball players. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1056706' first='Skye' last='Nielson'] is an All-Region quality player. Fellow sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1126118' first='Kinslee' last='Glandt'] is also very talented. The Hi-Liners are the clear favorite to make it out of Region 1 this season.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2 - Central Cass Squirrels</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Central Cass has enough pieces to compete for a Region 1 title. I think both Central Cass and Kindred will have a hard time knocking off Valley City, though. The Squirrels are guard heavy and will need to rely on their speed and quickness. I predict them playing an up-tempo game by pressing their opponents full-court. They have the current number one ranked player in the 2029 class in [player_tooltip player_id='1057798' first='Kenley' last='Haug']. She is a high-level recruit and Jay Bachman is lucky he gets to coach a player of her caliber for the next four years. [player_tooltip player_id='933462' first='Olivia' last='Siverson'] is another All-Region returning forward. She is incredibly athletic and a college prospect. Fellow senior [player_tooltip player_id='1057827' first='Abby' last='Kobbervig'] and Addi Hushka are two quality role players. Younger guards [player_tooltip player_id='1266592' first='Jaci' last='Verkuehlen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1266591' first='Adrian' last='Hintermeister'] will be players fighting for some varsity minutes.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3 - Kindred Vikings</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sam Brandt is one of the best coaches in the state. She always has her team prepared and gets the most out of each season's potential. They have potential to get back to the state tournament in 2025-2026 with a very talented roster headlined by All-State sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1004419' first='Siera' last='Nipstad']. She is a scoring machine but is also an excellent passer. She is very active defensively - she is just really, really good. [player_tooltip player_id='933460' first='Liza' last='Trenbeath'] is an All-Region returner who has shown tremendous improvement this offseason. She is a long, talented guard who is hungry to get back to state. 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='1224885' first='Taylor' last='Sanders'] is a 5'11 athletic forward who will be a nice piece this season. There are a handful of other 2027's looking to make their mark on this Vikings team including Ivy Trenbeath, Collins MqQuillan, Kate Odegaard, and Mallory Keller.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->