Class B Region 2 Predictions – Sleeper Squads

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hatton/Northwood</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The Thunder are poised to challenge Park River/Fordville-Lankin in District 3. Coach Evenstad is looking to utilize their speed and athleticism this season. He has multiple girls that can play multiple positions on the floor. Look out for this talented team once he finds the perfect rotations. They return All-Region selection [player_tooltip player_id='1106230' first='Elizabeth' last='Pinke']. She is a double-double machine and one of the best rebounders in the state. Sister [player_tooltip player_id='1118767' first='Anika' last='Pinke'] is another solid contributor who will see an increased role this season. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1266590' first='Natalie' last='Naastad'] is a 5'8 guard with good length and quickness. She played a ton last season and is a potential future All-District talent. Isabel Padilla, Abby Padilla, Brekyn Wamstad, and Jenna Grove are all names fighting for minutes and should round out a talented roster for the Hatton/Northwood Thunder.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Griggs/Midkota</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Griggs/Midkota is a true sleeper squad and could surprise a lot of opponents this season. They return an All-Star senior in [player_tooltip player_id='1212044' first='Kelsey' last='Johnson']. The All-Region returner is a prolific scorer and excels at getting to the basket. She will need some teammates to step up and embrace a bigger role this season if they are going to reach their potential as a team. Junior Jessa Spickle is someone who can step up and be a consistent scorer. The Titans are going to be tough if she can get to double-figure scoring. Haylie Spickle, Aislyn Sad, Ruth Haugen, and Jossie Vincent all gained varsity experience last season and will need to have expanded roles this season. This team graduated 5 seniors from last year but returns a bunch of hungry athletes who will make Griggs/Midkota a tough out come March.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Drayton/Valley-Edinburg</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The Drayton/Valley-Edinburg Titans have an experienced team. They have four seniors that each have 3 plus years of varsity experience. This level of leadership will be instrumental in winning games in a tough region. They have a balanced squad, with players who are comfortable playing inside by the basket and guards who can stretch the floor from deep. Elizabeth Fedje is returning after missing part of last season due to injury. The 6'1 senior forward is capable of averaging a double-double this season and earning a spot on the All-Region team. Brooke Gullickson is a returning All-Region selection. She is the Titan's top returning scorer from last season. I anticipate she will average more points per game this season as a senior. Seniors Jacey Nelson and Jaelyn Johnson each bring important roles to this squad. Another year under their belt will lead to outstanding results. Look for sophomore Peyton Larson to continue to improve and carve out a critical role in the starting lineup.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->