West Fargo
Buses normally do not honk horns at
1 a.m., but early Sunday morning, that was the case for a white bus with green trim turning into the West Fargo American Legion baseball field.
Call it perks that come with being a state champion. Noise ordinances are flexible, at least for the first day.
The honking bus was transporting the West Fargo baseball team, fresh off its 2-0 win over Fargo Shanley in the North Dakota Class A baseball championship game in Mandan on Saturday.
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A large contingent of Packers fans gathered at the ballpark to welcome home the champions, who hung on to win a tight title game over the Deacons.
Shanley loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh, prompting Packers head coach Brett Peterson to bring in senior pitcher Andy Young. Young struck out the side on 10 pitches to clinch the Packers' first-ever baseball championship.
"It was fantastic," Peterson said just a few hours removed from the championship game. "It has been a goal of this group to grab an EDC championship and a state championship. These guys have worked hard in the offseason and during the season. They have done everything we have asked them to do and they have done a tremendous job."
Also in attendance was the West Fargo softball team that defeated Minot Ryan 1-0 in eight innings three hours earlier in the Class A state softball championship game at Elmwood Park.
The Packers celebrated the two championship teams' accolades into the the morning, but West Fargo wasn't the only town to celebrate this week.
Of the seven state tournaments held last week in North Dakota, six were won by local teams.
The Kindred's boys and girls golf teams each captured state team titles in Class B. Each Vikings squad also had the state's individual medalist. Senior David Talley shot a two-day 149 at the Oxbow Country Club and junior Laura Podolak carded a two-day 155 to take the top spot at CrossRoads Golf Course.
Saturday was also a day of firsts for the Enderlin-Maple Valley softball team. The Falcons won the inaugural Class B state softball championship with a 2-1 win over Central Cass.
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In Grand Forks, it was the Fargo Shanley girls soccer team wrapping up an undefeated season with a championship. The Deacons defeated Bismarck St. Mary's in a shootout.
The prep season closes out Wednesday with the Class A boys golf meet in Dickinson.
Readers can reach Forum reporter
Tom Mix at (701) 241-5562
