FARGO-It was turn back the clock night at the Spartandome Friday, with both the Fargo South and Fargo North girls basketball teams wearing throwback uniforms.
The trip back in time served South well as it cruised to a 69-44 Eastern Dakota Conference victory at the Spartandome while sporting the program's solid gold jerseys from the mid 2000s.
The Bruins (4-6, 4-5 EDC) used a 12-0 run in the beginning of the second half to pull away from the Spartans (2-6, 2-5).
"I thought we started both halves off well and that's what carried us through," said South senior all-state guard Maddie Erickson, who led all scorers with 26 points.
By the time the run ended, the Bruins held a 48-23 lead with 14 minutes, 21 seconds left to play.
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"At halftime we talked about how important the first five minutes of the second half were going to be," South head coach Jason Smedshammer said. "We got a little breathing room that we ended up needing."
During the first four minutes of the second half, the Bruins put the ball into the paint where senior all-state forward Emily Stroup took over.
Stroup posted 10 points in the second half and finished the game with a double-double, scoring 21 points and adding 13 rebounds.
"That was the plan," Smedshammer said of getting the ball to Stroup early in the second half. "We wanted to get her a couple touches inside and she is pretty good about finishing those off."
Senior guard McKenzie Roehrich joined Erickson and Stroup in double figures, scoring all 10 of her points in the second half.
North was led by senior guard Kalli Baarstad, who scored 15 points just two days after her father Bruce passed away.
"Kalli is probably one of the strongest players I have ever worked with as a coach and she knew this was the right thing to do," North head coach Aryelle Jones said. "She has a tough week and she has all our hearts. For her to come out and play as strong as she did just shows how great of person she is."
T-shirts with Baarstad's No. 23 were sold to help the family and a Miracle Minute donation fundraiser was held at halftime for the Baarstad family and the family of a South boys basketball player who lost a parent this week. Over $2,000 was collected.
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HALF: FS 36, FN 23
SOUTH: Green 3, Brakke 2, Erickson 26, Roehrich 10, Stroup 21, Aguilar 2, Froysland 2, DuBois 3.
NORTH: Vangerud 2, Vannett 1, Baarstad 15, Kjar 2, Johnson 5, Bakke 10, Naseth 3, Astrup 4, Schweigert 2.
