Fargo Oak Grove senior Alex Aarestad used a tried and true sports cliché Tuesday when describing the Grovers' 18-point victory.
"We just had to put it all out there," Aarestad said. "Just leave it all out on the floor."
Few would argue that the Grovers didn't do just that, defeating the previously unbeaten Maple Valley Raiders, the No. 3-ranked team in North Dakota Class B, 62-44 in high school girlsbasketball.
"It's a huge win against a very good ball club," Grovers coach Mark Selisker said. "Everything went well for us tonight."
Aarestad led the Grovers, scoring a game-high 28 points.
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"She's just so quick," Selisker said. "People don't realize how quick she is until they play against her."
Oak Grove went on an early 13-4 run, leading at the end of the first, 15-10.
"They really controlled the tempo of the game," Raiders coach Jim McDaniel said. "I think the first half they probably outworked us."
Grovers outscored the Raiders 19-7 in the second quarter, leading 34-17 at half.
Oak Grove led by as much as 23 in the third.
"They never really gave us a chance to get back in the game," McDaniel said. "The momentum was theirs the entire game."
Kristen Killoran and Brittany Kohler helped the Raiders put together a 11-3 run, closing the gap to 52-40.
It was too little, too late.
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Kohler finished with 17 points and Killoran 14 for the Raiders, who played without starter Natasha Flaten, home with the flu.
"This is the first time where I felt we've played a complete game," Selisker said.
Oak Grove visits Enderlin at 6 p.m. Friday.
Maple Valley 10 17 29 44
Oak Grove 15 34 49 62
MAPLE VALLEY (13-1): Terveen 1 0-4 2, M. Steidl 1 0-0 2, Killoran 5 4-6 14, Kohler 5 4-4 17, Dimmer 1 0-2 3, K. Steidl 1 4-6 6. Totals 14 12-22 44.
OAK GROVE (7-6): Erickson 1 1-2 3, Langseth 5 5-9 15, Aarestad 12 4-6 28, Baker 0 3-7 3, Sather 1 0-0 3, Nelson 1 0-0 2, Quick 3 0-0 6, Barnhart 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 13-18 62.
3-point goals: Kohler 3, Dimmer, Sather. Total fouls: OG 20, MV 20. Fouled out: Erickson, Barnhart, Kohler.
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Readers can reach Forum reporter John Odermann at (701) 241-5504
