Maggie Olson has a high opinion of the West Fargo girls basketball team.
That's why the Fargo North senior loved Friday.
Behind 21 points and 12 rebounds from Olson, the Spartans scored a 68-64 home overtime victory against the Packers in Eastern Dakota Conference girls basketball.
"Morale-wise it feels really good," said the 5-foot-11 post player. "They are the top team in the EDC and it felt really good knowing we could play with them."
Ranked No. 3 in the Class A poll, West Fargo (6-2, 4-1 EDC) lost its first conference game. North (4-6, 4-2) snapped a four-game losing streak.
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"It's a big uplift for us coming off those loses," North coach Terry Porter said. "This gives us the confidence that we can play at the next level. In my mind, West Fargo is the best team in the EDC."
West Fargo shot 28 percent (21 of 74) from the field.
"You aren't going to win many games shooting like that," West Fargo coach Lynette Mund said. "You aren't going to win many games giving up 68 points. I don't want to take anything away from Fargo North. They played a great game."
Specifically, the Packers had trouble slowing the Spartans in the paint.
North junior post Sarah Jastram scored 12 points off the bench to go along with Olson's game-high 21 points.
"I was surprised," Mund said. "I thought we would be able to contain them a little bit better, but they wanted it. We definitely have to go back to work on defense."
Jastram played a key role in overtime, scoring two inside baskets in the first minute. The second hoop gave North a 60-56 lead with 3 minutes, 6 seconds remaining.
The Spartans never trailed in overtime. However, West Fargo cut the North lead to 63-62 lead with 1:14 to play after Ali Edwards hit a pull-up shot from the free throw line. Edwards scored 15 points.
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North responded again.
This time it was junior guard Jessica Arechigo draining a 3-pointer from the left wing with 57 seconds remaining for a 66-62 lead.
"This is just the type of effort we wanted out of our girls," Porter said.
West Fargo 5-11 post Andrea Hummel led her team with 17 points. Tiffany Gjestvang, a 6-1 post, added six points.
However, the Spartans held their own in the lane with Olson and Jastram.
"Those two posts are probably some of the top posts in the state," Olson said of Hummel and Gjestvang. "You know it's going to be a tough night."
West Fargo 9 25 41 56 64
North 18 26 42 56 68
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WEST FARGO: Vance 3 0-0 8, Haerter 2 2-2 6, Edwards 6 2-2 15, Gjestvang 3 0-0 6, Hummel 3 11-15 17, Kussatz 1 0-0 3, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Dell 2 0-0 5, Capouch 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 17-21 64.
NORTH: Hanson 1 5-7 7, Goughnour 1 2-2 5, Arechigo 4 2-2 11, Olson 8 5-13 21, Carpenter 4 0-1 8, Jastram 5 2-4 12, Welk 2 0-0 4. Totals 25 16-29 68.
3-point goals: Vance 2, Edwards, Kussatz, Dell, Goughnour, Arechigo. Total fouls: WF 22, North 17. Fouled out: Hanson. Rebounds: WF 36 (Gjestvang 9), North 40 (Olson 12). Turnovers: WF 15, North 22.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Eric Peterson at (701) 241-5513
