Sports News

Hillsboro remains alone at the top of the District 3 volleyball standings.
The Burros, 5-0 against district teams and 18-10 overall, are in the final month of regular-season play. Hillsboro, which is a perfect 10-0 in the district point standings, hosted Dakota Prairie last night. Hatton-Northwood is here Tuesday night.
The District 3 tournament opens Oct. 25 in Hillsboro.
MayPort-CG and Thompson trail the Burros in the district standings.
Hillsboro coach Jamie Rerick expected the Burros, Thompson and MPCG to be in a battle for the district lead. She wasn’t convinced, however, at the start of the year that the Burros would be leading the pack entering the final month of the regular season schedule. She anticipated her team would be playing championship volleyball by tournament time.
“The girls surprised me. Now my expectations are even higher.”
Rerick tells how she can see — in the eyes of her players — the desire to keep winning.
Meantime, she reminds the Burro players of teams like Thompson and MayPort-CG. “They’re good and to play with great teams we have to work hard.
“Every point matters.”
Playing as a team has factored in the recent success of the team, according to Rerick.
“The way we play as a team is a key point.”
The Burros hosted Hillsboro’s annual invitational volleyball tournament last Saturday.
Hillsboro went 4-0 in the tourney, beating Larimore, 2-0; Norman County West, 2-1; Central Valley, 2-1; and West Fargo JV, 2-1. The Burros beat Griggs County Central, 3-0, on Sept. 27 at Cooperstown.
Beaten by Norman County West earlier in the season, the Burros came back to beat the Panthers 25-17, 7-25, 15-7 Saturday.
“I knew we had the potential to play with them and win, we just needed to be ready to play. And we were,” said Rerick.
Ashley Doeden had nine kills against the Panthers.
Junior Allison Bertsch has impressed the coach with her motivation, discipline and aggressiveness.
“She never lets the team give up.”
Kiley Coles, Rerick said, has been a very positive leader this year.
She pushes her teammates to play better, said the HHS coach.
The matches this week with Dakota Prairie and Hatton-Northwood are District 3 pairings.