CARRINGTON (NewsDakota)- The motto of the 2025-26 Carrington girls basketball team is “Respect All, Fear None”.  For a new group of girls after five seniors departed last year, they took it to heart on opening night.

Carrington got four players in double-figures and closed on a 19-4 run to defeat the top-ranked South Prairie-Max Royals 54-47 on Monday night in the East Gym.

The Cardinals (1-0) jumped out with the first six and eight of the first ten points of the game before a 13-0 run by the Royals (0-1) gave them a 15-8 lead.  But Carrington slowly fought back, with Mya Neis delivering five second quarter points off the bench and by halftime, the margin was 24-21 SP-Max.

In the third quarter, another 9-0 Royals run, this time on the strength of first-team all-state guard Skotti Beck, who hit consecutive threes.  But Sienna Topp, Aniston Hoornaert, and Marah Johnson each drained triples and Carrington trailed 39-35 after three.

The fourth quarter began with some tic-for-tac until Rylee Routledge gave SP-Max a 43-35 lead with a layup.  That was the last field goal the Royals would make.  Topp and Johnson each buried threes and the team went 10-for-15 from the free throw line to ice the upset.

The Cardinals open Region 2A play on December 9, on the road at Hillsboro/Central Valley with coverage on KDAK The Cardinal beginning at 6:45pm.

SPM            19                5                 15                8                      47

CHS            12                9                 14                19                     54

SOUTH PRAIRIE-MAX (0-1): Skotti Beck 18; Rylee Routledge 11; Mya Gunville 7; Abby Mikkelson 5; Maycie Talbott 3; Brianna Rose 2

CARRINGTON (1-0): Maara Kutz 12; Marah Johnson 12; Aniston Hoornaert 12; Sienna Topp 10; Mya Neis 5; Harper Kollman 3

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