Devils burn Coyotes in opener
By Codi Smith
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
Although fought against non-conference competitors, the Dawson County Red Devils Saturday night contest against the Williston, N.D. Coyotes was one of the squarest match-ups expected for the 2006-2007 regular season.
The Red Devils defended their home court by taking a 12-point victory earned in the fourth quarter.
“It was two equal balanced teams,” Red Devil head coach Doug Selvig said. “I think if we were to play them 10 times, I wouldn’t doubt that it would end up five and five.”
Glendive opened its season coming off a third-place state finish in 2006. Similarly the Coyotes carried their North Dakota No. 3 placing across the border. Both teams were put into consolation games after suffering losses to the 2006 title holding teams.
Forwards Derek Selvig, Glendive, and Brian Quale, Williston, also matched up in more ways than their height. Selvig, 6-10, and Quale, marked 6-11, have both signed letters of intent at the University of Montana next year.
In front of a almost capacity crowd, Glendive really got off to a slow start. It was not until four minutes into the game that Selvig put Dawson on the board with a three. From there the team lit up. Glendive’s return starters, Drew Milne, Brent Dion and Selvig teamed up to earn a 12-10 lead over Williston heading in to the second quarter.
“It takes time to develop that (offensive) rhythm,” Selvig said. “I think that we did find that (rhythm) later on.”
With a tight man-to-man defense from both teams, the second quarter kept the game close. The Devils steadily put up 12 more scores, having come into their offensive game some. As they started to warm up the hometown crowd was treated to some of tactics witnessed last season. Sophomore Derek Ohs made the full court pass to Milne for a showy two points. Milne later mimicked the pass to Dion for two more.
The Coyotes put on a show as well. A smooth pass to Quale gave him the opportunity for a dunk, but with a little hang time he was called on the technical foul.
Quale and other Williston defenders were able to shake up Glendive’s offense at times. “The Quale kids are great athletes,” he said. “I think that Brian had seven to eight blocked shots, and that can really shake up an offense.”
Glendive headed to the locker room with a narrow 24-19 lead. Dawson began the second half almost as slowly as the first, and with about four minutes to go Quale pushed the Coyotes ahead with a 29-28 score. Williston out scored Dawson 15-9 in the third to hold a one-point lead going into the third.
It was the offensive drive headed by Selvig and Milne that secured the game in the fourth quarter. Selvig swished two threes to start the fourth. Defensively, both teams continued to fight. Seth Sampson took the bench with five fouls, after playing a smart and aggressive game.
“Some of our points came from our defensive effort,” coach Selvig said. He said that in general he was surprised with his team’s strong defense, as the players performed a down low defense that they had not really been drilled on yet.
As a season opener, Milne and Selvig seemed to step up to the challenge and carried their team offensively. Milne was the game high scorer with 23. Selvig contributed 20. Nine of his points were kicked in from three-point territory.
Some new blood saw playing time as well. Tyler Dalton and Dairick Pierce, both seniors, got their first tastes of varsity play. Coach Selvig said that he has been rotating in four guards and was pleased with how they stepped up defensively as well.
Both teams shot an unimpressive near-50 percent from the charity strike.
Glendive will travel to North Dakota on Thursday to measure up with another North Dakota all-star team - Dickinson. Coach Selvig said that he was talking with Williston coach Mark Slotsve, who said he thinks that Dickinson may be the best team in North Dakota. DCHS will again have to put its best foot forward for the early season matchup.
Stats:
DCHS Red Devils 12 12 9 20 - 53
Williston Coyotes 10 9 15 7 - 41
Red Devils - Jesse Orcutt 0 1-2 1, Selvig 7 3-4 20, Sampson 1 0-2 2, Milne 10 3-6 23, Dion 2 2-2 7
Coyotes - Karson Wigness 1 0-1 2, Brett Colebank 2 0-0 6, Alex Mock 1 0-0 2, Tanner Goldade 0 1-2 1, Brian Quale 6 4-7 16, Brent Quale 5 1-6 11, Jordan Schmitz 1 1-2 3
