Quite a spring

BISMARCK -- The 2025 spring sports season was one of the most successful in recent memory by the Western Dakota Association. The conference captured six of the seven team titles available in the season and all six came from a different school. Here’s a sports recap.

Girls’ Track
The state track-field championship remains with Bismarck High. Demons defended its crown in late May in Bismarck to bring its total to eight. Although the squad won just three events, it placed in 12 other events en route to 94.5 points. Bismarck Century, the West Region Meet champion, was runner-up. Bismarck Legacy was fifth.
Here’s a list of the WDA athletes who won state titles: Jordyn Rood, Bismarck High, high jump; Ruby Ihmels, Century, 1600 and 3200 meters; Brooklynn Felchle, Legacy, shot put; Ryen Brothers, Legacy, discus; Eva Selensky, St. Mary’s, 800 meters; Bismarck High, 1600 relay (A. Kleser, B. Jahner, J. Quale, T. Fettig); Bismarck High, 3200 relay (B. Jahner, A. Kleser, I. Dahl, T. Fettig); Legacy, 800 relay (C. Volk, M. Paul, M. Wiggins, J. Guenther).

Boys’ Track
The best track and field continues to be from the WDA. And Bismarck Century has established itself as the latest dominant program. Since 2015, the Patriots have won eight championships. This year’s victory had a familiar blueprint of others The squad did win four individual events, but placed in 11 more to rack up 101 points. Bismarck High was runner-up and Minot High had a solid performance, placing third. Six WDA teams finished in the top 10. Here’s a list of other WDA athletes who won state titles: Wil Ihmels, Century, 1600 and 3200 meters; Colby Fleck, St. Mary’s, 100 and 200 meters; Bennet Lonn, Legacy, 300 hurdles; Deegan Staudinger, Bismarck High, long jump; Blake Homiston, Dickinson, pole vault; Ole Taylor, discus; Hudsen Sheldon, Mandan, high jump; Benjamin Harris, Minot High, 800 meters; Josh Berger, Century, 400 meters; Grayson Schaeffer, Minot High, triple jump; Minot High 400 relay (T. Bell, J. Pallotta, A. Winczewski, A. Prestwich); Minot High 3200 relay (D. Jackson, J. Jackson, N. Wistisen, B. Harris).
Just how good has track and field been for the WDA? Since 2004, the team champion has been held by a Bismarck school. (Bismarck High, 12; Century, 8; Legacy, 1). And there several other schools who finished in the top three during that run. 

Girls’ Tennis
Minot High has earned the reputation as a perennial power. And it proved that in spades in 2025. The Majettes finished with a perfect 22-0 dual record. After winning the West Region Tournament for a fourth consecutive time, the squad marched to the ND team title in Grand Forks, defeating all three opponents by 5-0 scores. Minot downed EDC top seed G.F. Red River in the final. The title was the program’s eighth. The team has dropped just one dual match in its last two seasons. Minot High was runner-up a season ago and has reached the state dual championship match over the past five seasons.

Softball
Williston entered the campaign never finishing higher than seventh in the WDA standings and never reaching a Class A Tournament. The Coyotes put together a season to remember. They won a program-best 31 games en route to a WDA regular season title. And after a runner-up finish at the WDA Tournament, won three state tournament games in Grand Forks to earn its first Class A championship. In the championship, it edged WDA foe Minot High. The conference had an impressive tournament as all four WDA entries finished in the top four (Williston, Minot High, Bismarck High, Dickinson).

Girls’ Soccer
The start to 2025 season was a bit of rough one for Mandan. The squad was sitting with a 1-2-1 record on April 17. It didn’t lose again. The Braves went 14-0-1 over the next seven weeks en route to the program’s first ND state championship. After a second place WDA finish, the squad  went 3-0 at the state tournament in West Fargo. Mandan defeated EDC regular season champion G.F. Red River in the semifinals to reach the championship for the first time. In the finals, it downed WDA rival Minot High, 2-0. The Majettes, who were the WDA regular season champion, was playing in the championship for a sixth-straight time.

Baseball
No, the WDA did not win a Class A championship this spring, but it does appear to be trending to getting very near to bringing the trophy back west. Minot High fell just a run short in the Class A title game to West Fargo Sheyenne in Grand Forks. For a second year in a row a WDA team played for the championship (Bismarck Legacy, 2024). From 2021-2023, the EDC had two teams in the title game. Minot High and Mandan shared the WDA regular season title. Mandan won the WDA Tournament.

Boys’ Golf
The stars aligned for WDA newcomer Minot North. The Sentinels had an impressive regular season, winning the conference title based on scoring average. North won five regular season meets and was runner-up at the West Region Tournament. The Class A Tournament was held at Minot’s Vardon Golf Club; a course many of Minot North’s golfers play on regularly. The squad erased a two-stroke deficit on day one to roll to a six-stroke victory over the 36 holes. It was the school’s first team championship. Bismarck Century’s Parker Beck also had a memorable tournament. The sophomore carded back-to-back five-under rounds of 67 to cruise to the individual championship. He became the first Patriot to win state medalist honors since Kavin Dvorak in 2008.
 

Photo: Mandan girls' soccer