Williston softball and Walker Braaten honored with NDAPSSA Awards

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association announced its final awards for the 2024-2025 school year on Friday. The awards given out were for the high school level, including male and female team of the year, male and female coach of the year, and male and female athlete of the year.

Boys team: NRSM football

New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock kicked off the season with a 69-0 victory at St. John in their season opener. It was a sign of things to come for the Rockets.

NRSM (12-0) outscored its opponents 727-130 in completing an unbeaten season with a nine-man state title. They averaged 60.6 points per game and allowed 10.8.

They were just as dominant in the postseason, winning four playoff games by a combined 226-80.

The Rockets scored 60 or more points nine times with their explosive offense. The defense posted three shutouts and held their opponents to eight or fewer points seven times.

Their closest game was a 44-14 win at Cavalier.

Thompson baseball and Kindred basketball were the other finalists.

Boys coach: Elliott Belquist, NRSM

Belquist guided the Rockets to a dominant season and their first state title since New Rockford-Sheyenne defeated Divide County 40-22 in the 2012 nine-man final.

The Rockets finished as nine-man runners-up in 2001 and 2002.

It was the first title-game appearance for Maddock since they finished second in 2003 and 2004.

The other finalists were Nate Soulis of Thompson and Darin Mattern of Century.

Boys athlete: Walker Braaten, Westhope-Newburg

Braaten was a multi-sport standout for the Sioux, earning all-state honors in both football and basketball.

In football, he was named the nine-man Senior Athlete of the Year while helping Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn to a 10-1 season. The Sioux won the region title and were unbeaten until a 64-28 loss to New Rockford-Sheyenne in the state semifinals.

He was a three-time all-state football player, completing 77 percent of his passes for 1,967 yards and 29 touchdowns and rushing for 1,241 yards and 25 TDs. He had 119 tackles and 10 pass breakups his senior year.

In basketball, he was a Mr. Basketball finalist and averaged 22.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 3.5 steals per game. He was named to the Class B all-state first team.

He also was a standout in baseball and golf.

Treyton Mauch of Wahpeton and Trey Husar of Northern Cass were also finalists.

Girls team: Williston softball

The Coyotes capped their first appearance in a state tournament by beating Minot 3-2 to claim their first state championship.

Williston reeled off wins over West Fargo Sheyenne (14-4), Bismarck (7-4) and West Region champion Minot in the final.

Alana Thomas struck out nine batters in the title game. Chloee Stundahl had two hits and Kyah Stundahl drove in a run in the win over Minot, which had beaten Williston 9-0 in the West Region tournament title game the previous week.

The Coyotes finished the season 31-4, setting a school record for wins in a season.

Prior to this spring, Williston had never finished higher than seventh in the West Region.

Valley City basketball and Fargo Oak Grove golf were the other finalists.

Girls coach: Jimmy Howard, Valley City

Howard led the Hi-Liners to their first girls basketball state title in 2025.

In his 11th season with the program, 10th as head coach, he guided Valley City to a 24-2 record, setting a school record for wins in a single season.

He picked up his 100th career win in a state tournament semifinal win over South Prairie-Max. They capped the season with a 67-44 win over Thompson in the title game.

It was the Hi-Liners’ first title-game appearance since 1982, when they played Fargo Shanley for the Class A title.

Howard has led Valley City to a 43-11 record over the past two seasons.

Bryan Kenner of Benson County and Scott Kost of Central Cass were the other finalists.

Girls athlete: Scout Woods, Wahpeton

Woods was a multi-sport standout for the Huskies.

In basketball, Woods was a first-team Class A all-state selection and the Region 1 Senior Athlete of the Year.

She was named all-state for the third time, making the first team as a senior after averaging 19.9 points, 7 rebounds and three steals per game for the Huskies.

She led the team in scoring and finished with 1,976 career points.

She also qualified for the state golf tournament. As a junior, she won a state title in the shot put and finished third in the discus and is the school record-holder in both events.

Other finalists were Leelee Bell of Minot, Laela Jensen of Hettinger-Scranton, Sophia Headley of Bowman County, Jaiden Haile of West Fargo Horace and Emily Novak of Grand Forks.