605 Sports Staff

Leading Rapid City Stevens 46-42 with 1:14 remaining in the Class AA championship game the Sioux Falls O’Gorman girls got defensive. 

First it was Hannah Friedman who blocked a Jayda McNabb shot attempt that would have cut the margin in half with 33 seconds remaining. After Hannah Ronsiek made a free throw it was Reilly Bergen who blocked a Stevens shot with 14 seconds that gave Sioux Falls O’Gorman the 2022 Class AA girls state championship. 

Sioux Falls O’Gorman led at all three quarter stops, including 31-23 after three quarters of action. The Knights took their biggest lead of the game, 34-23 before the Raiders came roaring back. 

Jillian Delzer’s 3-pointer cut the Knights lead to 36-31. The Raiders got even closer, 38-34 after McNabb converted a 3-point play with just under five minutes to play. 

Stevens players Jaden Matkins and Bailey Sobczak both fouled out early in the fourth quarter, hampering the inside play of the Raiders. 

Sioux Falls O’Gorman converted 19 of 23 free throws on the night and effectively closed the game on the strength of their foul shooting. 

Hannah Ronsiek was 9 of 11 from the charity stripe and finished the game with 15 points. Friedman added 12 points while sophomore Mahli Abdouch scored 11 points and dished out four assists. Riley Bergen contributed seven points and a team leading six rebounds for the Knights. 

Bailey Sobczak, the Spirit of Su recipient, led the Raiders with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jayda McNabb got going late and finished with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. Delzer added ten points and nine rebounds for the Raiders. 

The 2022 championship marks the third AA girls title in O’Gorman history. The Knights also captured championships in 1995 and 2017. 

Sioux Falls O’Gorman ends their season with a 21-2 record. Rapid City Stevens ended their campaign with a 19-5 mark.