Tempo was the name of the game as the Valley City Hi-Liners and Fargo Oak Grove Grovers battled in a fast-paced, back-and-forth showdown on Tuesday night. Both teams pushed the pace relentlessly, attempting to outlast one another in a contest filled with offensive fireworks.

Neither side could pull away in the first half, with defense taking a back seat as both teams traded three-pointers with little resistance. Fargo Oak Grove senior Carter Wendelbo led all scorers, finishing with 22 points. The Hi-Liners countered with a strong showing from their guard trio—Bryson Heck, Miken Mattson, and Finn Dockter—who accounted for much of their first-half scoring. The Grovers took a narrow 42-40 lead into halftime, as only the whistle could slow the action.

After the break, Valley City found their rhythm inside, sparked by junior center Jack Dieterle. Scoreless in the first quarter, Dieterle came alive to finish with 18 points. The Hi-Liners’ ability to attack the paint gave them more consistent offense while also cooling Oak Grove’s high-tempo attack. A late surge pushed Valley City’s lead to eight points, and the Hi-Liners held off one final Grovers rally to secure a 75-68 victory.

Mattson led Valley City with 21 points, while Heck and Dockter also finished in double figures.

Up next for Hi-Liner fans, the Valley City girls will face Fargo Oak Grove on Wednesday. Catch the action live on 1490 AM/96.3 FM KOVC from the Hi-Liner Activities Center.