Oak Grove, Central Cass to Meet for Region 1 Title

Grovers, Squirrels earn convincing semifinal victories

Mar. 11, 2026 at 3:35am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Oak Grove Grovers and Central Cass Squirrels both earned decisive wins in the North Dakota Class A, Region 1 boys basketball tournament semifinals on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Oak Grove defeated Valley City 81-57, while Central Cass topped Wahpeton 73-56. The two teams will now meet in the region championship game on Thursday.

Why it matters

The Region 1 title game will determine which team advances to the state tournament. Both Oak Grove and Central Cass have had strong seasons and are looking to cap them off with a regional championship.

The details

Oak Grove used its size and length to dominate Valley City, holding the Hi-Liners without a field goal for nearly eight minutes in the second quarter to build a big halftime lead. Senior Aidan Saunders led the Grovers with 21 points, including three 3-pointers. Central Cass, meanwhile, got a big game from junior Kashton Lorenz, who scored 10 of his 24 points in a pivotal second quarter that saw the Squirrels take a 21-point lead into halftime.

  • The Region 1 title game will be played on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The players

Aidan Saunders

A senior guard for Oak Grove who led his team with 21 points in the semifinal win.

Kashton Lorenz

A junior guard for Central Cass who scored 24 points, including 10 in a key second quarter, to lead the Squirrels to victory.

Kyle Card

The head coach of the Oak Grove Grovers.

Matt Norman

The head coach of the Central Cass Squirrels.

Jim McDaniel

The head coach of the Valley City Hi-Liners.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“When we could throw nine guys out there and they just keep going, that's fun to watch.”

— Kyle Card, Oak Grove Head Coach

“The second quarter killed us.”

— Jim McDaniel, Valley City Head Coach

“I just said, 'You're an elite player. Right now I need your leadership,'”

— Matt Norman, Central Cass Head Coach

“The first two times we played them, they kind of out-physicaled us. We played them close, and then tonight, we totally flipped the switch and then ultimately came away with it.”

— Kashton Lorenz

What’s next

The Region 1 championship game between Oak Grove and Central Cass will be played on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 6 p.m. at the Scheels Center in Fargo.

The takeaway

Both Oak Grove and Central Cass demonstrated their ability to dominate their semifinal opponents, setting up an intriguing matchup for the Region 1 title. The game will feature a clash of styles, with Oak Grove's size and length against Central Cass' athleticism and guard play, making for an exciting championship game.