Colden Hutton, in his first year coaching the Lake Region State College women’s basketball team, did the best he could with what he had.

It wasn’t the smoothest year. There were only nine players to start the season, which shrunk to six or seven after injuries. A five-game losing streak to end the regular season doomed the Royals’ chances of a Mon-Dak title.

They won a playoff game, but were eliminated by North Dakota State College of Science.

They went 15-17 overall and 7-7 in conference play.

“We could never win the big game,” Hutton said. “I mean, you look at the top half of our conference, and we struggled to beat them. We struggled to beat Science, Bismarck and Williston.

“We have Science; three of the four times, we play them within six points. Two of those times, we’re up big a

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