EDGELEY, N.D. — After the Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier Rebels girls' basketball team finished in fifth at the state tournament, and junior Mataeya Mathern was named to the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association’s All-State Second Team.
When asked which achievement means more, Mathern didn't think about it very long.
“It’s a cool honor, it’s a nice honor but honestly any success we have as a team means more and feels better,” Mathern said.
Mathern is the first Rebel to make the All-State team since Katie Entzi was named to the second team for the 2017-18 season. Mathern was also named to the 2023 NDHSAA Class B All-Tournament Team.
“We’ve had some success here in the last few years so you’d like to say you have kids on it every year but it just doesn’t work that way,” Rebels head coach Rory Entzi said. “It’s an honor and it reflects on the program of the success that we’ve had as a team as well as Mataeya as a player. Hopefully, we’re moving in a direction of building a really strong program for E/K-M.”
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Mathern said she found out she made the second team through a text from a friend while she was at a track meet.
This season, Mathern averaged 18.1 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game and recorded 74 assists, 21 blocks and 148 steals. Mathern said her success comes from to the work that she and her teammates put in during the offseason and concentrating on her health during the season.
“Definitely in the weight room, trying to get stronger and running, I feel like running, everything contributes to having success, your sleep, getting sleep,” Mathern said. “I tried to focus on all aspects of, nutrition and everything, all around. It takes everything.”
Mathern said prior to this season her goals were more team-oriented rather than focused on herself.
“Honestly I never really had a goal to make it on the All-State team,” Mathern said. “I know our team we set some goals and we had those goals set but I never really had any individual goals, like, ‘Oh I want to make All-State.’ Making it to the state tournament was my biggest goal this season.”
During the state tournament, Mathern scored 53 points and grabbed 31 rebounds.
“That was definitely one of the best weekends of my life,” Mathern said. “I’ll definitely remember it forever and it’s definitely an experience that I know everyone dreams of and not everyone gets to achieve that dream. But it’s definitely one that’s worth working for.”
Mathern is one of three juniors on the All-State team, alongside Mayville-Portland-Clifford Galesburg’s Rylee Satrom and Our Redeemer’s Maya Vibeto.
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Entzi said he is excited for Mathern to come back next year and is hoping that she remembers the time with her teammates more than any awards she has won and will win.
“I think it’s just motivation to get better. That’s just what we talk about every day as individuals and as a team, just get better every year,” Entzi said. “It goes back to when I played I would’ve given up all my awards to have my high school or my college teams win championships because that’s what you’re going to remember. … I think she’d probably say the same thing, you want to be motivated to be better to make your team better and I’m sure she’ll do that. She’s a very goal-oriented kid who wants the team to have success as well.”
Mathern said she is motivated to improve on the team’s fifth-place finish at the state tournament.
“I don’t really have a goal to make it on the first team,” Mathern said. “I have more team goals than individual goals.”
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