CARNEY — The North Dickinson girls basketball team knew how to beat UPSSA Division 4 second-ranked Carney-Nadeau in the District 99 final on Friday. After all, the Nordics have been the only team to do so this season.

North Dickinson knew it would have to shoot well from the perimeter and contain returning all-state senior center Tessa Wagner defensively. The Nordics did hold Wagner to just 12 points, but they never got their shooting eyes dialed in as their season ended with a 48-25 loss at Carney High School.

Frustratingly so, as ND coach Kirk Mattson said afterwards.

“We got any shot we wanted, they just weren’t going in,” said Mattson, who added that his team shot just 6 for 26 (23 percent) in the first half. “We just haven’t shot well at Carney recently for some reason.”

The Wolves took a 13-5 lead after the opening quarter. All five C-N starters scored in the first period, while just two players got on the board for North Dickinson – Vanessa Lindholm hit a 3-pointer and Ashton Hord recorded a two-point bucket.

The Wolves extended their lead to 26-14 at halftime on the strength of five points from freshman Grace Maule. Nordic senior Chrislyn Inglese kept her team from falling further behind with a triple and a bucket.

Maule then put up seven more points in the third quarter as C-N pushed its advantage to 40-24 heading into the fourth.

“We knew (the C-N perimeter players) could shoot, but our goal, and we executed it, was Wagner. We were not going to let her get 25-30 points in the middle.

“But they beat us from deep. I give them credit.”

Aside from Maule, junior guard Shae Linder scored 12 points.

On the Nordics’ side, no one reached double figures. Inglese led with eight points, while Hord scored seven and Vanessa Lindholm added five.

Those three, along with Kassandra Cary (who missed most of the season with a shoulder injury) will depart the North Dickinson program after making heavy contributions.

“The No. 1 goal for our program is to play with sportsmanship and class,” Mattson said. “Our four seniors, they exhibited that. They were classy on and off the court. They are great role models for our younger players.”

The Division 4 Regional 25, hosted by Kingsford, will feature top-ranked Baraga (20-1) against Ontonagon (15-7) in the first semifinal on Tuesday beginning at 5 p.m. The second matchup will pit Carney-Nadeau (21-1) against Superior Central (14-7).

The regional final is scheduled to be held on Thursday beginning at 6 p.m.

Jerry DeRoche can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 244, or at jderoche@ironmountaindailynews.com.