This week’s winter snow storm has caused all kinds of issues and wiped out four days of sporting events, including tonight’s scheduled contests.

Few teams have been impacted more so far this season than the Leola-Frederick boys’ basketball squad which has had three games postponed in the past week. For starters, the Titans were unable to play their season opener last weekend because of sickness and illness at Langford. Leola-Frederick then had games against Oakes, N.D. on Tuesday and Aberdeen Christian this evening postponed.

“My wife actually has kind of talked me off the ledge a couple of times,” said Titans coach Brock Paschen jokingly about the delayed start to the season. “You just kind of want to get going, get going, but it’s like you know, if this was January and you were playing well, you’d be frustrated and if this was January and you weren’t playing well, you’d be going crazy looking at film.”

Instead, it’s December and Leola-Frederick has yet to have an official game. That is now set for Saturday in Frederick against Waubay-Summit which has also not played a game so far.

Paschen said he knows that his team is ready to face some live competition.

“You could really tell at the practice on Monday,” he said. “We’re ready to play somebody else.”

Paschen said if players are able to get into a gym at either Frederick or Leola, they can do some work on their own.

“Both schools have a shooting machine. What we do throughout our season is if you make so many shots on your own time, we recognize that at Awards Night in the spring,” Paschen said. “I’ve still been getting kids’ numbers shooting in the gym. It’s not the same as going live or anything, but it’s something for them to do.”

Paschen said it’s better to have games postponed at this time of the season rather than later in the year like in the 2018-19 season, when the Titans ended up canceling a couple of contests.

“If this was February everybody would be scrambling,” Paschen said. “It’s not so much the snow, but when you get it.”

Meanwhile, the Northwestern girls’ basketball team has yet to start its season, either.

The Wildcats (who usually have their first game in early December) had two games scheduled earlier this week, one on Monday against Britton-Hecla and another on Tuesday against Wilmot. They then had one of those games rescheduled for this evening postponed as well.

“It’s been frustrating a little bit,” said Northwestern coach Jason Sparling.

While the Wildcats will be on the young side, Sparling can’t wait to see what they can accomplish once the season does get started.

“I’ve never been more excited about a season,” Sparling said.

The Northwestern roster is full of multi-sport athletes who are known for their competitive drive.

“This group has got a lot of fight in them. The competitiveness in practice is incredible,” Sparling said. “It’s just a great group of kids, hard-working kids.”

Northwestern, which is now scheduled to open its season on Monday against Warner, has not practiced in nearly a week.

“We have not practiced since Saturday,” Sparling said, “so we’re anxious.”

Sparling said the girls on the squad love playing basketball, so they will be ready when the time comes.

“As soon as we give them a few days off, they want to come back and want to play basketball,” he said.

As a result of the snow storm, Northwestern will now have a week in January that will feature four games. Of course, weather permitting.

To compound matters for high school teams, the state imposed five-day moratorium begins next week, meaning no games or practices, so squads are hoping to get in some contests before that takes place.

That includes the Wildcats, who are patiently waiting for a few more days to make their season debut.

“We thought it was going to happen Monday, then we thought it was going to happen Tuesday, and if not we thought it was going to happen (today),” Sparling said. “We’ve had three chances at this, so if it doesn’t happen Monday we have a little break.”