Feb. 18—CARRINGTON — Harper Kollman's basketball career began by watching.
"Ever since I can remember, I went and watched my dad's amateur basketball games, and hung out in the gym with him a lot," said Kollman, a junior for the Carrington High School girls basketball team. "He was a very good basketball player and knows a lot about the sport."
Kollman and lone senior Sienna Topp are the two team captains on the Cardinals' roster this season. The pair began playing competitive hoops in third and fourth grade, respectively.
"I grew up watching my siblings play basketball, so the sport was always around me," Topp said. "I've continued with basketball because it has taught me discipline and resilience. My mom has been my biggest motivation since I've started playing basketball. She comes to all of my games and helps me improve by going to the gym with me."
Topp has had a heckuva senior season so far. Carrington is currently riding a 9-1 Division A, Region 2 record.
"My goals for this season were to be a strong leader and help our team grow," Topp said. "I think I have accomplished this by helping some of the younger girls, but there is always room to improve."
Topp has been the only member of the Class of 2026 since she began playing varsity basketball back in 2024. Since her sophomore year, the senior has progressed in her knowledge of the game and has sought to make things easier on her teammates on — and off — the court. Topp played in 14 games and 160 minutes last season. This year, she is playing an average of 30 minutes per night.
"As the only senior, I expected to lead, stay positive and help guide the team while making the most of this final season," Topp said. "This year I am capable of seeing the floor better and leading the team in ways I couldn't before. I am more vocal and aware of what our team needs in different situations. My favorite part of being a captain is leading by example and helping my teammates gain more confidence in themselves."
Topp is averaging 5.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 50 points per game.
"I honestly think we (are) capable of coming out and competing every night," Topp said. "We are a very young team, but we have potential to do great things."
While there is only four upperclassmen and 15 girls total in Carrington's program, the Cardinals have managed to string together a 14-game winning streak and are currently ranked No. 1 in the Division A, Region 2 standings at 16-3 overall. The team has two games left on the regular schedule before competing at the team's Region Tournament on Feb. 23-26 at Devils Lake High School.
"I feel like this year we have taken a big step up, considering last year there were seniors that led the team and this year there was only one," Kollman said. "Leading the team has been a role that I have had to take on this year along with Sienna. My favorite part of being a team captain is the fact that I can be a leader and a role model to all of my best friends."
Kollman started for the Cardinals at the end of her sophomore year. Head coach Andy Braaten said in a previous interview that the junior gave the team some good games, particularly defensively, while also helping out the team with passing and rebounding. With Kollman's contributions, Carrington finished second in the region and fifth at the 2025 Division A State Tournament.
This season Kollman has posted averages of 5.9 points, 5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. The Cardinals are +9.3 when the junior has been on the floor.
"My expectation for this season is for my team to work really hard and never give up," Kollman said. "The Cardinals are capable of not only making it to State but doing very well there too. Our goals for this season are to work together, succeed and make it to State. We can achieve this by working together and keeping our ... winning streak alive."