DELL RAPIDS NEWS

'It’s not like any other game': Heinecke faces former team in Sisseton

Tom Savage
For the Dell Rapids Tribune
Ramsey Heinecke defends against his former team, Sisseton, on Tuesday, Feb. 18 in Dell Rapids.

In today’s NBA free agency, it’s not uncommon to see players bounce from team to team, competing against players they had called teammates for many years. You see it occasionally in the college ranks where a player may be at one school before transferring to another.

But in high school, you rarely see one player play for two different teams in a short career. Even more rare is to see that player switch schools and then play his former team.

But that was the case for Dell Rapids senior Ramsey Heinecke when the Quarriers played host to Sisseton last week. Heinecke played three years for the Redmen before transferring to Dell Rapids for his senior season.

Heinecke said he tried to keep things in perspective leading up to the game against Sisseton, but even a seasoned four-year varsity player had a tough time looking past the black and red jerseys coming at him that he wore for so many years.

“Going into the game, I viewed it like it was any other game, but once you’re out there and you’re playing, it’s not like any other game,” Heinecke said. “You really go out there and prove yourself, but it was a little strange.”

The first time Heinecke did a double take was during the junior varsity game earlier in the night. Heinecke wore jersey No. 50 for three years with Sisseton, but during the JV game, sophomore Ty Langager donned the number on his chest and Heinecke said that was the strangest part of the night.

“I had a little flashback when I saw it,” Heinecke said. “It was a little weird, but I guess you just have to move on.”

Dell Rapids' Ramsey Heinecke shoots against Sisseton on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The senior finished with 10 points and five rebounds against his former team.

Heinecke is averaging 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Quarriers through 17 games this season. That’s right where he was at against Sisseton when he finished with 10 points and five rebounds. He was also 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Despite the solid outing, he said had this game circled on his calendar and was hoping for bigger numbers.

“It wasn’t a bad game, but I expect the best out of me all the time no matter what the circumstances are,” he said.

Dell Rapids coach Jason Fersdahl said he tried to keep Heinecke’s nerves in check before the game.

“He was in a really good mindset and we just talked about how it’s a game like any other regular season game,” Fersdahl said. “We’ve played some big games this year and we’ve got more big ones to go, but we treated it like any other regular season game. I think he played with a real calm demeanor and I was really proud of that.”

Although Heinecke was hoping for a bigger offensive output against Sisseton, he certainly got some help from his teammates as Dell Rapids cruised to a 79-57 win. Fellow post player Drew Van Regenmorter led the Quarriers with 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Logan Ellingson registered a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds for Dell Rapids.

Heinecke scored a season-high 15 points in an 87-72 loss to Dakota Valley on Feb. 14. He had 14 in a 68-56 win against No. 4 Sioux Falls Christian on Jan. 14.

“He’s fit in well with our team this year and has been a big part of our success all year,” Fersdahl said. “He’s given us some more size on the front line and has bought in really well with our team.”