ETHAN — Madeline Bartscher’s basketball career will end at the state tournament — two knee injuries later. 

The Ethan High School forward recently helped the Rustlers reach their ninth Class B state girls basketball tournament since 2015, outlasting Andes Central/Dakota Christian in an overtime SoDak 16 game.

Bartscher described the seesaw contest as “a rollercoaster” and that’s how her Rustler career could be summed up, too. Bartscher tore her ACL and meniscus in her left knee, wiping out her entire sophomore season. She reinjured it nine months later and missed two games during her junior year. 

So when Bartscher and the Rustlers qualified for the state tournament, it culminated a rocky road for the senior. 

“It’s the best feeling ever,” Bartscher said. “After going through all that and almost like getting to the low of a low, and then being able to come back and play for coach (Tom) Young, and all my teammates…it’s just the best feeling ever.”

Ethan's Madeline Bartscher, right, attacks the basket against Bridgewater-Emery's Kadyn Glanzer (11) earlier this season in Ethan. (Trey Kaul / 605 Sports)

Bartscher’s injury woes struck during the third game of her sophomore season, going up for a layup when she tore her ACL and meniscus. Disaster struck twice for Bartscher. 

“The second time I had gone through all my recovery and something just didn’t feel right,” Bartscher said. “So I went back and they told me that I had scar tissue, which ended up being another tear in my other meniscus.”

She was forced to push back her return from October 2022 to December 2022, missing two games during her junior season. But she was still a key contributor for Ethan’s fourth-place finish last season. 

“I got an amazing season with my girls last year, too,” Bartscher said.

She still experienced low moments during the injuries and said she leaned on God during the trying times. 

“He led me through a lot of it,” Bartscher said. “I went through some really hard times, but I knew he was following me through it all.” 

Bartscher’s basketball career will now finish at the state tournament. The No. 4 seed Rustlers (20-2) will play No. 5 Wall (19-4) at 1:45 p.m. MT Thursday at the Summit Arena in Rapid City in their state opener.  

“I want to go to state,” Bartscher said. “I want to go Rapid and with this team more than ever. This is my favorite team and I love these girls with my entire heart.”