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Harding County's Bailey Verhulst relies on rancher roots to excel in basketball
Harding County's Bailey Verhulst (22) pushes the ball up the court at the Hanson Classic on Jan. 18, 2025 at the Corn Palace in Mitchell.
(Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)
Jan 20, 2025
 

By Ryan Deal

605 Sports

BUFFALO — Bailey Verhulst epitomizes being a Harding County Rancher. 

Harding County High School sits at the northwest corner of South Dakota, and the ranching community prides itself on its blue-collar work ethic.

Verhulst embodies that for the Rancher girls basketball team, playing with relentless energy and a scrappy mentality on the court. Verhulst and the blue-collar Ranchers are having another strong season, improving to 8-0 after defeating Hitchcock-Tulare at the Hanson Classic on Jan. 18. 

Verhulst describes the Ranchers as “very competitive,” and it’s their upbringing that has helped lead to another banner year. 

“Most of us live on a ranch out there and so we are all pretty tough,” Verhulst said. “We wake up at 5:30-6 (a.m.). We have to get chores done before we get into practice and school. So we are tough — physically and mentally.”

Verhulst lives on a ranch 30 miles south of Buffalo, it takes her 45 minutes to get to school every day and she does a host of chores before school starts. She feeds everything from goats, chickens, horses and cows for at least 30 minutes prior to leaving for school. 

But she wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“I love being on the ranch,” Verhulst said. “I think it builds a lot of character for our team, for everyone. I think living on a ranch is a good aspect of basketball.”

It’s helped Verhulst, a 5-foot-3 guard, accomplish big things on the court. She’s averaging 12.6 points, 6.3 steals, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 rebounds per game this season. She’s tallied 666 points, 327 steals, 245 rebounds and 183 assists during her career. 

“She’s just a girl that gets after it every single day in practice,” Harding County coach Jay Wammen said. “All the girls do, and they really show defensive intensity. It just starts with Bailey and Kelsi (Costello) and it kind of goes from there with the rest of our girls.”

Harding County's Bailey Verhulst (22) pushes the ball up the court at the Hanson Classic on Jan. 18, 2025 at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

Verhulst’s biggest impact is perhaps on the defensive end. She totaled 111 steals last season and has 50 already this season. Verhulst has recorded five or more steals in all eight games this season, including eight against Faith on Jan. 11. 

“She is a scrappy player,” Wammen said. “She’s usually taking the team’s best point guard and taking them out of what they want to do. So if you are a point guard for another team you are going to have a hard night most nights.”

Verhulst not only excels at defense, but she enjoys playing it and her play style again harkens back to her rancher roots. 

“A lot of people tell me I am like a cow dog trying to chase the cows, and I live for that,” Verhulst said. “I strive on defense. Offense is fun, but I love defense.”

Verhulst said the team will lean on its defense as it chases another state tourney bid. The Ranchers finished sixth last season in their first state tournament berth since 2009. 

Harding County, which currently allows 33 points per game, averages 20.6 steals and 31.9 rebounds per game. 

Against Hitchcock-Tulare, Harding County built a 13-point lead in the second half. However, the Ranchers shot 8-of-31 from the free-throw line and 18-of-44 from the field, allowing the Patriots to creep back into the game. 

But the Ranchers relied on their defense in the 47-40 victory. 

“You can see our defensive effort is always there,” Wammen said. “You can see tonight when we weren’t shooting the ball the best, or making free throws — our flow wasn’t good. But our defense was there all night. So that’s kind of what makes our team go.”

Verhulst again sparked the defensive effort, finishing with game-highs in steals (seven) and points (15).

“It’s going to carry us far,” Verhulst said about Harding County’s defense. “Our defense is there and I think that’s what made us win the game. As long as all of us can play defense. We will have a pretty good chance of winning every game.”

Verhulst has also competed in rodeo and cross-country for the Ranchers. In rodeo, she’s participated in breakaway roping, goat tying, barrel racing, and pole bending. 

Last year, she qualified for the goat tying at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming, culminating her years of hard work in the sport. 

“All your hard work pays off and you get to go have fun and say I worked hard for it,” she said about nationals. 

Verhulst plans on attending Dickinson State University next fall and will rodeo for the Blue Hawks.