Small towns adore their sports heroes and heroines.

Do something outstanding, like win a state championship, and it's instant immortality.

Members of the Kidder County (formerly Steele-Dawson) girls basketball team have been getting the royal treatment from local fans since winning the program's first Class B state tournament championship on March 7.

It would be safe to say that the player getting the most attention is junior center Eli Benz - the heroine of the title game. She scored 20 points in the final, the last two on a buzzer-beating putback that gave the Pirates a 45-43 win over Fordville-Lankin-Park River.

To top it all off, Benz was named the tournament's most valuable player. She totaled 49 points and 31 rebounds in the three-day event, shooting 53 percent from the floor along the way.

She had 19 points and 17 rebounds in Kidder County's 49-37 semifinal win over New Rockford-Sheyenne, and 20 points and eight boards in the title game.

Exactly one week later, Benz still couldn't believe what had happened.

"I don't think it's really sunk in yet. It's like a dream," Benz said Saturday. "For me, it couldn't have worked out better, but the whole weekend was a team effort. We worked hard to get to the state championship game, and we worked hard again to win it. It's been pretty wild since. People are stopping us all the time to congratulate us and talk about the tournament. And I'm getting a ton of e-mails and letters - a lot of them from people I don't even know. It's such a special time for all of us. Everyone's excited."

With the score tied 43-43 and time winding down in the title game, Kidder County senior Lindsey Sand drove to the inside and put up a shot that hit off the backboard.

Benz, who was in perfect position, grabbed the rebound and immediately put it back for the game-winner.

For Kidder County faithful, it was a shot for the ages, but the humble Benz sees it as just part of the effort.

"It was a big play, and it's something every player dreams about doing … but I look at the bigger picture," said the 5-foot-10 Benz, who averaged 15 points, 7.5 rebounds, three assists and 2.3 steals per game going into the tournament. "There were a lot of big plays made during the game. They put us in a position to win in the end. It would have been nice to see Lindsey's shot drop because she's such an awesome player and person. But it didn't, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time."

The Pirates made their third state tournament appearance in the last five years, and they have a chance to make it back-to-back appearances next year.

They'll lose a talented veteran floor leader in Sand, and a top reserve in Shauna Slaughter. However, they will return Benz and fellow starters Molly Kahl, Bailie Ziesch and Shalee Martin. In addition, reserves Nicole Biesterfeld and Julia Scherbenske, both of whom saw extensive playing time, will be back.

"I think we're going to have a good team again next year," Benz said. "But it's going to be hard to replace Lindsey. She was our leader. She got us motivated out there and ran the show. Next year's seniors have to step up and be leaders. That includes me."

Class B boys

The Class B boys basketball state tournament has a different look again this season.

Only two teams that played in last year's tournament are back - Turtle Lake-Mercer from Region 5, and Watford City from Region 8.

Last year's state champion, Grafton, was defeated in the Region 2 championship game by Dakota Prairie, which will make its first-ever state tournament appearance.

No. 1-ranked Linton, from Region 3, is back in the state tournament for the first time since 2005.

The Lions, 23-0, are the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

Linton will open against No. 2-ranked Watford City on Thursday at the Minot State University Dome.

North Star (Region 4), which is made up of the former Cando and Bisbee-Egeland school districts, is in the state tournament for the first time. Cando last went in 2001. Bisbee-Egeland won the state title in 1989.

The last time Region 6 champion Berthold was in the state tournament was 2002, when it placed second behind Mayville-Portland-Clifford-Galesburg.

Bowman County ended long state tournament droughts for Bowman and Rhame when it won the Region 7 title last week. The last time Bowman was in the state tournament was 1981. Rhame last went in 1995.

North Sargent (Region 1) is in the state tournament for the first time.

The Class B girls state tournament also had six teams that didn't qualify in 2008 - Kidder County from Region 3, New Rockford-Sheyenne (4), Standing Rock (5), Kenmare (6), Hazen (7) and Stanley (8).

Hankinson from Region 1 and Fordville-Lankin-Park River from Region 2 were the only returnees.

With the North Dakota High School Activities Association set to decide on a proposed three-class system for basketball next month, it's interesting to note that six of the teams in this year's girls state tournament would be playing in the lowest class if the proposal is approved. Hazen and Standing Rock would play in the middle class.

Two teams in the boys tournament, Bowman County and Watford City, would play in the middle class. The others in the lowest class.

Four Winds

Four Winds made it to the last three state tournaments, but that streak ended after the Indians were forced to forfeit a 61-42 quarterfinal win over St. John in the Region 4 tournament. Four Winds used an ineligible player.

(Michael Weber is a Tribune sportswriter)