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Fifteen years ago the Wrenshall Wrens were the butt of jokes, not only in Minnesota but across the nation. 

In 2010, the town of Wrenshall about 30 minutes south of Duluth had a girls basketball team that ranked 18,558th nationally. Back then, Wrenshall had a population of 386 and about 100 students enrolled in its secondary school. After the class of 2010 graduated, the team was in a rebuilding phase. The players were young, and the pool of athletes was small. 

. They kept their spirits up even after being shutout by Moose Lake — and became momentarily famous for it.  

“It’s just a game,” said co-captain Maria Burcar, a sophomore at the time. “You’re not going to die because you lose 65 to nothing.”

Now the Wrens who were part of that team look back on those times with fondness. Maria Burcar is married now and goes by Maria Bernecker. 

“It just was fun. We were a bunch of kids, playing basketball, doing what we love,” she told Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition. 

Former Wrenshall assistant girls basketball coach Sheri Nelson said that she was no stranger to small-town competition, growing up playing basketball in Wisconsin. She said keeping morale up during that time was critical.

“Because, you know, when you’re losing, that sometimes can really fracture a team because of self-confidence,” said Nelson.

Bernecker and Nelson both have left the basketball court behind, but they haven’t lost their competitive spirit. Bernecker, who works as a pre-school teacher in North Dakota, is a competitive weightlifter. Nelson said the competitive edge she learned as a coach comes in handy working with her teams in health management.

As for the Wrenshall Wrens, they are now the Carlton/Wrenshall Raptors. The two towns, 

during district consolidation talks, combined the school’s athletic programs

“They've had some some wins. I still can keep an eye on them,” Nelson said. “And they’re still —they’re still persevering.”

To listen to the radio interview with Bernecker and Nelson, click the player above.

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Ahead of the Minnesota’s state high school basketball tournaments, we reflect on one team that kept fighting against all odds. 

Girls basketball team were the biggest losers, but they taught us to never give up.

Girls basketball team were the biggest losers, but they taught us to never give up

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