NRHEG Sports (656)
The latest game results and prognostications for NRHEG.{jcomments on}
The NRHEG track and field teams opened the 2016 season indoors at Minnesota State-Mankato Saturday, April 2. Both squads were third among six schools.
Tri-City United won the girls’ meet with 151.5 points. The Panthers scored 90.
Firsts for NRHEG were by Hailey Schuller, 55-meter hurdles, and Sophia Fischer, shot put. Schuller was second in the 55 high hurdles and fourth in the long jump.
Award winners were announced for 2015-16 NRHEG High School winter sports at the annual ceremony Thursday, March 17.
They were, by sport:
Boys’ Basketball
• Best Defensive Player — Oakley Baker
• Panther Award — Cole Ignaszewski
• Most Improved — Sam Prigge
• Practice Player — Tyler Schlaak
• All-conference — Baker, John Cole; honorable mention — Chad Agrimson
The NRHEG Panthers gave it their all and then some against the tall and talented Norwood-Young America Raiders in the Section 2AA girls’ basketball championship game.
It just wasn’t enough.
The underdog Panthers played from behind all night and some crucial plays did not go their way as they fell short 67-56 at Minnesota State-Mankato Friday, March 11. NRHEG finished an outstanding season one win away from the state tournament, with an overall record of 23-7.
The Raiders, who should represent Section 2AA well in the state tournament, took advantage of their superior height and hit several key three-pointers while building a 30-24 halftime lead.
NRHEG girls one win away from state
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Not many people gave the NRHEG girls’ basketball team much of a chance in Monday night’s sub-section title game against top-seeded WEM.
The Panthers surprised them — and the Buccaneers.
The NRHEG girls claimed the Section 2AA Sub-Section South championship by rallying past WEM and hanging on for a 55-52 triumph at Minnesota State-Mankato. The Panthers, who lost twice to WEM this season, improved to 23-6 and reached the section title game Friday at 8 p.m. at MSU against north sub-section champion Norwood-Young America (25-3).
“I’m extremely proud of this team,” said second-year NRHEG head coach Onika Peterson. “It was great to see them battle back and get the win. Going 0-2 against them throughout the season, I told the girls we only have to beat them one time; let’s do it during playoffs. Believe in yourself, believe in your teammates, play with heart, work for every possession and have fun. We beat a great WEM team. It happened to be our night.”
Wyatt walks away from state with silver medal
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
NRHEG High School senior Wyatt Fitterer was an early phenom in wrestling, qualifying for the state tournament as a freshman. But injuries and other factors kept him away from the Xcel Energy Center until this year, when he finally returned by winning the Section 2A championship at 285 pounds.
Fitterer responded with a remarkable run in St. Paul last weekend, coming within an eyelash of winning it all before settling for a silver medal.
“Wyatt had a fantastic tournament,” said NRHEG coach Shawn Larson. “He has been wrestling well for a long time, and that did not change at the state tournament.”
“I feel like I did my best to represent myself, my school and my team,” said Fitterer, NRHEG’s first state medalist since 2007. “Losing in the finals makes me hungry for more. I can't wait to go to college and show them what I’ve got.”
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Listening to coach Onika Peterson, you’d have to wonder who won the opening-round sub-section girls’ basketball game between No. 2 seed NRHEG and seventh-seeded St. James.
“We didn't play our best game tonight,” said the Panthers’ head coach. “St. James came in and worked hard. We struggled to get things moving in the first half.”
But in the end the Panthers prevailed, dispatching the visiting Saints 64-41 at New Richland Saturday, Feb. 27.
The second-seeded Panthers improved to 21-6, advancing to the sub-section semifinals against No. 3 seed Blue Earth Area (16-9) Thursday, March 3 at 7:45 p.m. at Mankato East High School. The winner there plays Monday, March 7 at 8 p.m. at Minnesota State-Mankato, probably against top-seeded WEM (24-3), for the sub-section title. The Section 2AA championship and state tournament berth will be determined Friday, March 11 at 8 p.m. at MSU.
Panthers finish with 17-10 record
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Fans from the early game were not quick to exit as NRHEG faced WEM in the sub-section boys’ basketball semifinals.
They were expecting a good game and got one — until about the 12-minute mark in the second half, when the Buccaneers pulled away and ended the Panthers’ season 64-47 at Mankato East High School Friday, Feb. 26.
WEM (25-3) advanced to face Maple River for the sub-section crown while the Panthers finished 17-10 after going 8-4 in the Gopher Conference.
The third-seeded Panthers opened sub-section play with a lop-sided win over Blue Earth Area.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
NRHEG girls’ basketball fans were downright spoiled during Carlie Wagner’s tenure as a player.
But the post-Carlie era has not been bad.
The Lady Panthers finished regular season with wins over Bethlehem Academy and Triton, taking a record of 20-6 and a three-game victory streak into the sub-section tournament, where they’re seeded No. 2 behind Gopher Conference champion WEM. NRHEG finished 9-3 in conference play.
The Panthers open sub-section play Saturday, hosting No. 7 seed St. James (6-17) at 7 p.m. in New Richland. The winner plays Thursday, March 3 at 7:45 p.m. at Mankato East High School against No. 3 seed Blue Earth Area (14-9) or No. 6 seed Maple River (6-18). The winner there plays Monday, March 7 at 8 p.m. at Minnesota State-Mankato for the sub-section title. The section championship and state tournament berth will be determined Friday, March 11 at 8 p.m. at MSU-Mankato.
The NRHEG boys’ basketball team defeated Blue Earth Area 58-38 Tuesday, Feb. 23 in opening-round sub-section tournament play in New Richland.
The third-seeded Panthers (17-9) play Friday, Feb. 26 at 7:45 p.m. at Mankato East High School against No. 2 seed WEM (22-3). The winner there plays for the sub-section title Monday, Feb. 29 at 8 p.m. at Minnesota State-Mankato. The section championship game is Friday, March 4 at 8 p.m. at MSU.
Maple River (22-2) is the No. 1 seed in the south sub-section of Section 2AA. Belle Plaine (16-7) is the top seed in the north, followed by St. Peter (18-6), Norwood-Young America (17-7) and Jordan (15-8).
Peterson, Fitterer advance to state wrestling tournament
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
When the NRHEG wrestling squad was bounced from the Section 2A team tournament a week earlier, it was a little disheartening for coach Shawn Larson and the Panthers.
They made sure it didn’t happen a second consecutive weekend.
The Panthers wrestled tough in the Section 2A individual tournament at Blue Earth Friday and Saturday, advancing two individuals to state while coming home with 10 placewinners.
“Overall, this was our best performance of the year,” said Larson.
Advancing to state were seniors Cordell Peterson and Wyatt Fitterer.
More...
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The NRHEG girls’ basketball team had only one game last week, but it was a good one.
The Panthers played from behind for most of the night against United South Central, but came away with a 53-49 triumph Thursday, Feb. 11. NRHEG ran its record to 18-6 overall and 8-3 in the Gopher Conference.
The Rebels took a 28-27 lead into halftime and the Panthers battled from behind most of the second half.
“USC is a tough team with two great post players that are huge mismatches for us, and their guards stepped up and hit some big threes,” said NRHEG coach Onika Peterson. “It was a great team win tonight.”
NRHEG boys end regular season in exciting fashion
Written by Jim LutgensBaker scores 43 in loss to Waseca
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The final week of the regular season was an exciting one for the NRHEG boys’ basketball team, which hosted Waseca and United South Central last week.
The Panthers battled what has become a friendly rival in Waseca while falling 76-70 in a nonconference contest Tuesday, Feb. 9, bouncing back to win 60-49 at New Richland on Friday.
Coach Pat Churchill’s Panthers are 16-9 overall, finishing 8-4 in the Gopher Conference.
Waseca 76, NRHEG 70
“This was a fun high school basketball game,” said Churchill.
Panthers’ dual-meet season ends in section tourney
Written by Jim LutgensThe NRHEG High School wrestling team saw its dual-meet season end Thursday, Feb. 11 with a 65-3 Section 2A loss to Kenyon-Wanamingo.
The eighth-seeded Panthers defeated No. 9 seed Blooming Prairie in the opening round. Top-seeded Kenyon-Wangmingo went on to defeat Maple River and Blue Earth Area for the section title and state tournament berth.
NRHEG has individual section at Blue Earth this weekend.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The final score was deceiving. The NRHEG boys’ basketball team played arch rival WEM much closer than a 71-59 score would indicate.
The visiting Bucs overcame a halftime deficit and broke the game open with about seven minutes remaining while handing the Panthers a Gopher Conference loss at New Richland Thursday, Feb. 4.
“I told our boys I was proud of the effort,” said NRHEG coach Pat Churchill. “We just can't figure out how to win a game down the stretch against a really good team.”
The loss dropped the Panthers to 15-8 overall and 7-4 in the Gopher Conference while WEM improved to 18-3 and 9-1.