NRHEG Sports (656)
The latest game results and prognostications for NRHEG.{jcomments on}
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
An eight-game winning streak was snapped for the NRHEG girls’ basketball team last week.
The Panthers played well for half but fell short in their Gopher Conference showdown at Waterville Thursday. The next night, they traveled to Mankato Loyola and absorbed a 68-60 setback. NRHEG fell to 17-6 overall, 7-3 in conference.
WEM 65, NRHEG 48
With snow days last week, NRHEG only had one day to discuss and break down scout infoormation on WEM, instead of the three days originally planned.
“With that being said, we did a nice job in the first half attacking the basket and went in at the half being down 32-34 on a buzzer beater from Kendall,” said coach Onika Peterson.
The NRHEG wrestling team hosted Medford in its final Gopher Conference meet and lost 42-34 Friday, Feb. 5.
The Panthers finished with a conference record of 2-3.
Head coach Shawn Larson took personal responsibility for the loss.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
If you added up all the points scored by Wagners for the NRHEG girls’ basketball team, you’d probably need a calculator.
Junior Marnie Wagner is the latest to join the 1,000-point club, joining sisters Carlie and Maddie, as the Panthers pounded JWP 84-46 last Monday in their first of three wins for the week.
The Panthers, 17-4 overall and 7-2 in the Gopher Conference, have won eight games in a row heading into Thursday’s showdown at conference-leading WEM.
NRHEG 84, JWP 46
Wagner scored her 1,000th career point as the Panthers won easily Jan. 25 at Janesville.
Panthers win in overtime at Triton
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
In the last couple years, the Maple River Eagles have been a tough crew to beat for the NRHEG boys’ basketball team.
The trend continued last week.
The Panthers hosted the Gopher Conference leaders and defending section champs and kept it close for a half before falling 59-42 at New Richland Tuesday, Jan. 26. They bounced back for a pair of wins Thursday and Friday, improving to 15-7 overall and 6-3 in the Gopher Conference.
Maple River 59, NRHEG 42
The Eagles dominated early, building a 14-0 lead before the Panthers got on the scoreboard. NRHEG battled back to take a 23-21 lead at halftime, but the Eagles opened it up in the second half to run their record to 18-2.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The NRHEG wrestlers traveled to Mapleton last Friday with hopes for a win and a chance for a share of the Gopher Conference title.
Unforeseen factors changed things.
An injury in their lineup forced the Panthers to wrestle differently than planned and they went on to lose 45-30 to Maple River Jan. 29.
“This match,” said Panthers coach Shawn Larson, “was a heartbreaker.”
Bonus points were the difference.
NRHEG basketball girls run early, win handily
Written by Jim LutgensLady Panthers improve to 14-4 overall, 5-2 in conference
OFF AND RUNNING — Maddie Wagner (1) leads a fast break as teammates Marnie Wagner, Kayley Camerer Besty Schoenrock and several Bethlehem Academy defenders trail the play at New Richland Friday, Jan. 22. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
When the NRHEG girls’ basketball team is able to open up the game and run, opponents have problems.
Just ask Blue Earth Area and Bethlehem Academy.
They were the latest to go down last week as the Panthers improved to 14-4 overall and 5-2 in the Gopher Conference.
NRHEG 53, Blue Earth Area 40
“We were able to get out and run on them in the first half,” said NRHEG coach Onika Peterson, whose team sprinted to a 26-15 halftime advantage at Blue Earth Tuesday, Jan. 19. “We crashed well on the defensive boards, looking up the floor to advance the ball.
After a slow start to the second half, allowing the Bucs to cut the lead to two, the Panthers took control.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The competition was tough and the NRHEG wrestlers were a bit off their game Saturday in the Bob Swalla Duals at Kasson-Mantorville.
It resulted in a bit of a long day.
The Panthers dropped two of three dual meets and finished 10th among 11 teams.
“We wrestled a little inconsistently,” said NRHEG coach Shawn Larson.
The Panthers lost the opener 52-18 to Caledonia, bouncing back in the second round to defeat Menomonie, Wis., 49-23. They then fell 52-18 to Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The NRHEG boys’ basketball team faced a few foes it was supposed to beat last week.
Everything went as planned.
The Panthers improved to 13-6 in toppling JWP 69-57 at New Richland Monday, Jan. 18, downing Blue Earth Area at home Tuesday, and prevailing 75-54 at Bethlehem Academy Friday. They stretched their winning streak to five straight.
NRHEG 69, JWP 57
It was close for the first 12 minutes, but the Panthers broke a 21-all tie with a 10-point run and went into halftime leading 40-27.
MAT MADNESS — Teammates react to a victory by Tyler Jacobson, right, during the Panthers’ dual-meet victory at Lake Mills, Iowa Saturday, Jan. 16. (Star Eagle photo by Nikki Erickson)
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The NRHEG wrestling team didn’t have to go too far for some interstate competition.
The Panthers traveled south to Lake Mills, Iowa on Saturday for a dual-meet invitational and came home with third place with a record of 2-2.
According to NRHEG coach Shawn Larson, it was a good weekend.
“We had another strong performance,” he said. “It was fun to go to this tournament in Iowa because we are unfamiliar with the competition, and can just get out and have fun without worrying about who our opponents are and where we should place certain people into the lineup.”
NRHEG girls complete impressive week with win at USC
PARADE OF POINTS — The Panthers’ Maddie Wagner scored a total of 52 points in two recent wins for the NRHEG girls' basketball team. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The last time the NRHEG girls’ basketball team met Blooming Prairie, the Panthers were coming off a tough loss to St. Peter and struggled to score while falling 45-31. This time was different.
The Panthers jumped on top early at Blooming Prairie Tuesday, Jan. 12 and cruised to a 61-41 Gopher Conference victory. They followed with a 63-59 triumph at United South Central Friday, running their record to 12-4 overall and 4-2 in the conference.
NRHEG 61, Blooming Prairie 43
“Our offense ran much better than it did the first time around,” said NRHEG coach Onika Peterson.
Defensively, the Panthers struggled at times and got into some foul trouble. In the first half, 15 of the Blossoms’ 29 points were on free throws.
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By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
With one of their triple towers still on the sideline, it was time for the rest of the NRHEG boys’ basketball players to step up.
They did.
Two Panthers accomplished double-doubles Tuesday in a win over Blooming Prairie and the momentum carried into Friday with a victory over United South Central to complete a 2-0 week. NRHEG improved to 10-6 overall, 5-2 in the Gopher Conference.
NRHEG 64, Blooming Prairie 36
Coach Pat Churchill credited the Panthers’ defense after a Gopher Conference triumph at New Richland.
Panthers thwart WEM/JWP in dual
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Coming off an impressive dual-meet victory, the NRHEG High School wrestling team had a good showing Saturday, taking second in the 10-team Gopher-Valley Conference tournament at St. Clair.
Fairmont/Martin County West won with 179 points and the Panthers totaled 166.5, best of any Gopher Conference squad. Maple River was third with 159, followed by USC with 156, LCWM/Nicollet 122, Medford 121.5, WEM/JWP 120, Blooming Prairie 107, Madelia/Truman 66 and St. Clair 29.
“Our team is really making progress so far in 2016,” said NRHEG coach Shawn Larson. “We wrestled well on Thursday and at this tournament. There are still areas in which we need to improve upon, but it is so much easier to do when we are seeing the effects of our hard work.”
Panthers drop state championship rematch with Kenyon-Wanamingo
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
It’s been a season of streaks for the NRHEG girls’ basketball team.
After winning five in a row to start the season, the Panthers dropped two straight before reeling off another four wins.
They snapped another two-game skid Saturday, defeating Stewartville 68-52 in a nonconference game at Hayfield. The Panthers, 2-2 in the Gopher Conference, improved to 10-4 overall.
The Panthers made 19 of 32 two-pointers, 6 of 38 threes and 12 of 17 free throws as Stewartville was 12-for-29, 6-for-18 and 10-for-23. The Panthers outrebounded the Tigers 37-23.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Missing one third of their triple towers, the NRHEG basketball boys struggled early at Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Friday, Jan. 8. They could not catch up, dropping a Gopher Conference contest 62-51.
The Panthers took nearly six minutes to score their first points of the game. Fortunately, WEM only scored six.
“It seemed we were a bit tentative offensively, dropped some passes, didn't finish,” said NRHEG coach Pat Churchill. “We rushed a little bit and really struggled early.”
Tough defense helped the Panthers keep it close, according to Churchill.
The Bucs pushed the lead to double digits with six minutes left in the first half and went into halftime with a 31-17 advantage.