NRHEG Sports (656)
The latest game results and prognostications for NRHEG.{jcomments on}
NRHEG High School winter cheerleaders get the home crowd excited during a December basketball game. From left are Anna Bailey, Avery Hill, Jessica Nafe and Lillian Bell. Panther athletic teams are in the midst of a busy season. See the sports schedule on Page 10 of this week's Star Eagle. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
Lady Panthers trim Hayfield after winning tourney
Written by Jim LutgensThe NRHEG girls’ basketball team improved to 9-2 with a 60-46 nonconference victory over visiting Hayfield Saturday, Jan. 2.
The Panthers were led by the Wagner twins, with Marnie netting 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and one block and Maddie totaling 17 points, three assists and two rebounds. Others: Hailey Schuller eight points, two rebounds; Rachel Collins eight points; Kayley Camerer six points, six rebounds, two steals; Betsy Schoenrock two points.
NRHEG boys watch lead slip away against Hayfield
Written by Jim LutgensEveryone knew the Gopher Conference would be challenging for the NRHEG boys’ basketball team.
The nonconference schedule hasn’t been a cakewalk either.
The Panthers, fresh off a third-place finish in the Bethany Christmas Tournament, let a scrappy Hayfield crew back in the game and lost 75-69 at New Richland Saturday, Jan. 2. NRHEG fell to 8-5 overall.
The Panthers jumped to an early 10-point lead, but Hayfield battled back to tie it 23-all at halftime.
“I thought we had a chance to get out ahead early in the first half, but Hayfield did a nice job of executing and hitting some shots that allowed them back in the game,” said Panthers coach Pat Churchill.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Everyone’s heard of the NBA’s version of The Big Three.
Around these parts, The Big Three reside in New Richland.
The NRHEG boys’ basketball team’s triple towers — Oakley Baker, John Cole and Tyler Raimann — all scored in double figures for the second straight game as the Panthers improved to 7-3, defeating Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 81-49 in Saturday’s Bethany Lutheran Christmas Tournament and blowing out visiting Blooming Prairie 79-52 Tuesday, Dec. 22.
Cole scored 18 points, Baker and Raimann 16 each at Mankato. Also for the Panthers: Chad Agrimson eight, Jack Schultz eight, Benji Lundberg seven, Sam Prigge three, Luke Overgaard two, Jason Jongbloedt two, Tyler Schlaak one.
The Panthers used a late first-half run to take a 16-point lead into halftime.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
December 21 marked the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year around here.
It was definitely dark for the NRHEG girls’ basketball team.
The Panthers, playing without Gretchen Ramaker, who’s out for the season after undergoing knee surgery, traveled to St. Peter for a nonconference contest and lost for the first time in six games, 49-39.
“Defensively, we played well,” said Panthers coach Onika Peterson. “We kept them from driving and really plugged up the lane. They hit big outside shots and we didn’t.”
SIX-POINT SHUFFLE — NRHEG senior Wyatt Fitterer reacts after pinning an opponent during last weekend’s Redwood Riot. Fitterer scored three straight falls before coming up short against a ranked opponent in the finals at 285 pounds. (Star Eagle photo by Nikki Erickson)
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The NRHEG wrestling team wrapped up its pre-Christmas schedule with a Gopher Conference dual meet against United South Central at Wells last Thursday and an appearance in Friday and Saturday’s Redwood Riot at Redwood Falls.
The Panthers suffered a tough 36-33 loss at USC.
The Rebels led from start to finish, taking falls over Andrew Reich at 106 pounds and Andrew Bailey at 113. Brent Kubiatowicz got three points back with a 6-4 decision at 120, but Ross Lenort fell 14-9 at 126 before USC forfeited to Cordell Peterson at 132. Tyler Jacobson was pinned in 3:06 at 138. Cole Staloch scored a 6-2 decision at 145 and Bryce Okland won by fall at 152, but the Rebels wrapped it up in the next three bouts as Lucas Hermann was pinned in 1:08, Chad Erickson lost by fall in 47 seconds and Karter Sletten was outpointed 5-3. Trey Hoppe won 7-1, Zeke Erickson got a pin and Wyatt Fitterer won by forfeit, but it was too little too late for the Panthers.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Another week, another win.
And so it went for the NRHEG girls’ basketball team, which remained undefeated after five games with a 58-51 triumph over visiting Medford Friday night.
According to Panthers coach Onika Peterson, the final outcome was probably closer than it should have been.
“We were able to make big runs throughout the game and at one point had a lead of 19,” said Peterson. “However, at times we got lackadaisical in our defense and they were able to hit some big shots and kept working their way back in. We need to make sure that we play to our full potential throughout the whole game and not just when the game is close.”
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
After dropping the first two games, the NRHEG boys’ basketball team is on a bit of a roll.
The Panthers won their fifth game in six starts Friday, traveling to Medford for a 66-38 victory. The Panthers are 5-3 overall and 2-1 in the Gopher Conference.
Medford kept things close in the first half, trailing just 14-9 with eight minutes remaining and 27-18 at halftime.
“I thought Medford was playing with more aggression than we did the first 18 minutes,” said NRHEG coach Pat Churchill. “In the second half I thought we came out a little more aggressive.”
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Four games into the season, things are looking good for the NRHEG girls’ basketball team.
The Panthers raised their record to 4-0 last week, avenging a nonconference loss to Waseca last year while upending Maple River in Gopher Conference action.
Kayley Camerer carried the Panthers to a 54-38 victory at home Friday over Maple River. The junior totaled 25 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. Marnie Wagner had 12 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals, Maddie Wagner six points, six rebounds, four assists and one block. Also scoring: Hailey Schuller five, Gabi Muri three, Gretchen Ramaker three.
Baker reaches 1,000 career points
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Coach Pat Churchill and the NRHEG boys’ basketball team knew it wouldn’t be easy this season.
The Panthers, facing a formidable schedule, won one of two last week, defeating St. Clair 69-64 on Monday and dropping their Gopher Conference opener 62-41 at Maple River Friday. NRHEG is 3-3 overall.
Oakley Baker provided the highlights against St. Clair, totaling 25 points while reaching the 1,000 career point milestone in the first half. The junior added six rebounds and three three-pointers.
“I would like to congratulate Oakley on getting his 1,000th career point,” said Churchill “He is a tremendous high school basketball player who has earned all the praise he gets.”
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Normally, when one of the Wagner twins has a big night, the other follows suit.
That wasn’t the case in the 2015-16 season opener for the NRHEG girls’ basketball team.
Maddie made 10 of 12 shots from the floor and poured in 26 points as the Panthers pounded visiting Tri-City United 84-58 Tuesday, Dec. 1.
“It’s nice to start the season with a win,” said NRHEG coach Onika Peterson. “I think we held a great pace throughout the game. We were able to get TCU out of their full-court press. There are some gaps in our defense that we need to adjust. Overall, it was a great team win.”
Panthers rebound from season-opening setbacks
After opening the season with a pair of tough road losses, the NRHEG boys’ basketball team was more than ready for its home opener Friday, Dec 4. They made it worth the wait.
The Panthers played well and blew out Bethlehem Academy 66-41 in their Gopher Conference opener at New Richland.
“Any time you lose your first two, you really need a win to build a little confidence, and our kids played well tonight,” said NRHEG coach Pat Churchill.
Oakley Baker scored 13 of his game-high 22 points in the first half. Junior Tyler Raimann scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds while recording a dunk on his birthday. Also scoring: John Cole 12, Chad Agrimson eight, Luke Overgaard six, Benji Lundberg two, Sam Prigge two.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
It was a successful week for the NRHEG wrestling team, which defeated Blooming Prairie in the Gopher Conference opener Thursday and placed fifth in Saturday’s Paul Krueger Classic at St. James.
The Panthers dominated the visiting Blossoms. Posting victories were Andrew Reich, 106 pounds; Bryce Okland, 152; Karter Sletten, 170; and Trey Hoppe, 182. Winning by forfeit: Cordell Peterson, 126; Cole Staloch, 145; Zeke Erickson, 220; and Wyatt Fitterer 285.
“In this match we were much more competitive then when we last competed,” said NRHEG coach Shawn Larson. “I was happy to see that we were aggressive in just about every match that was contested, even in some of the matches we lost. Coach Gimbel has his team competing at a level that we have not seen from them recently, and every wrestler they sent out was ready to compete. It was a good dual overall, however we still have many things to work on to compete with the competition that is coming our way in the near future.”
The NRHEG wrestling team opened a busy 2015-16 schedule with a fourth-place finish in the Rochester Duals Saturday, Nov. 28.
The Panthers finished 1-2 on the day, winning their opening meet 40-36 over Pine Island while falling 51-20 to Stewartville in the semifinals and 51-27 to host Rochester John Marshall in the third-place meet.
“Altogether, we were not ready to compete physically or mentally,” said Panthers coach Shawn Larson. “As a coach, my priority for the upcoming weeks is to work on getting our team started in these areas. I was impressed with the competition at this tournament as every school involved seemed to be competitive, especially for the first event of the season.”