NRHEG Star Eagle

137 Years Serving the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Area
Newspaper of Record for NRHEG School District
Newspaper of Record for Waseca County, MN
PO Box 248 • New Richland, MN 56072

507-463-8112
email: steagle@hickorytech.net
Published every Thursday
Yearly Subscription: Waseca, Steele, and Freeborn counties: $52
Minnesota $57 • Out of state $64
Cheer team members attending the NRHEG sports banquet, front row from left: Addy Buenger, Isabel Stadheim, Autumn Baseman, Grace Wilkenson, and coach Joni Churchill. Back: Ariel Anhalt, Madison Bogue, Payton Bunn, Sierra Misgen, Eva Wayne, Brenna Sommer. Below left on stage, from left: Sierra Misgen, Isabel Stadheim, Payton Bunn, Addy Buenger, and Madison Bogue. Star Eagle photos by Eli Lutgens

By ELI LUTGENS

Publisher/Editor

The NRHEG cheer team season was highlighted by the group and the school’s first ever trip to nationals in Orlando. They concluded their season ranked 11th in the nation. 

NRHEG coach Joni Churchill started off their portion of the night congratulating and thanking everyone involved in winter sports.

“You all have a lot to be proud of and we had so much fun cheering you on,” Churchill said. “ 

By ELI LUTGENS

Publisher/Editor

The NRHEG boys' basketball season came to an end in the opening round of the sub-section playoffs with a 74-32 loss to 2-seed Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial last week. 

The game was never close. Ranked fifth in state, the Knights also rolled past Waseca by nine-points in round two of the tournament but lost in the sub-section championship game against No. 4 ranked Maple River. 

The Knights scored the first 11 points against the Panthers and never looked back. 

By DEB BENTLY

Staff Writer

NRHEG head wrestling coach Shawn Larson believes his sport is best at testing, and therefore building, character.

“You can’t advance as a wrestler without coming face to face with adversity,” he claims. “You have to fail before you can succeed. It’s not pleasant, but it’s what makes you stronger.”

While Larson is proud of all 23 of his team members and their accomplishments, he believes the one who has probably faced the most adversity is the lone female, Annabelle Petsinger. As stated in an accompanying article, the number of girl wrestlers in the state is growing rapidly. Despite that, however, only three of the 18 teams NRHEG faced this past season had female members, although some that did had a fair number of them.

Since Petsinger began taking part in tournaments during her seventh-grade year (She is now a junior.), Larson has noted a variety of reactions to her presence on the mat. “Some teams were welcoming and excited for her,” he recalls. “Others seemed to pretty much think, ‘What’s she doing here?’

“Of course,” he adds, “they consistently found out.