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CELEBRATION - These Lady Jays celebrate after Thursday night’s conference clinching win: Sam Azure, Mallory Bhrun, Thyme Lang, Madeline Bulfer, Maia Bartelt, Journey Utpadel, Evelyn Nydegger.
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
The Waseca Lady Jay’s highschool soccer team won two games last week, defeating Mankato Loyola 8-0 on Tuesday and St. Peter 3-2 on Thursday to clinch the 2021 Big South Conference Championship.
After a slow start Tuesday, Oct. 5, the Jays exploded for eight goals against the Crusaders. The Jays were led by freshman Gabby Lopez’s three goals. Also tallying goals were Madi Bulfer with two goals, and with one goal each: Katrina Fuller, Thyme Land, and Sam Azure.
The win on Tuesday meant that the Lady Jays could clinch the Big South Conference Title at home with a win against St. Peter.
Strong defensive play in the first half from Senior Chloe Mansfield and Sophomore Evelyn Nydegger, thwarted each attack made by the Saints. With the Saints doing the same at their end of the field, the game remained scoreless at halftime.
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Quinn VanMaldeghem
It was an outstanding homecoming week for the NRHEG cross country teams, which saw the girls winning their home meet and the boys taking second.
“Tonight was another great night,” NRHEG Head Coach Miles Otstot said. “Both our boys and girls teams had outstanding nights.”
The girls were again led by 8th grader Quinn VanMaldeghem, who registered her first victory of the season, alongside Torri Vaale who took second.
“Both girls had outstanding races and finished safely in their positions,” Coach Otstot said. “The team was rounded out by strong races by Holly Bartness, Annabelle Petsinger, and Lexi McGannon.”
The girls finished first with 42 points, followed by WEM/JWP, 63; Blooming Prairie, 67; Maple River, 71; and Meford, 90.
Individually for the lady Panthers: VanMaldeghem, 1st place, 22:16; Vaale, 2nd place, 22:53; Bartness, 7th place, 24:51; Petsinger, 14th place, 26:36; McGannon, 21st place 29:05.
The Panther boys did almost as well as the girls, finishing second with 59 points. JWP/WEM won it with 31 points. Finishing behind the Panthers were: Blooming Prairie, 70; Maple River, 75; Blue Earth Area, 120.
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Sophie Stork, Sarah George, Hallie Schultz, Rhys Martin, Erin Jacobson, and Sidney Schultz, celebrate after a point.
The Panther spikers played two matches and a tournament last week, winning two and losing three at a Tri-City United tournament.
Thursday night saw the Lady Panthers hosting Blooming Prairie in its homecoming match, defeating the Blossoms three games to one. Game scores were 26-24, 25-20, 25-16, and 25-19.
Game one was the closest of the four games, and saw the Panthers caught on their back foot, falling into a 10-point deficit early. The Panthers slowly crawled back, but were unable to overcome their slow start.
“We were right there, but couldn’t finish,” NRHEG Head Coach Onika Peterson said. “The rest of the night we seemed to be moving better.”
After losing game one 26-24, the spikers momentum carried them to three straight victories.
“We had better control on our passing and were more aggressive at the net,” Coach Peterson explained. “We cut down some of our mental mistakes from the first set.”