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

Defending champs return to the big show for third year in a row

STICK LIKE GLUE — Jade Schultz, left, and Carlie Wagner disrupt the Norwood-Young America offense during the Section 2AA title game at Mankato Friday, March 14. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)


By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

MANKATO – The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ basketball team’s coaching staff were hoping for a fast start in Friday’s Section 2AA championship game. 

The Panthers did not disappoint them. NRHEG raced to a 25-2 lead to start the game and cruised to an easy 70-36 triumph over the Norwood-Young America Raiders to capture its third straight section title and earn a shot at defending its state championship from a year ago. 

NYA, which had won 16 of its last 17 games, finished its season with a 21-6 record. 

NRHEG improved to 28-0 this year, winning its 58th straight game over the last two years. 

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

Usually, when people speculated about the college athletic career for Jade Schultz, they talked softball.

Somehow, that all changed during the last year.

Now she’s looking at playing basketball — at the Division I level.

“We thought for sure softball is what she would do,” said her father and NRHEG head girls’ basketball coach John Schultz. “I guess missing last spring and summer took her off the radar for that.”

NRHEG girls survive scare in sub-section title game

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Members of the NRHEG girls' basketball team and Panther fans rise to their feet and rejoice as the Panthers pull away from WEM in the second half of Monday night's Section 2AA Sub-Section South championship game at Minnesota State-Mankato. The unbeaten, top-ranked Panthers survived stall tactics by the Buccaneers and won 45-34, advancing to the Section 2AA title game Friday at approximately 8 p.m. at Minnesota State-Mankato. Panthers pictured above from left are Gretchen Ramaker, Kelli Harrington, Jade Peterson and Anna Stork. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)

By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

MANKATO – Many people felt the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ basketball team needed a close game to toughen the Panthers up. Those people got their wish in the South Sub-Section 2AA championship game at MSU-Mankato Monday. 

Gopher Conference foe Waterville-Elysian-Morristown slowed the pace and forced the Panthers to break away from a halftime deadlock to post a 45-34 victory. 

Coach Gabe Hauer’s Buccaneers saw their season end at 18-10. The Bucs lost two regular season meetings to NRHEG 75-39 and 83-48.