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

By JIM LUTGENS

Sports Editor

Last season was not a terrible one for the NRHEG High School wrestling team.

But coach Shawn Larson and the Panthers are shooting for something better in 2023-24.

"We are expecting to make a strong attempt at regaining a top-three finish in the conference," said Larson. "We are hoping to learn from our setbacks from last season, and have a winning season this year."

The Panthers, as usual, had a challenging schedule last season, when they finished 1-5 in the Gopher Conference and 5-19 overall, reaching the section semifinals before falling to LCWM. Larson is back for his 11th season as head coach, assisted by Nate Jensen and Erik Olson. Jensen has been with the program for 26 years while Olson is in his first season with the junior high wrestlers. The Panthers have went 79-108 under Larson's guidance.

By JIM LUTGENS

Sports Editor

It's a pretty safe bet that second-year head coach Dan Schmidt expects improvement for the NRHEG boys' basketball team.

Last year's Panthers finished with a record of 3-24, including 3-13 in the Gopher Conference and 3-13 against section opponents.

The Panthers graduated three seniors from that squad, Sawyer Prigge, Brady Schlaak and Dylan Ingvaldson.

Panthers are coming off consecutive 20-win seasons

By JIM LUTGENS

Sports Editor

The NRHEG High School girls' basketball team did not graduate a ton of individuals from last year's highly successful season.

But they made quite an impact.

All-conference selections and longtime starters Sidney Schultz and Erin Jacobson are gone, as is last year's Panther Award winner Trinity Smith-Vulcan. Schultz finished third in NRHEG history with 1,831 points, second in career three-pointers with 259, third in career assists with 601 and ninth in steals with 273. Jacobson totaled 278 points and 195 rebounds last season, finishing 12th in NRHEG history with 598 rebounds and 14th in points with 943.

They helped last year's Panthers to an overall record of 21-6 and 12-2 in the Gopher Conference, 8-1 within their division. They fell to Hayfield in the conference championship game. The Panthers, who seem to be perennial contenders for  a title or two, were 20-10 the previous season.