The Luverne Cardinals and scoring machine Kamryn Van Batavia came into the Worthington Ice Arena on Tuesday night and established themselves early, netting seven goals in the first period and rolling to a 12-2 triumph over the Trojans in girls hockey action.
Luverne’s Mallory Nelson scored the game’s first goal 1:55 in on an assist from Van Batavia, and Van Batavia scored on a pass from Nelson at 7:57 for a 2-0 Luverne edge. The Trojans quickly answered, though, as Marin Pederson scored at 8:28 on an assist from Peyton Nickel to make it 2-1, but that was as close as the home team would get the rest of the evening.
Reghan Bork’s goal at 10:38 on assists from Van Batavia and Nelson made it 3-1, and Ella Apel scored next on feeds from Greta McClure and Billi Connell at 12:11 for a 4-1 score. Van Batavia scored less than a minute later on assists from Bork and Payton Behr to make it 5-1, and an unassisted Van Batavia goal at 14:14 made it 6-1. Behr scored the final goal in the period on an assist from Van Batavia, who finished her night with four goals and four assists. Luverne is 20-3 on the season, and Van Batavia has an astonishing 75 goals and 43 assists.
The Trojans’ Kory Nickel had a shorthanded goal 55 seconds into the second period for the Trojans’ other goal. WHS goalie Lila Newman made 30 saves on 42 shots. The Cardinals’ Cheyenne Schutz made 16 saves.
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In the boys half of the WHS-Luverne hockey doubleheader, the Cardinals’ Brady Bork scored the game-winner at 6:59 of the third period as Luverne edged the Trojans 5-4.
Luverne led 1-0 after the first period thanks to a Brock Behrend goal assisted by Owen Sudenga, but the Trojans answered just 11 seconds into the second period when Ian Bumgardner scored on assists from Konner Honius and Andrew Benson. Luverne, though, would get a pair of goals in slightly more than two minutes, as Jack Schlosser and Berhend both scored to make it 3-1, but the Trojans’ Konner Honius scored unassisted at 3:37 to make it 3-2.
Andrew Benson’s unassisted goal 3:40 into the third period tied it at 3, but Elliot Domagala’s short-handed score made it 4-3 Cardinals at 4:44 on a pass from Zach Kruse. Honius then knotted things at 4-apiece at 6:10 on a power-play goal that came on assists from Blake Luinenburg and Benson, setting the stage for Bork’s game-winner just 49 seconds later.
Luverne outshot Worthington 38-27 in the game. Trojan goalie Steven Adams had 33 saves.
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Participating in a triangular meet in Granite Falls, Worthington edged Paynesville 39-36 and topped Quad County 51-25.
Alex Galvez at 106 pounds, Ethan Meyer at 120, Oscar Galvez at 126, Kevin Galvez at 170 and Cole Hennings at 285 each won by fall for Worthington against Paynesville, and Chase Byrne won by decision at 152. The Trojans also won another match via forfeit.
Against Quad County, Alex Galvez, Meyer, Oscar Galvez, Vincent Vanderkooi at 132, Austin Gruis at 138, Tanner Hennings at 195 and Cole Hennings all won with pins. Emanuel Sararia also won by decision at 113, and WHS also earned another victory by forfeit.
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The WHS boys basketball team broke an eight-game losing streak Tuesday, topping Jackson County Central 78-72 on Meet the Trojans Night in the WHS gym.
Jake Brandner had 27 points and 13 rebounds for the Trojans, and Kaleb Knothe added 19 points and 13 rebounds. Jacari Swinea contributed 17 points as Worthington picked up its second win of the season.
Trojans head coach CJ Nelson said WHS built a 15-point lead in the early stages of the second half before the Huskies began to claw their way back. The Trojans made some big plays at the end, said Nelson, who praised Brandner and Knothe for working hard on the boards and getting putback shots that were a key to the win.
Nelson added the Trojans have been practicing well over the course of the last few days and look to be playing well as a team. With a close win, the coach is confident his team can continue to grow as the season progresses.
In other action Tuesday:
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 68, Dawson-Boyd 29
Southwest Minnesota Christian 75, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 42
Westbrook-Walnut Grove 53, Murray County Central 37
Edgerton 45, Red Rock Central 43
Hills-Beaver Creek 66, Adrian-Ellsworth 39
Fairmont 83, ML-GHEC-T 38
Luverne 74, St. James Area 34
Windom 49, Pipestone Area 36
Central Lyon 54, Sheldon 37
Boyden-Hull 45, Rock Valley 41
Okoboji 52, George-Little Rock 28
Sibley-Ocheyedan 62, MOC-Floyd Valley 53
West Lyon 50, Sioux Center 35
MMCRU 74, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 45
Spirit Lake 39, Storm Lake 30
BOYS BASKETBALL
Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 56, Red Rock Central 40
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 73, Renville County West 56
Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 74, Cedar Mountain 52
Marshall 67, Redwood Valley 55
Pipestone Area 80, Windom 48
Central Lyon 79, Sheldon 57
Boyden-Hull 71, Rock Valley 49
Okoboji 57, George-Little Rock 44
MOC-Floyd Valley 66, Sibley-Ocheyedan 53
Sioux Center 69, West Lyon 48
Remsen-St. Mary’s 68, Harris-Lake Park 26
MMCRU 61, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 58
Storm Lake 46, Spirit Lake 39
GIRLS HOCKEY
New Ulm 6, Fairmont 1
Minnesota River 4, Marshall 3 (OT)
BOYS HOCKEY
New Ulm 4, Fairmont 2
