The Worthington High School boys soccer team, ranked fourth in the latest Minnesota State Class AA coaches poll, blew Tuesday’s home match against Waseca wide open in the second half and rolled to a 7-0 triumph.
The Trojans controlled play through much of the first half but only had a 1-0 lead to show for the first 40 minutes, as Jonathan Banegas had the lone goal with 11:12 remaining before halftime. Worthington then came out like gangbusters in the second half and got its second goal of the match just 40 seconds into the action as Bayron Echeverria took a pass from Banegas and scored.
Echeverria got his second goal of the night with 25:27 to play in the second half, again coming off a pass from Banegas. Then, a mere 27 seconds later, Banegas scored again from approximately 30 yards out to make it 4-0.
The Trojans were by no means done. A fine pass from Echeverria to Isaac Perez resulted in another goal at the 21:53 mark, and Maqui Sandoval tallied the sixth WHS goal at 19:14. The final Worthington score of the night came from Julio Martin with 14:55 remaining.
With the victory, the Trojans improved to 10-0 on the season and also picked up their seventh shutout. WHS will be back at home on Thursday night against St. Peter, and it will be Meet the Trojans Night at Trojan Field.
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The newest Minnesota Cross Country Coaches Association rankings were released on Sunday, and the Worthington High School boys teams is first in Class AA.
A pair of Trojan runners also earned notable rankings, as Mikele Walu is rated third in his class and Fanuel Wolday sixth.
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The Worthington Trojans girls volleyball team traveled to Marshall Tuesday night and was defeated 3-0 by the Tigers. Game scores were 25-8, 25-8, 25-9.
Tarren Spartz led the Trojans with eight kills and nine digs. Ellie Weg has six digs and three blocks and Reagan Schaefer added six digs for Worthington. Addison Gerber passed for 14 set assists.
The Trojans are now 4-4 on the season. They’ll play their next match on Thursday at Spirit Lake.
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In girls soccer, Worthington traveled to Waseca and lost 7-1. The Trojans are now 0-9-1.
WHS trailed by just 1-0 at halftime, as coach Anne Greenway said the Trojans played hard and moved the ball very well. Waseca came out more aggressively in the second half, which caught WHS off guard initially. The match became very physical in the second half, and Greenway said Worthington rose to the occasion.
Cristy Banegas had the Trojans’ goal on an assist from Sayhra Talamentes. Greenway said the team had several shots on net and is improving offensively as the season continues.
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The Worthington High School girls tennis team was defeated in a Tuesday match in Marshall, 6-1.
The lone victory for the Trojans came at No. 4 singles, where senior Ivy Jenson defeated the Tigers' Siri Christensen by scores of 6-2 6-2. Worthington just missed out on another triumph at No. 3 singles, where Naomi Schroeder of Marshall edged past the Trojans' Taya Oberloh by scores of 7-6, 4-6, 10-8.
Each of the other WHS losses on Tuesday came in straight sets. The Trojans are scheduled to play a match Thursday afternoon in Pipestone.
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In area high school volleyball Tuesday, it was:
Edgerton 3, Adrian-Ellsworth 1
Westbrook-Walnut Grove 3, Southwest Minnesota Christian 1
Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 3, Hills-Beaver Creek 0
Murray County Central 3, Red Rock Central 2
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 3, Central Minnesota Christian 0
Windom 3, Jackson County Central 1
New Ulm 3, Fairmont 0
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 3, Martin County West 0
Unity 3, Harris-Lake Park 0
Western Christian 3, Spirit Lake 0
