Marshall gets hoops sweep over WHS; Packers edge Trojans in girls hockey

The Worthington Trojans boys basketball team hung around in the first half Tuesday night against the visiting Marshall Tigers, but Marshall started strongly after halftime and went on to post a 63-39 win over WHS.

WHS was ahead 6-2 early on thanks to pair of hoops from Jacari Swinea and a basket from Permeye Okony. Following a Welbaka Morke free throw and another Swinea bucket, the Trojans had what proved their last lead of the night at 9-7. The Tigers tallied 15 of the next 21 points after that to build a nine-point edge. Swinea had four more points before the first half ended and Morke contributed a 3-pointer, but Marshall was up 32-20 at the break.

The Tigers began the second half with a 10-2 surge to build a 20-point cushion, and Worthington would get no closer than 14 points the rest of the way. 

Swinea paced the Trojans in scoring with 19 points as WHS slipped t0 2-13 overall with its fifth consecutive loss. Marshall, meanwhile, is 13-3. The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Worthington boys as they play host to 17-0 Waseca on Friday night.

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In Trojan girls basketball Tuesday night, Worthington was in Marshall to take on the Tigers, the state's top-ranked team in Class 3A, on the campus of SMSU. WHS suffered its 12th straight setback. losing by a score of 80-27. Marshall is now 18-0.

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The Austin Packers scored the game-winning goal with 2:50 remaining Tuesday night as they edged the host Worthington Trojans 5-4 in high school girls hockey despite being outshot 31-13.

Austin got the night's first goal at the 8:09 mark of the first period, but Madelyn Cummings scored on a power play for WHS — with Peyton Nickel picking up an assist — to tie the score at 12:08. Another Packers' goal with 43 seconds remaining in the first period made it a 2-1 game.

Austin went up 3-1 just 1:13 into the second period, but the Trojans answered with 3:25 to go before the next intermission when Tayler Nickel scored on an assist from Sadie Nickel.

In the third period, the Packers scored at 2:07 to regain a two-goal lead, but Worthington fought back. Sydnie Van Briesen made it 4-3 at 3:56 as she got passes from both Tayler Nickel and Breeta Johnson. Then, with 3:30 remaining in regulation, Peyton Nickel tied things up, with assists going to Victoria Bush and Sadie Nickel. Forty-seconds later, though, Austin netted the game-winner.

The Trojans are now 3-15 on the year. They at Windom — which they beat earlier this season by a score of 1-0 — on Thursday night.

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In area boys hockey Tuesday night, it was:

Marshall 4, Redwood Valley 2

In area girls hockey Tuesday night:

Marshall 4, New Ulm 0

Fairmont 3, Windom 1

In area boys basketball Tuesday night:

Westbrook-Walnut Grove 84, Yellow Medicine East 51

Nicollet 55, Martin County West 51

Hills-Beaver Creek 80, Southwest Minnesota Christian 76

Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 61, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 58

Murray County Central 79, Red Rock Central 58

Madelia 71, Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 51

Jackson County Central 91, Tri-City United 34

Belle Plaine 66, Fairmont 63

Windom 73, Pipestone Area 69

Luverne 85, Redwood Valley 80

Sioux Center 53, Sheldon 45

Boyden-Hull 67, Central Lyon 59

Okoboji 64, Sibley-Ocheyedan 45

Storm Lake 74, Spirit Lake 49

In area girls basketball Tuesday night:

Martin County West 61, Nicollet 48

Hills-Beaver Creek 62, Southwest Minnesota Christian 59

Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 61, Ortonville 35

Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 68, Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 36

Westbrook-Walnut Grove 64, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 39

Adrian-Ellsworth 53, Edgerton 48

Murray County Central 62, Red Rock Central 34

Redwood Valley 71, Luverne 62

Windom 71, Pipestone Area 66

Jackson County Central 80, Tri-City United 47

Fairmont 54, Belle Plaine 40

Sioux Center 68, Sheldon 20

Central Lyon 82, Boyden-Hull 21

West Lyon 49, MOC-Floyd Valley 48

George-Little Rock 62, MMC-RU 20

Harris-Lake Park 46, Trinity Christian 34

Storm Lake 58, Spirit Lake 45