Tri-City United tops Worthington on penalty kicks for conference crown
The Worthington Trojans and Tri-City United Titans played an epic Big South Conference boys soccer championship match Thursday and, in the end, it was the host Titans claiming the crown.
WHS and Tri-City United fought back and forth through a scoreless 80 minutes of regulation, and the match was ultimately decided on penalty kicks. The Titans prevailed 4-3 in the penalty shootout, with the championship coming down to the final Tri-City United kick.
It's the second consecutive year that the Black Division-champion Titans beat the Gold Division-champion Trojans for the conference title. On Thursday, the two teams went toe-to-toe, exchanging pressure, vying for every possession and leaving it all on the field.
Following the scoreless first 40 minutes, Worthington began the second half with tremendous energy and continued to apply wave after wave of offensive pressure. Tri-City United, however, refused to break, and repeatedly turned away Trojan attacking opportunities. WHS, it should be said, turned in an excellent defensive performance of its own.
Worthington has one more regular season match, which it will play at home Saturday against Jordan. The Trojans are then expected to host a quarterfinal Section 2AA match at home at 7 p.m. Tuesday against an opponent to be determined.
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Luverne was the team champion in both the boys and girls divisions and Fairmont placed second in each during Thursday's I-90 Invite cross-country competition hosted by Fairmont High School.
Fairmont freshman Cole Hanson won the boys race with a time of 17:08.08. He was followed Luverne's Marcus Papik in second place and Jackson County Central's David Botello Ramos in third. Kane Waddington of Luverne was fourth.
Worthington High School senior Asrat Bonnett finished a team-best sixth for the Trojans. Sophomore teammate Braddock Marquardt was 18th; senior Anthony Columbos was next in 38th.
JCC's other runners included 13th-place Kayden Mitchell, 16th-place Brycen Mitchell, 28th-place Grant Ambrose, 29th-place Gavin Tusa, and 37th-place Nolan Brinks. The Huskies were fourth among the eight competing teams; WHS was seventh.
In the girls race, Evelyn Christenson of Martin County West/Butterfield-Odin crossed the finish line first in 20:40.7. Fairmont's Sophia Streit and Brooklyn Stone were second and third, respectively; Luverne's Khloe Visker and Summer Mollberg were fourth and fifth.
JCC's Naiya Ayers finished sixth. Other Huskies competing were: Carly Clark, 21st; Abigail Mohr, 25th; and Danica Wood, 31st. Emily Dahlquist was 11th to top Worthington. Grace Larson was 32nd and Annika Kinser 33rd. JCC was third in the team standings and WHS fifth.
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In area high school volleyball Thursday, it was:
Murray County Central 3, Adrian-Ellsworth 0
Southwest Minnesota Christian 3, Heron Lake Okabena/Fulda 1
Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 3, Edgerton 2
Westbrook-Walnut Grove 3, Hills-Beaver Creek 0
Cleveland 3, Martin County West 1
Minneota 3, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 0
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 3, Red Rock Central 0
Western Christian 3, Sheldon 0
Boyden-Hull 3, Spencer 0
MOC-Floyd Valley 3, Central Lyon 0
Unity Christian 3, Rock Valley 0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-19)
Sioux Center 3, West Lyon 0
Spirit Lake 3, Okoboji 2
Hinton 3, Sibley-Ocheyedan 0
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