Trojan boys defeated in BB opener; WHS hockey teams split vs. Windom

The Worthington Trojans boys basketball team was defeated in their season opener as visiting Southwest Minnesota Christian posted a 72-42 win Tuesday night.

The Trojans trailed by just 25-21 at halftime, but the Eagles went on a 20-0 surge in the early stages of the second half to blow things open. WHS had led by as many as five points, as Isaiah Schroeder hit a 2-point field goal and followed that with a 3 for a 15-10 advantage. Southwest Minnesota Christian tallied eight straight points not long before the break for a 23-19 edge, and the Eagles never trailed from there.

Schroeder led Worthington with 20 points; the Trojans were hurt by an unofficial total of 32 turnovers. Josiah Hoftzyer led a balanced Eagles scoring attack with 15 points.

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In girls hockey Tuesday, the Trojans won their second game in a row by shutting out Windom 3-0.

Following a scoreless first period, Audrey Johnson got Worthington on the board with 9:47 remaining in the second when she scored on assists from Sydnie Van Briesen and Madilyn Polz. Alianna Bristow made it 2-0 with a goal assisted by Katlyn Freking with 5:40 left in the period. 

A third-period goal by Madelyn Cummings with 5:39 remaining in the game iced the contest for the Trojans. Assists were credited to Breeta Johnson and Tayler Nickel.

Macie Mahlberg got her second straight shutout in net for Worthington, which outshot Windom 45-14. The Trojans are now 2-5.

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In boys hockey, the host Trojans trailed 4-0 early on, then battled back to get within 5-4 before ultimately falling 6-4 to the Eagles.

Ryker Thier got Worthington on the board first with just 37 seconds remaining in the first period. After Windom retook a four-goal lead within the first minute of period number two, Kaden Khamphanh and Dominic Pavelko scored before that period was out for a 5-3 game.

Pavelko got another goal at 7:27 of the third period to cut the deficit to just one, but the Eagles got an empty-netter with two seconds left. For the game, Windom outshot Worthington 19-17. 

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Claire Schultz nailed a basket at the buzzer Tuesday night to give the Trojans a 39-37 girls basketball victory at Albert Lea.

Schultz led Worthington, which trailed 18-13 at halftime, with 13 points, and fellow eighth-grader Savannah Dale had 10. Mia McNab also chipped in with seven points for WHS, which is now 2-1 on the season.

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In area girls basketball Tuesday night, it was:

Adrian-Ellsworth 64, Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 41

Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 54, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 47

Pipestone Area 72, Jackson County Central 69

Murray County Central 71, Red Rock Central 19

Hills-Beaver Creek 66, Southwest Minnesota Christian 33

Westbrook-Walnut Grove 51, Edgerton 43

Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 51, Renville County West 49

Windom 73, Blue Earth 54

Fairmont 67, Luverne 51

Marshall 107, New Ulm 43

In area boys basketball:

Jackson County Central 81, Pipestone Area 61

Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 78, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 39

Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 72, ML-GHEC-T 60

Mankato Loyola 83, Martin County West 46

Edgerton 80, Canby 47

Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 85, Red Rock Central 57

Blue Earth 76, Windom 53

Luverne 66, Fairmont 64

Marshall 75, New Ulm 64

In area girls hockey:

Marshall 7, Fairmont 1

In area boys hockey:

Luverne 18, Redwood Valley 0

Fairmont 5, Faribault 4