Trojan boys win in hoops, hockey while girls fall in each

The Worthington Trojans boys basketball team had four players score in double figures Tuesday night as they earned a road triumph at Luverne, 71-68, to improve to 6-4 on the season.

Jacari Swinea led the way offensively with 21 points for the Trojans, who also got 15 points from Zach Hayenga, 13 from Andrew Mulder and 11 from Kaleb Knothe. Luverne led 36-33 following a Carter Sehr 3-pointer that closed out the first-half scoring, but Worthington – which trailed throughout the initial 18 minutes – got stronger in the second half to pull it out.

WHS head coach Clint Meyer said afterward that it wasn’t a real pretty game, but his team made just enough plays to win and did a better job in the second half of getting the basketball where they wanted. The Trojans made just 13-of-23 free throws but netted two big ones from Mak Lia to go up two late and then got another crucial one from Jacari Swinea in the final seconds to move ahead by three.

WHS next plays at New Ulm on Friday night.

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In a girls basketball game heard on 104.3 The Bridge, WHS led 49-43 in the latter stages of the second half, but Luverne closed things out with a 17-2 run to finish off a 60-51 victory over the host Trojans.

Worthington, now 2-8 on the season, had a 30-24 lead after a first half during which Luverne led by as many as five points. In the second half, the teams were neck-and-neck throughout until the Cardinals’ final burst, With the score 49-43, Luverne’s Sarah Stegenga connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to tie it at 49. Then, with the teams knotted at 51, Stegenga had another trey to put Luverne ahead for good.

Kiesli Smith of Luverne, now 4-7, had 26 points on the night to lead all scorers, and Stegenga added 17. For the Trojans, New Gora tallied 16 points while Madison Beckmann had 13 and Pham Gora 12. Worthington’s next game will be at home against New Ulm on Friday night.

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The Worthington Trojans won their second boys hockey season Tuesday as they topped visiting Redwood Valley by a score of 6-3. It was the second victory in the last three games for the Trojans.

Caden Van Briesen got WHS on the board first when he scored on assists from Anthony Jimenez and Ayden Stugelmeyer. The Trojans led 1-0 after one period, then made it 2-0 early in the second on a Dawson Duangapai goal that was assisted by Easton Newman. Redwood Valley later scored to make it 2-1, but Worthington tacked on two more goals before the period was completed. Spenser Nickel scored on assists from Van Briesen and Trenton Chantharath for a 3-1 WHS edge, and a Mason Ommen goal assisted by Newman made it 4-1.

In the third period, Ommen and Nickel added unassisted goals to complete the Trojans’ scoring. Worthington outshot winless Redwood Valley 31-17 in the game.

In girls hockey Tuesday night, host WHS was blanked by Mankato West, 6-0.

Worthington’s varsity hockey teams will entertain New Ulm in a doubleheader Thursday evening. The girls’ game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., with the boys’ matchup set for approximately 7:30.

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In area girls basketball Tuesday night, it was:

Southwest Minnesota Christian 65, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 50

Marshall 82, Redwood Valley 61

In area boys basketball:

Madelia 67, Martin County West 66

Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 75, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 41

Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 84, Murray County Central 59

Edgerton 58, Westbrook-Walnut Grove 52

Southwest Minnesota Christian 66, Hills-Beaver Creek 55

Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 76, Yellow Medicine East 64

Redwood Valley 87, Marshall 80