The Worthington Trojans led 3-1 after two periods, but visiting Fairmont rallied with three goals in the third and defeated the Trojans 4-3 in sectional boys hockey tournament action Tuesday night.
It was the Cardinals getting on the board first when Luke Kester scored with 59 seconds remaining in the first period. The Trojans, though, turned the game around in the second.
With 3:24 gone by in the second period, Spenser Nickel tied the score for Worthington; credited with assists were Dominic Pavelko and Ian Bumgardner. The Trojans went on to take the lead at the 11:54 mark of the second when Bumgardner scored on an assist from Easton Newman. Then, with 1:01 left before the second intermission, Newman got a goal on a pass from Dawson Duangapei to make it 3-1 in favor of WHS.
Fairmont, however, turned things around in the third period. Lucas Sommers scored unassisted 3:57 into the third, and Gavin Kester tied the score just 44 seconds later on an assist from Luke Kester. With 4:25 to go in the third, Sommers notched the game-winner, which also came unassisted. The Trojans pulled goaltender Brody Pederson for an extra attacker late, but couldn’t get the equalizer.
Both Fairmont and Worthington managed 19 shots on goal in the game. The Cardinals, now 3-23 on the season, will play at top-seeded Luverne in sectional action Thursday. Worthington ends the season at 6-18.
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The Worthington Trojans stormed out to a 22-point halftime lead and then scored the first 23 points of the second half in rolling to a 68-19 girls basketball home victory over the Blue Earth Bucs.
Worthington, which improved to 7-18 on the season, benefitted from a balanced scoring attack. New Gora topped the Trojans offensively with 15 points, while Madison Beckmann and Grace Barber added 12 points apiece. Nine different players scored for the Trojans, who had a 37-15 advantage after the first 18 minutes and continued to pour it on in the second half.
Blue Earth’s Lola Lundquist, whose basket broke Blue Earth’s extended second-half scoring drought, had 12 of the Bucs’ 19 total points. Blue Earth is now 3-22.
WHS will entertain St. James Area on Thursday night in its final game of the regular season.
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In boys basketball Tuesday, WHS was in control for a majority of the game in picking up a victory on the road over Blue Earth, 73-56. With the triumph, the Trojans improved to 13-10 on the season.
Zach Hayenga paced Worthington in scoring with 21 points. The Trojans, who were up 43-28 at the half, also got 13 points apiece from Kaleb Knothe and Andrew Mulder and 12 points from Jacari Swinea.
Next up for Worthington is a cross-over game on Saturday on the road at Redwood Valley. Should the Trojans emerge with a win there, they’ll play at either Waseca or New Ulm on Monday night for the Big South Conference championship.
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In area girls basketball Tuesday night, it was:
Southwest Minnesota Christian 74, Pipestone Area 54
Luverne 69, Canby 30
Windom 73, Springfield 50
Tri-City United 61, Jackson County Central 51
St. Peter 67, Marshall 49
In area boys basketball:
Red Rock Central 68, Adrian-Ellsworth 46
Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 57, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 54
Hills-Beaver Creek 66, Southwest Minnesota Christian 38
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 69, Yellow Medicine East 48
Springfield 78, Windom 58
Westbrook-Walnut Grove 65, Edgerton 51
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 84, Murray County Central 53
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 66, Fairmont 58
Harrisburg, S.D. 73, Marshall 49
West Lyon 65, Spirit Lake 45
Western Christian 89, Central Lyon 60
Remsen St. Mary’s 42, George-Little Rock 39
In area boys hockey:
Windom Area 7, Redwood Valley 0
