The Worthington High School boys basketball team completed a two-game sweep of its weekend games by holding off Jordan 59-54 on Saturday night to improve to 16-3 on the season.
The Trojans got off to hot start and were up 21-8 on the Hubmen before Jordan exploded for a 16-0 surge to finish off the half. Down 24-21 at the break, WHS came out and eventually re-established a 13-point advantage at 49-36. The Hubmen fought back again and trimmed the lead to four late, but they could get no closer.
Mikele Walu, Abagotte Opiew and Zach Hayenga each had 12 points to lead the Trojans in scoring. Afton Koch topped Jordan in scoring with 17 points.
On Friday night, the Trojans built an early 14-point lead, saw Redwood Valley bounce back to eventually grab a narrow second-half edge, and then regrouped themselves to win 73-65. Kaleb Knothe led the way with 20 points for the Trojans, while Marenono Opiew and Abagotte Opiew chipped in with 12 points apiece. Isaiah Dow-Hillard had a game-best 23 for the Cardinals.
**
In high school girls basketball on Friday, WHS dropped games on both Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
It was Redwood Valley getting past the visiting Trojans 47-41 on Friday night. Madison Beckmann led Worthington offensively with 10 points. Tarren Spartz had seven points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Janessa Hamann contributed seven points and eight rebounds.
On Saturday, the Trojans played host to Sioux City West and were defeated 72-50. Worthington led 34-29 but went cold in the second half. Spartz had 17 points and 16 rebounds and Beckmann added eight points and five assists for the Trojans, now 4-18 on the season.
**
The Minnesota West Lady Jays broke open a close game in the third quarter by outscoring Western Tech 26-14 en route to a 90-64 triumph at the Center for Health and Wellness.
The No. 3 nationally ranked Lady Jays trailed the 12th ranked Cavaliers midway through the second quarter, then edged ahead to lead 37-30 at halftime. Minnesota West then exploded in the third quarter and went on to expand its advantage in the fourth to improve to 25-2 on the season.
Oliva Hayenga scored 25 points – 20 of them in the second half – to lead the Lady Jays offensively. Hayenga, the Minnesota College Athletic Conference’s most recent player of the week, also contributed eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
Dannyn Peterson had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota West, and Dasia Potter and Tia Murray had 12 apiece. Murray also grabbed 11 boards in the game, blocked six shots and picked up three steals. Brooklyn Scheitel-Taylor passed for nine assists.
The Lady Jays and Minnesota West’s men’s team will host a doubleheader on Wednesday night against Ridgewater. It will be the last home doubleheader of the basketball season.
**
The Worthington Trojans gymnastics team once again secured the Big South Conference title, winning 138.85 to 126.25 over St. Peter on Friday night at Gustavus Adolphus. The Trojans will compete in the sectional meet next Saturday in Pipestone as they look to earn their ninth straight trip to the state meet.
**
In boys hockey Saturday afternoon, it was host La Crescent taking care of Worthington 9-1. Easton Newman had the lone goal for the game for the Trojans in the third period on assist from Logan Powers. On Friday night, it was Worthington falling at Winona 8-0. The Trojans are 3-17 and play their last regular-season home game of the winter on Tuesday against Windom.
**
In girls basketball Saturday, it was:
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 69, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 30
Wabasso 52, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 38
Caledonia 74, Jackson County Central 43
Boyden-Hull 60, Western Christian 48
Emmetsburg 52, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 38
Sioux Center 87, Sheldon 52
Spirit Lake 62, Rock Valley 53
Unity Christian 81, Okoboji 51
West Lyon 67, MOC-Floyd Valley 41
In girls basketball Friday:
Edgerton 50, Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 46
Southwest Minnesota Christian 66, Murray County Central 27
Hills-Beaver Creek 52, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 17
Luverne 58, Canby 30
Westbrook-Walnut Grove 65, Red Rock Central 39
Marshall 77, Jackson County Central 67
St. Peter 54, Fairmont 48
Pipestone Area 79, Windom 46
In boys basketball Saturday:
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 80, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 45
In boys basketball Friday:
Murray County Central 61, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 53
St. Peter 67, Fairmont 60
Jackson County Central 61, Marshall 59
Windom 111, Luverne 97
Boyden-Hull 52, Sheldon 46
Sioux Center 83, Sibley-Ocheyedan 46
West Lyon 60, Spirit Lake 54
MOC-Floyd Valley 77, Okoboji 53
GRTA 68, Harris-Lake Park 60
In girls hockey Saturday:
New Ulm 1, Marshall 0 (OT)
Luverne 8, Windom Area 1
In boys hockey Saturday:
Luverne 4, Minnesota River 0
In boys hockey Friday:
Luverne 4, Minnesota River 3
Comments