The Worthington High School boys soccer team moved to 7-0 on the season on Saturday afternoon with a 2-1 victory at Austin.
After the teams played to a 1-1 deadlock at halftime, the Trojans – ranked eighth in the state in Class AA – came out and played with more energy in the second half. They then went up 2-1 at the 49-minute mark following a nice laser pass from midfield to Jonathan Banegas, who maneuvered around Austin’s defender and goalie to score. Banegas also scored the first WHS goal, which was deflected off an Austin player into the net.
Worthington, which had recorded five consecutive shutout wins, blanked the 10th ranked Packers in the second half and controlled the flow of the game with their passing. The Trojans have another road game coming up, as they’ll play at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Fairmont.
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Worthington’s boys cross country team finished second of 17 schools in the Nike Heartland Preview prestigious meet Saturday in Sioux Falls.
Individually, Mekele Walu led the Trojans with a seventh-place overall finish, completing the course in 16:09.5. Teammate Fanuel Wolday was not far behind in 11th with a time of 16:15.6, and Filmon Wolday was 26th at 16:58.57. Among the other top finishers for the Trojans were Ofbeka Morke, 45th; Austin Kinser, 51st; and Isaac Kinser, 72nd.
Saturday’s race is considered the best of the Heartland and a preview of a big race that takes place in November. Runners come from Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
The Trojan girls also competed in Saturday’s cross country meet in Sioux Falls. Madison Sieve was first to cross the line for Worthington, placing 95th with a time of 23:42.2. Emily Dahlquist was 98th at 23:55.7. Kenadie Thiner was 102nd at 24:34.2.
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Pipestone Area sophomore Nehemiah Ostermeier had a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second half Friday night as the Arrows pulled away for a 34-10 victory over Worthington in a high school football game at rainy Trojan Field.
WHS took a 3-0 edge early in the first quarter on a 27-yard-field goal by Triston Sauerbrei, but Pipestone Area went on to score the next 21 points on a trick 32-yard pass play from receiver Landon Quist, as well as TD runs of two and nine yards by quarterback Kellen Johnson. A 33-yard scoring strike from WHS quarterback Tucker Brandner to Mak Lia made it 21-10 shortly before halftime. Ostermeier then had a TD run of 21 yards in the third quarter and one of 26 yards in the fourth.
Brandner went 8-for-23 passing for 123 yards, one TD and two interceptions in the game. Jacari Swinea was the leading rusher for the Trojans, gaining 49 yards on 12 carries. Marenono Opiew had two receptions for 65 yards and also picked off a pass on defense.
Worthington got a nice defensive game from Ryan Lais, who had five solo tackles and five assisted tackles. Brandon Bosma had eight total tackles and Nasim Zeidi added seven.
The Trojans host St. Peter on Friday night in their homecoming game.
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Mesabi Range led 25-13 over visiting Minnesota West at halftime and outscored the Bluejays 19-7 in the third quarter Saturday for a 44-20 triumph. Minnesota West is 0-3 on the season.
The Jays’ Mike Peralta booted a 41-yard field goal for an early 3-0 edge, but Mesabi Range scored the next 19 points. Peralta’s 27-yard field goal midway through the second quarter made it 19-6, and a five-yard scoring run by Bluejays quarterback Brock Starley cut the lead further.
Mesabi Range, however, tallied the game’s next 25 points before Starley connected with Julian Bennett for a one-yard TD pass late in the third quarter. Minnesota West had 430 yards of total offense in the game – 402 of them through the air – while Mesabi Range had just two more at 432. Starley had 72 pass attempts in the game, completing 37 with one TD and two interceptions.
Trevon Sanders was the leading Bluejays’ receiver with 11 catches for 100 yards. Jalen Cole had seven total tackles to top the Minnesota West in that category.
The Bluejays will play their home opener against Central Lakes at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
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The Minnesota West Lady Jays volleyball team dropped two matches in the Madison College Quad Tournament on Saturday. The Jays were beaten 3-1 by Madison College and 3-2 by Bryant & Stratton College.
Against Madison, game scores were 22-25, 25-11, 25-15, 25-18. Against Bryant & Stratton, game scores were 23-25, 23-25, 25-23, 32-30, 15-11.
Minnesota West is now 4-7 overall.
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In area high school football action Friday night, it was:
Renville County West 21, Mountain Lake Area 6
Hills-Beaver Creek 36, Madelia 6
Cedar Mountain 20, Edgerton 8
Grand Meadow 36, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 6
Murray County Central 44, Wabasso 20
Martin County West 14, Sleepy Eye 6
Adrian 12, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 7
Maple River 53, Windom Area 6
Jackson County Central 24, Luverne 0
Marshall 8, Waseca 7
Fairmont 32. St. Peter 6
Sheldon 34, Sibley-Ocheyedan 9
Okoboji 32, Manson NW Webster 0
West Lyon 17, Sioux Center 0
Central Lyon/George-Little Rock 44, West Sioux 6
Spirit Lake 35, Western Christian 20
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 22, South O’Brien 6
Harris-Lake Park 40, Kingsley-Pierson 37
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