Sports

TALL TALL TREES — Waseca’s Noah Thompson, right, has his shot blocked by a Hope Academy defender Tuesday, Dec. 20 in Waseca. The Bluejays won, 88-54.

No hope at all

The Waseca High School boys’ basketball team set the bar higher on offensive production when it put up 88 points against Hope Academy of Minneapolis Tuesday, Dec. 20. Although the 88-54 result may suggest the Bluejays had an easy night, it was anything but in the opening minutes of the first...

CHECK MATE — Waseca’s Keaton Roeker (8) looks to check a LaCrescent-Hokah opponent. In the background is the Bluejays’ Griffin Krautkremer (15).

Tough week

The Waseca Bluejays boys’ hockey team had a tough week with a 12-3 loss at New Ulm Tuesday, Dec. 13 and an overtime loss to La Crescent-Hokah at home the following Saturday. It’s the first time this season they have had consecutive losses. New Ulm 12, Waseca 3 The Bluejays allowed the...

JWP basketball girls fall 55-43 at unbeaten Lester Prairie

The JWP girls’ basketball team lost 55-43 at unbeaten Lester Prairie Tuesday, Dec. 13. JWP looked to pull off an upset, but the home-court advantage proved to be the difference. It was a tossup night for the girls. While they turned in their best defensive performance of the season, they...

TURN HIM OVER — The Grizzlies’ Carson Petry, top, tries to turn over Drake Engelby of Blue Earth Area.

Reminiscing

The WEM-JWP wrestling team had a special day to celebrate at Waterville Tuesday, Dec. 13. Between their duals against Blue Earth Area and Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial, the team had a reunion of both the Waterville-Elysian Buccaneers and Janesville Golden Bears teams from 1982. The ceremony...

Bulldog boys see record fall to 2-2

It was a tough week for a JWP boys’ basketball team flying high after starting the season 2-0. But losses to Lester Prairie and #2 ranked Hayfield brought them back to reality. Lester Prairie 61, JWP 51 After the JWP girls finished their game against Lester Prairie, it was their turn to...

Senior Christian Rodriguez and head coach Brad Wendland embrace following the Jays’ season-ending loss to Fairmont.

One more game

Although the Waseca football team’s year was cut short in the Section 2AAA championship, senior running back Christian Rodriguez had the honor of stepping onto the field one last time with some of the best football players in the state. Rodriguez represented the Waseca Bluejays in the 49th...

Grizzly matmen third at Byron

By MICHAEL ROY Staff Writer The WEM-JWP Grizzlies are finding their groove early in the wrestling season. After dropping two matches at Medford, they turned things around with a win at Triton and a third-place finish at Byron last weekend. WEM-JWP 57, Triton 24 The host Cobras were...

JWP girls put up 76 in home opener

The JWP girls’ basketball team went 1-1 last week against Gopher Conference opponents. After taking a 57-49 loss on the road at Medford, they had one of their best offensive performances under coach Cory Jans in their home opener against Bethlehem Academy Friday, Dec. 9, winning 76-58. Medford...

TWO-FOR-TWO — The JWP boys’ basketball team won twice on the road last week. Above: the Bulldogs’ Ryan Kronbach (14) drives to the basket. Pioneer photos by Leanne Kavitz

Road warriors

The JWP boys’ basketball team is starting the 2022-23 season with three road games. The Bulldogs were able to go undefeated in two of them this week, defeating Nicollet 77-43 and getting a massive come-from-behind victory against Gopher Conference rival Bethlehem Academy 64-63. Nicollet was...

HEAD OVER HEELS — The Bluejays’ Katelyn Weber dismounts the balance beam during their meet against New Ulm.

WHS gymnasts, 6th at Mankato, fall to New Ulm

The Waseca High School gymnastics team started its season at K&G Gymnastics in Mankato Saturday, Dec. 10. They faced six schools: Big South rivals St. Peter and New Ulm; Mankato East, Mankato West, Austin, and Glencoe-Silver Lake. As one of the smaller schools at the meet, it was a tougher...