Sports

O’Brien is helped off the field by teammates after a 1st half injury in the Bluejay's final game of 2022.

Too many obstacles

You name it and it probably presented a problem for the Waseca High School football team. In the end, there were just too many obstacles to overcome. The Bluejays' 2022 season came to an end Friday, Nov. 4 with a 35-26 setback to Fairmont in the Section 3AAA finals at New Ulm High School. It...

EMOTIONAL NIGHT — The Bluejays’ Riley Ruedy, left, and Haylee Sommers walk off the court after the WHS volleyball team’s season-ending loss to NRHEG in the sub-section tournament. Pioneer photo by Eli Lutgens

WHS volleyball season ends

A “rollercoaster” season came to an end for the Waseca High School volleyball team Tuesday night in Mankato as the Bluejays lost 3-0 to NRHEG in the second round the sub-section tournament. The Bluejays led in all three games, by as many as six in game two, and were tied at 23-23 in the final...

RARE AIR — The Waseca High School girls’ cross country team won the Section 2AA championship at Bancroft Bay Park in Albert Lea Thursday, Oct. 27, advancing to state as a team for the first time since 2014. From left: Kelsey Draeger, Callie Dufault, Stella Omtvedt, Ella Dufault, Kya Hoof, Melanie Krueger, Taylor Markeson, Maren Schimming, Violet Rowher, and Head Coach Grant Popp. The Bluejays run Saturday, Nov. 5 at St. Olaf College in Northfield. Photo by Laura Mae Murtaugh

Girls’ CC team reaches state

Last year, the Waseca High School girls’ cross country team came within a couple breaths of a state meet berth but fell short, settling for two individuals advancing to state. This year, the entire Waseca girls’ cross country team qualified for state, winning the Section 1AA championship at...

Waseca’s Max Neaves celebrates after recovering a fumble in the end zone during the Bluejays’ 33-7 victory over Tri-City United Saturday afternoon.

It’s on to the section finals

Most of the season, the offense provided the majority of the highlights for the Waseca High School football team, punctuated by a record 81-36 triumph at New Ulm a few weeks ago. Since then, however, the defense sure has stepped up. The Bluejays almost posted their third straight shutout...

No. 1 seed secured

Make it two straight shutouts for the Waseca High School football team. The latest came against a supposedly strong opponent. The Bluejay offense, strong all season, established itself early and the defense did the job as Waseca won 35-0 at Luverne in the final game of the regular season...

EASY PLAYS — With great catches and walk-in touchdowns aplenty, Waseca and Kasson-Mantorville had successful days, with the Komets’ fourth-graders and the Jays’ fifth- graders taking first place in their divisions.

45 teams and a football jamboree

Saturday, October 15 was filled with the sounds of cheering and the clash of shoulder pads at the Waseca Football Jamboree from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A total of 45 teams from grades 3-6 faced each other on the high school football fields; schools as small as Randolph to as large as Faribault battled...

Jays whip Worthington

How did the Waseca High School football team respond to allowing an improbable 36 points a week earlier at New Ulm? With a shutout. The Bluejays continued their impressive offensive outpouring while stepping up the defense in a 47-0 whitewashing of winless Worthington on Waseca's Senior Night...

DOUBLE TROUBLE — The Waseca High School girls’ soccer team saw its season end with a 3-2 double-overtime loss to Red Wing at Waseca Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Oh so close

It took two games, three overtimes, and nine goals for the Red Wing and Waseca girls soccer teams to find out which them was better. The Bluejays’ season came to an end Tuesday night, 3-2 in the second overtime, at home against the fifth-seeded Wingers. “Overall it was a fantastic season,”...

A LOT OF OFFENSE — That’s what fans were treated to at New Ulm Thursday, Oct. 6 as the Bluejays and Eagles combined for a state record for points in one game in an 81-36 Waseca victory. Above, Oliver O’Brien (7) and Max Neaves (4) team to tackle Ty Frederick (36).

Bluejays total 81 at New Ulm

The New Ulm Eagles definitely gave the Waseca Bluejays a scare. By the end, though, the only thing scary was the final score. The Bluejays possessed the football 11 times and scored 11 touchdowns, blowing out the Eagles 81-36 while spoiling New Ulm's senior night Thursday, Oct. 6. The final...

SENIORS — From left: head coach Kyle Collins, Miranda Breck, Cece Huttemeier, Sarah Robbins and assistant coach Tim Anderson. Pioneer photo by Eli Lutgens

Stellar season ends for WHS tennis girls

“We were a little worried when we drew Red Wing after losing to them earlier in the season,” Waseca head tennis coach Kyle Collins said after the girls’ team season came to an end 4-3 to Red Wing at home Tuesday, Oct. 2. “We had one of our better seasons in many years.” In a rematch of an...