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Aberdeen forward Easton Edwards battles Minot defenseman Jakub Habla for the puck during the first period Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Odde Ice Center. Edwards had two goals in the Wings 5-0 win. Aberdeen Insider photo by Allie Hoekman.
Aberdeen netted 10 goals in sweeping Minot in North American Hockey League action last weekend at the Odde Ice Center.
The Wings skunked the Minotauros 5-0 on Saturday, Oct. 11 after pulling away for a 5-3 victory on Friday, Oct. 10.
Aberdeen is now 8-1-0-0 and sits atop the NAHL Central Division standings.
Coach Scott Langer said the roster is a tight unit.
“That’s where it starts, with guys willing to play for each other and not one of them being on their own page. It’s an interesting group and a close group, and they really enjoy being around each other,” he said.
On Saturday, Aberdeen goalie Willum Baum stopped all 21 shots he faced.
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“We were on the power play within the first 10 seconds of the game, but coughed up the puck, and he made a huge save on a breakaway,” Langer said. “You never know, but a goal right there can change the entire complexion of the game, but he turned it back and set the tone for the rest of his night.”
The Wings defense allowed just two shots in the second period.
“We pressed up on Minot offensively, and when you tip the ice like that, it makes it hard for the opposition to get things going. We gave up seven power play opportunities to Minot, but our penalty kill was outstanding,” Langer said.
Easton Edwards gave the Wings a 1-0 lead, scoring with 1:57 left in the second period, and added a second goal early in the third.
With the game tied 1-1 Friday, Aberdeen got consecutive goals from Keaton Weis, Matthew Martin and Sam Scheetz to build a lead.
“Whether they’re down or tied, that group is just resilient,” Langer said. “They just have the confidence that no matter the situation they’re gonna respond and get the plays they need, and (Friday) was just another example.”
Percentage-wise the Wings have the best record in the lead and are four points ahead of Austin in the Central. They travel to Northern Iowa for games on Friday, Oct. 17 and Saturday, Oct. 18.
Aberdeen Central’s Estelle Riggs lines up a forehand during the Class AA high school girls state tennis tournament in Sioux Falls. She placed fifth at No. 4 singles. Photo courtesy South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
Riggs, Knie lead Aberdeen Central at state tennis tournament
Estelle Riggs and her doubles teammate Sarah Knie led Aberdeen Central at the Class AA girls state tennis tournament Thursday, Oct. 9 and Friday, Oct. 10 in Sioux Falls.
The Golden Eagles placed seventh as a team, while Rapid City Stevens claimed its second straight title.
Riggs, the No. 6 seed at fourth-flight singles, finished fifth by defeating Kaia Pauli of Sioux Falls Jefferson 10-8.
“Estelle showed her future potential at this tournament and played lights out Thursday and played a tenacious match Friday in her fifth-place match,” said Central coach John Vogel.
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Knie won the consolation championship at No. 2 singles, defeating Brandon Valley’s Sophia Menden 10-7.
Riggs and Knie placed fourth in second-flight doubles after winning their first two matches.
“The story of the tournament for us were tiebreakers,” Vogel said. “We’d play great, then come up short in the tiebreak. We worked on them during our last practice. Guess we should have worked on them a little more.”
Roncalli girls second at Northeast Conference cross-country meet
The Aberdeen Roncalli girls cross-country team finished second at the Northeast Conference meet Thursday, Oct. 9 in Webster.
Addyson Cassady paced the Cavs, placing second in 20:21.35. Clark/Willow Lake’s Kamryn Neisham won in 19:39.70 as the Cyclones earned the team championship.
Roncalli’s Hazel Kannegieter finished eighth in 21:44.32 with teammate Taylor McComsey right behind in 21:46.16.
Ryelle Gilbert led Groton Area, finishing third in 20:54.55.
Cole Feickert had the fastest time for the Roncalli boys, placing in 21st in 20:45.23.
Deuel had five runners in the top 12 to claim the team title. The individual win went to Milbank’s Jeter Scoular, who finished in 17:25.33. Groton’s Jayden Schwan was second in 17:44.12.
Urlacher leads Golden Eagles to second at ESD meet
Carson Urlacher placed second in 15:49.31 to lead the Aberdeen Central boys to a second-pace finish at the Eastern South Dakota Conference cross-country meet on Saturday, Oct. 11 in Mitchell.
Brandon Valley’s Mikah Peters won in 15:10.16 as the Lynx earned the team crown.
Esten Foss finished seventh in 16:20.92 for the Golden Eagles.
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In the girls race, Central’s Allie Novstrup placed 15th in 19:16.01 as the Eagles finished eighth.
Harrisburg easily won the team title, led by race winner Brianna Reilly, who crossed the finish line in 16:53.33.
Ipswich girls, Frederick boys win Lake Region Conference cross-country titles
Runners from Ipswich and Northwestern claimed the top nine spots as the Tigers and Wildcats went one-two in the girls division of the Lake Region Conference cross-country meet on Wednesday, Oct. 8 in Ipswich.
It was Northwestern’s Ella Boekelheide logging the win in 18:40.1. She was followed by five Ipswich runners — Isabella Galbraith, Jayla Stiles, Madisyn Gelhaus, Kalynn Olson and Jennay Gisi.
In the boys race, Titus Kippley finished first 17:04.1 to help lead Frederick to the team title. Teammate Howard Sumption took third in 17:52.1.
Sports news and notes
- Northern’s volleyball team won two weekend matches, downing Bemidji State 28-26, 25-18, 17-25, 25-23 on Saturday, Oct 11 and sweeping No. 13 Minnesota Duluth 25-17, 25-17, 25-13 on Friday, Oct. 10 at the Barnett Center. Abby Brooks led the Wolves with 31 kills on the weekend. She was named Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference offensive player of the week. Teammate Ava Nilsson was the conference setter of the week, logging 100 assists in the two matches. The Warner graduate leads NCAA Division II in with 12.1 assists per set. Northern is 13-4 and ranked 23rd.
- With two home victories last weekend, the Northern soccer team has won three of its last four matches. Alexis Phillips and Molly Felgate scored as the Wolves downed Southwest Minnesota State 2-0 on Sunday, Oct. 12. On Friday, Oct. 10, Lauren Carpenter netted the game’s only goal in the 19th minute as NSU beat the University of Sioux Falls 1-0. Northern goalkeeper Ilee Neemeyer turned away all five shots she faced on the weekend. She’s allowed just one goal in the last four matches.
- The Northern State cross-country teams both placed second at the Marauder Invitational on Friday, Oct. 10 in Bismarck, N.D. Emaleigh Olesiak finished second in the women’s race in 22:03.7. Carter Flatau led the men, placing 10th in 27:14.
- Northern State’s wrestling team will host a preseason youth camp on Saturday, Oct. 25 in the Barnett Center. It’s open to boys and girls in kindergarten through 12th grade. The camp begins at 9 a.m., and registration costs $30. For more information or to register, visit shorturl.at/DwrR9.
Scott Waltman contributed to this report.