Prep report: Stewart scores game-winner for CEC boys

Feb. 10—Jace Stewart of Cloquet-Esko-Carlton had the last word as the Lumberjacks prevailed 5-4 in a see-saw overtime boys hockey battle with Roseau on Saturday, Feb. 10 at Northwoods Credit Union Arena.

Neither team led by more than a goal, but Noah Urness's second of the game made it 3-2 Rams at 4:29 of the third period. The 'Jacks turned the tables, while Niko Gentilini and Cooper Ellena struck 66 seconds apart near the middle of the period to give CEC a brief lead. Eli Wensloff erased the hosts' advantage with his equalizer, coming with 5:24 to play.

Stewart scored the winner 5:08 into overtime for his second point of the day, while Gentilini, who had the primary assist, finished with two goals and two helpers.

CEC may not have been in the game at all if not for goaltender Jamis Halverson, who made 42 saves.

Saturday's game concludes a 12-13 regular season for the Lumberjacks.

Isaiah Hildenbrand helped the Bluejackets extend their winning streak to seven games with an overtime victory on Saturday at Hibbing Memorial Arena.

The Bluejackets, who last lost to Hermantown on Jan. 16, were trailing into the third period, when Jackson Strukel tied it up at 6:47. Cade Swanson assisted on both Hibbing/Chisholm goals.

Rex Walli made 17 saves for Hibbing/Chisholm (17-7-0)

Nathan Garski scored in the first minute of the game for a Thunderhawks squad that entered on a five-game winning streak, but the Red Knights dealt a swift dose of reality, scoring five unanswered goals to stroll to a win on Saturday in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Mason Stenger scored twice for Benilde, currently ranked No. 5 in the state in Class AA.

Rapids (14-10) got 22 saves from Ryder Miskovich.

The Hawks capped their regular season home schedule with a big win on the strength of six unanswered goals. A.J. Francisco and Evan Gunderson scored two apiece for the Hawks, while River Freeman finished with a goal and three assists and Will Esterbrooks had a goal and two assists.

Dane Callaway made 25 saves for the Hawks (14-8-2), who put 51 shots on the Chaska net.

A rough weekend for Duluth East continued on Saturday at the Rogers Activity Center, as Mason Jenson recorded a hat trick.

Kole Kronstedt made 46 saves for East (8-15-1), which was outshot 54-15 and has lost four games in a row, allowing six or more goals in each.

Brant Tiedeman had hockey's equivalent of a straight flush on Saturday at the Eveleth Hippodrome: a natural hat trick with one goal shorthanded, one at even strength and one on the power play.

The Wolverines dominated territorially with a 61-12 shot advantage but didn't break through until the 13:24 mark of the second period. From there, the goals came quickly, with Grady Dimberio and Ryder Gerulli joining Tiedeman on the scoresheet. Gerulli added a second goal late.

Steven Ranisate made 12 saves for the shutout for Rock Ridge (18-5-1).

The Bengals might have succeeded in their goal of containing the Lightning's Mercury Bischoff, but lost the war on Saturday night at Yanmar Arena in Grand Rapids, as Grand Rapids/Greenway advanced to the Section 7AA final on Thursday night.

Bischoff was held without a point for only the seventh time this season but the Lightning won anyway. Mira Rajala, Ryleigh Sherlock and Cali Madsen picked up the slack, with Sherlock and Madsen scoring late in the second period to break a 1-1 tie.

Blaine also held Bischoff without a point during their Nov. 25 meeting but GRG won that one too, 2-1.

Riley Toivonen made 22 saves for the Lightning (17-9-1), who will meet Andover, a 5-1 winner over Anoka, in the section final at Fogerty Arena in Blaine on Thursday night.

Defending state champion Ian Smith made quick work of his first three postseason matches and took home a regional title at 215 pounds during a Division 2 meet in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Smith capped off his day by claiming a 14-3 major decision over Easton Stone of Rice Lake. He'd won his first two matches by fall and technical fall. Wrestlers finishing in the top four in their class advance to sectional competition on Feb. 17 in Tomahawk, Wisconsin.

He'll be joined by Ivan Woodhull (126), who advanced to the regional title match before losing 9-5 to Talon Berg of Osceola.

The Tigers finished ninth of 14 teams, with 40 team points.

In Division 1 at D.C. Everest High School in Schofield, Wisconsin, two Superior wrestlers, Versii Kavajecz at 113 and Dominic Lyons at 215, claimed fourth-place finishes.

Superior was sixth in an 11-team field in a Division 1 Wisconsin swimming and diving sectional on Saturday, Feb. 10 in Hudson, Wisconsin.

Paolo Pagnucci finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 1 minute, 2.79 seconds, and will have to wait to see if his time qualifies him for the state meet next Saturday in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Finals entries in Wisconsin go to each sectional's race winner followed by the next 18 fastest individuals and relay teams by time.

Pagnucci also anchored a 400 freestyle relay that finished third, while teammate Joey Duzell had a fourth in the 100 free and a fifth in the 50 free.

Tre Sanigar scored 17 points and Calvin Anderson 12 as the Spartans came out on top in a tough matchup with River Falls on Saturday in Superior.

Neither side got off to a great start offensively, with Superior leading 20-18 at the half but the Spartans did just enough to get the win.

Sanigar and Isaac Peterson made three 3-pointers apiece for the Spartans, now 16-4 and winners of five straight.

Seth Rothamel scored a game-high 19 points as the Lumberjacks prevailed in a razor-close matchup at Norwood Young America on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Shazae Henagin had 16 points and Jack Battaglia 15 for Cloquet, now back above the .500 mark at 11-10.

Chloe Johnson scored 27 points and Regan Juenemann 24 as the Hilltoppers cruised to a win on the road.

Marshall (15-7) put this one away early with overwhelming offense, scoring 53 points in the first half.

Joey Zelen and Travis Elling continued strong seasons as double winners in a dual meet in Duluth on Saturday.Elling, a senior, won the 200 free in more than 4 1/2 seconds in 1:50.91, then finished about four seconds ahead of teammate Jami Craig to win the 500 free in 5:10.72.

Zelen, a sophomore, had the sprints covered, taking the 50 free in 21.62 and the 100 free in 48.43 by nearly three full seconds.