GIRLS BASKETBALL
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth Denfeld opened its season with a 66–23 home victory over North Branch.
Maurissa Hendricks scored 18 points for the Hunters, followed by 16 from Laynie Reinertsen and 15 from Victoria Nylund. Denfeld led 41–8 at halftime.
MAYER, Minn. — Mountain Iron-Buhl knocked down 15 3-pointers and earned a 62–45 road win over Mayer Lutheran on Saturday.
Anna Neyens led the Rangers with 21 points, including five threes. Izzy Wiita scored 14, and three different MIB players hit at least three 3-pointers.
BOYS HOCKEY
ANOKA, Minn. — Four different Duluth Marshall skaters had multi-point outings as the Hilltoppers picked up their second win of the young season Saturday with a 5–2 nonconference victory at Anoka Ice Arena.
Bennett Scissons and Braydon Hannula each scored twice, while Benson Peterson added a goal and two assists. Wyatt Brown finished with 23 saves for the Hilltoppers (2–0).
CAMBRIDGE, Minn. — Cory Backstrom scored three times and goaltender Matthew Smith stopped 40 shots as Duluth Denfeld earned its first high school boy's hockey victory of the season with a 4–1 road win over Cambridge-Isanti on Saturday.
Backstrom scored twice in the second period less than a minute apart to break open a one-goal game, then added his third early in the final period. Easton Feiro opened the scoring with a first-period goal, and Liam Doyle assisted on three of Denfeld’s tallies.
Denfeld improved to 1–1.
BLAINE, Minn. — Blaine used a decisive second period to hand Duluth East a 6–2 loss Saturday at Fogerty Arena.
The Bengals scored five times in the middle frame to take control. Liam Brooks and McKennen Kramer accounted for East’s goals. Goaltender Nolan Nygaard made 31 saves for the Greyhounds.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Bloomington Jefferson rallied late and won in overtime, edging Cloquet-Esko-Carlton 3–2 on Saturday at Bloomington Ice Garden.
CEC led 2–1 after second-period goals from Jordy Sewell and William Karjala before the Jaguars forced overtime midway through the third. The game-winner came 1:04 into the extra session.
Jacob Iallonardo had 18 saves for the Lumberjacks.
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Proctor dropped its season opener 4–1 at Breck as the Mustangs scored twice in each of the first two periods.
Drew Yost scored the Rails’ lone goal. William Pocrnich stopped 19 shots in the Proctor net.
FARIBAULT, Minn. — Greenway built an early two-goal advantage but could not hold it, falling 4–3 to Faribault on Saturday.
The Raiders jumped ahead on goals from Blake Alto and Aiden Fillman before Faribault answered with four straight. Evan Woodman scored on a third-period power play to pull Greenway within one. Despite a 40–13 shots edge, the comeback fell short.
Goalie Zane Schad recorded nine saves for Greenway.
GIRLS HOCKEY
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. — Grand Rapids/Greenway used a strong opening period and a productive power play to defeat Rogers 8–5 Saturday at Yanmar Arena.
Opal Anderson led the Lightning with two goals and three assists. Kylie DeBay added two goals and two assists, while Kate Carlson posted a goal and three assists. GRG scored three times in the first and finished 4-for-7 on the power play.
Goaltender Claire Tobeck stopped 17 shots in the win.
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth generated 43 shots but was blanked 2–0 by Brainerd/Little Falls at Duluth Heritage Center.
Both goals for the visitors came with the man advantage. Northern Stars goalie Aaili Anttila made 16 saves, while Sydney Aylward turned aside every Duluth attempt.
The Northern Stars fell to 3–3.
MOOSE LAKE, Minn. — Moose Lake Area’s two goals from Harper Danalski weren’t enough in a 6–2 loss to Armstrong/Cooper.
The visitors pulled away behind a hat trick from Abby Hanson. Piper Genereau had 26 saves for MLA.
PREP SCOREBOARD
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Mountain Iron-Buhl 62, Mayer Lutheran 45
Duluth Denfeld 66, North Branch 23
Orono 69, Duluth Marshall 67
BOYS HOCKEY
Breck 4, Proctor 1
Blaine 6, Duluth East 2
Duluth Marshall 5, Anoka 2
Bloomington Jefferson 3, CEC 2 (OT)
Duluth Denfeld 4, Cambridge-Isanti 1
GIRLS HOCKEY
Brainerd/Little Falls 2, Duluth 0
Armstrong/Cooper 6, Moose Lake Area 2
Grand Rapids/Greenway 8, Rogers 5
