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Sports

Sports Roundup: Royals, Raptors Boys Hockey Teams Fall in Sectional Openers

Woodbury loses at Hastings, East Ridge at Cretin-Derham Hall in first round of 3AA tournament; New Life hoopsters both claim big wins.

The 2010-11 hockey season came to an end in District 833 on Thursday night as both the Woodbury and East Ridge boys squads lost their respective Section 3AA opening-round games on the road. The evening was a bit kinder to the New Life basketball teams, however, as both claimed important wins as their regular seasons wound down.

Woodbury Boys Hockey: Hastings 3, Woodbury 2

A two-goal second period proved to be the difference as host Hastings defeated the boys hockey team 3-2 in the sectional quarterfinals to wrap the Royals' winter with a 13-13 record.

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After a scoreless opening period, Matt Pederson gave the Royals a 1-0 lead with a goal early in the second frame.

However, the Raiders replied with three unanswered strikes to take an advantage they would not relinquish before Christian Turner recorded Woodbury's last goal of its season with just under 90 seconds to play to end the scoring.

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The exit marks the first time in coach Wes Bolin's seven-year tenure that the Royals lost in the opening round of the sectional playoffs.

East Ridge Boys Hockey: Cretin-Derham Hall 4, Raptors 1

The first trip to a Class AA sectional playoff ended promptly for the boys hockey team in a 4-1 loss to Cretin-Derham Hall at Highland Arena in St. Paul.

Kelvin Walz's second-period score was all the offense the Raptors could muster as East Ridge managed just nine shots in the game.

The defeat closed out East Ridge's second season with a 10-15 record.

New Life Academy Girls Basketball: Eagles 56, Minnehaha Academy 55

The girls basketball team concluded its regular season in style by toppling defending Class AA state champion Minnehaha Academy 56-55 in overtime on the Curt Wetsel Court.

Cara Lutes' trio of free throws with three seconds remaining forced the overtime session, in which the Eagles outscored the Redhawks 4-3 to claim the victory.

Lutes, who earlier this season became the first New Life player to eclipse the 2,000-point mark, finished with a team-high 17 points; Reagan Baar and Rebekah Schmidt scored 16 and 11 points, respectively.

The Eagles now enter the Section 4A Tournament as the top seed and, after a first-round bye, will face either Minnesota Transitions or Bethany Academy in a quarterfinal matchup at New Life at 7 p.m. on March 5.

New Life Boys Basketball: Eagles 69, West Lutheran 37

The New Life Academy boys basketball team claimed the Minnesota Christian Athletic Association Tournament consolation championship with a 69-37 pounding of West Lutheran on its home floor.

After building a 35-17 halftime lead, the Eagles cruised to the win behind a game-high 23 points from Sam Berg and 20 points from Alex Heiser.

New Life, now 6-14 overall and 4-7 in MCAA play, hosts Southwest Christian at 8:15 p.m. Friday before putting the final touches on the regular season with back-to-back games against Bethany Academy and PACT Charter next Monday and Tuesday night, respectively.

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