Eagle boys

and MLC

looking for

turnaround

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- Two New Ulm teams are gearing up for the postseason hoping to make turnarounds.

The New Ulm High boys hockey team carries a two-game winless streak into its Section 1-1A first-round game. The Eagles will host either seventh-seeded Mankato East or No. 10 Fairmont at Vogel Arena at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Despite the Eagles' 17-5 overall record (11-0 in the Central Minnesota Conference), veteran coach Tom Macho is worried about his team entering the playoffs.

"We seem to be lacking a little heart," Macho said. "All of a sudden, we seem to have a feeling that the season is ended and we are trying to find that heart again to get going again."

Macho feels his team lost confidence in their 4-2 loss to New Prague "We could not score in the third period when we dominated the game. I think that all of a sudden, they lost that confidence," Macho said.

The feeling carried over to the Eagles' game at Rochester -- a 7-1 loss to Lourdes, the No. 1 seed in Section 1-1A, and a team the Eagles beat 4-3 earlier in the season.

"I think that the long trip to Rochester, we thought that we probably wouldn't win there. And all of a sudden, they start questioning their ability," Macho said.

EAGLES SCRIMMAGE: New Ulm High used the time off before its first playoff game to scrimmage Mound, the top team in Section 5-1A.

"One of the things that we want to do is to get our confidence back; we can stop play at the scrimmage and talk to the players and correct some mistakes that we have been making," Macho said.

MACHO SAYS GOALTENDERS LOST CONFIDENCE: The losing streak has also damaged the confidence of New Ulm High's two goaltenders -- Isaac Forstner and Gary Wurtzberger. In two games, they have given up 11 goals.

"We have relied on both of them all year and their goals against average (2.58 for Forstner and 3.36 for Wurtzberger) is not the best and they are beginning to question themselves," Macho said. "We are bringing in some (alumni) this week who have been goaltenders to work with them to remind them of things that they have to do to get their confidence back."

New Ulm High has been led this year by three players who each have totaled 24 goals -- Jamie Hoffmann, Brent Clyne and Travis Thorson. Brandon Rolloff added 11 goals and Hoffmann leads the team in assists with 33 (for 57 points) with Clyne handing out 31 assists (51 points). Thorson has 20 assists with Rolloff at 11 assists.

MLC MEN GET NUMBER TWO SEED: The Martin Luther men's basketball team is the other New Ulm squad heading into the postseason on a losing streak The Knights will look to break a three-game skid this weekend in the UMAC tournament at Northwestern (Roseville).

MLC earned the No. 2 seed in the UMAC tournament behind regular-season champion Northwestern. Northwestern went 9-1 while MLC ended 7-3.

The Knights will play the winner of sixth-seeded Northland and St. Scholastica, the No. 3 seed, at 4 p.m. Friday in Roseville.

"We have swept both of those teams in the regular season, but the two wins against St. Scholastica were two close wins. We won by six and nine points." said MLC coach Jim Unke. "I will say that getting the bye in the first round was good because we have a couple of injuries and sickness."

One of the players who should make his presence known this weekend is Kurt Nielsen, who had 181 points in 17 games before arthroscopic surgery on his knee. Nielsen also had 111 rebounds.

"Hopefully , he will be ready for the tournament," added Unke.

Also expected to return are Joel Schwartz -- the Knights' back-up point guard (sprained ankle) -- and Tim Breitkreutz, a starting forward (illness).

"We need everybody healthy," Unke said. "We've lost two starters and a backup this year."

The Knights are a young team this year with no seniors on the team. The Knights have started two freshmen, two juniors and a sophomore.

The winner of the UMAC tournament earns a trip to Branson, Mo., for the NAIA national tournament.

"The guys who went last year have set a goal to return this year," Unke said. "And if we get there, that would be a real feather in the cap of the players because we were picked to finish fifth in the conference.

"We are coming in with the second seed but no matter what happens,these kids have exceeded expectations, that would be great because we will probably be the conference pick next year with everyone back."

And next year could really be special for Unke as his son Dan, a senior at Minnesota Valley Lutheran, has given "strong indications" he will attend MLC next season. "That would be a nice addition to our team," Unke said.

Jeff Loberger, the leading scorer in the UMAC last year, had major surgery on his knee, but will be back next season.

"He came in my office recently and said that he can't wait for next year," Unke said.

KUERTH, BREITKREUTZ, WENDLAND LEAD KNIGHTS: Unke commended the play of Ben Kuerth, Tim Breitkreutz and Jay Wendland on his young Knight team. "Both Ben and Tim have basically led by example with their hard work, and Jay Wendland at the point has come into his own at the leadership role. He has become a good college point guard.

"And Tom Engelbrecht, has played well as a freshman. He has been struggling as of late because teams have used the strategy to play physical against him. At this point, Tom is not a physical player so we moved him out on the perimeter lately, which got him away from that physical play."