Eagles, Cardinals to meet in Section 2-4A

By RYAN GALVIN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- Different year, but the same story. For the second consecutive year, the New Ulm High Eagles will meet the Fairmont Cardinals in the first round of the Section 2-4A playoffs.

The Eagles and the Cardinals also, for the second consecutive year, were each other's final South Central Conference opponent. And, for the second straight season, the Cardinals head into the playoffs on broken wings while the Eagles are flying high.

The teams will meet in the first round when the second-seeded Eagles (6-2, 5-0 SCC) host Fairmont (0-8, 0-5) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Johnson Park in New Ulm.

In other Section 2-4A first-round matchups, fourth-seeded Waseca will host fifth seed Mankato West at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Waseca. No. 3 seed Worthington (6-2) will host No. 6 seed Marshall, also at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Top-seeded Mankato East received a first-round bye.

New Ulm Cathedral (7-1, 5-0) has a seven-game winning streak heading into its contest with Cedar Mountain (2-6, 1-4). The second-seeded Greyhounds will host Cedar Mountain at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Johnson Park in a Section 2-1A first-round battle.

After losing two tough games to end the season, Minnesota Valley Lutheran (3-5, 1-4) is seeded fifth and will travel to Sleepy Eye St. Mary's at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Top-seeded Mankato Loyola (6-2) will face Mountain Lake/Butterfield-Odin in Mankato, also at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Sleepy Eye High (6-2) is seeded third in the well-balanced Section 2-1A. The Indians will host Faribault Bethlehem Academy at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Nicollet (8-0) is seeded second in Section 2-Nine Man. and received a bye in the first round. They will face the winner of the game between Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster and Elmore Academy. SVRLB will host the game, which will be played in Round Lake at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Westbrook-Walnut Grove is the top seed and they too will havea bye in the first round. Third-seeded Hills-Beaver Creek/ Ellsworth will host Southwest Star Concept in Hills at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The winner will face WWG in the second round.

Sibley East (4-4) fell in its game on Wednesday, but hopes to rebound against third-seeded Blue Earth Area. The two teams will meet in first-round action in Section 2-3A at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Blue Earth. Glencoe/Silver Lake received the top seed in the section and will host LeSueur/Henderson at the same time as Sibley East's game.

The winner of the game will face either St. Peter or United South Central. The last game in the first round showcases Jackson County and Maple River. Jackson County is seeded second and will host the game in Jackson at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday.

Red Rock Central (6-2, 4-1) faces Wabasso (1-7, 1-4) in first-round action in Section 3-1A at Lamberton Tuesday.

Springfield (7-1) received the fourth seed in Section 3-2A and will host fifth-seeded Tracy-Milroy-Balaton at 7 p.m. Tuesday . The top-seeded team in Section 3-2A, Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian District (7-1), will host St. James in Olivia. The winner will face either Springfield or Tracy-Milroy-Balaton Oct. 28.

The McLeod West Falcons (7-1) got the second seed in Section 4-1A and will host No. 7 seed Randolph (1-7) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Stewart.