If you would have heard the scores of the WEM baseball team’s two games last week you might have thought they were playing slo-pitch softball.
The Bucs scored 39 runs in picking up a pair of wins, raising their overall record to 12-5. The Bucs defeated Kenyon-Wanamingo 23-2 Tuesday, May 14 and avenged an early loss to Maple River Thursday, May 16, routing the Eagles 16-0. 12-4 earlier this month. Both games lasted only five innings.

It came down to a pair of games Thursday to determine the Gopher Conference softball champion.
It also came down to two games to see if the WEM softball team could continue what no other team in Class A softball has done this year...not lose a game.
The Bucs came out and defeated Maple River, 3-0, behind a no-hitter by junior Trista Hering.
After downing the Eagles in Mapleton, WEM headed east to New Richland to battle the Panthers for the outright conference crown.

The WEM softball team finished off a perfect 18-0 season Thursday, May 16 with a pair of Gopher Conference wins. The Bucs defeated Maple River and NRHEG to win the conference title. They are current ranked No. 2 in Class A and received the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Section 1A Softball Tourney. WEM will host the Glenville-Emmons vs. Lyle/Pacelli winner Tuesday, May 21 at 5 p.m. If the Bucs win, they will play at Todd Park in Austin Thursday, May 23 at 5 p.m. The winner of this game will play Tuesday, May 28 at 5 p.m., also in Austin.

The WEM softball team, undefeated through seven games, has been ranked 5th in the most recent Class A State Softball Coaches Association Poll. The Bucs are the top rated team from Section 1A after defeating previously rated Hayfield in a doubleheader last week. WEM, 6-0 in the Gopher Conference and 7-0 overall, are rated behind Randolph, Sleepy Eye-St. Mary's, Cherry, and New York Mills. The Bucs host Faribault BA in a doubleheader Thursday, May 2. Monday, May 6 the Bucs will host Blooming Prairie.

The WEM boys basketball team picked up its second straight South-Sub-Section win Thursday, March 7 with a 71-61 victory over Nicollet in Lake Crystal. The Bucs opened the playoffs with an 86-31 win over St. Clair Monday, March 4. Junior Grant McBroom scored a game-high 29 points. Senior Bladyn Bartelt added 15 and junior Cole Kokoschke scored 13 for the Bucs against Nicollet. WEM (25-1 overall) will face Springfield (25-2) Monday, March 11 at 6 p.m. at Gustavus Adolphus College for the South Sub-Section Championship. Springfield is rated No. 2 in Class A and WEM is rated No. 9.

Five players scored in double figures for the WEM boys basketball team in a Section 2A Quarterfinal win over St. Clair Monday in Waterville.
The Bucs led 36-21 at halftime and exploded for 45 second half points in the 86-31 win.
This was the second time the Bucs defeated the Cyclones, who start four freshmen and a sophomore. Jan. 3 the Bucs downed St. Clair 90-54.
Cole Kokoschke scored 16 points, Grant McBroom 14, Tanner Ranslow 12, Bladyn Bartelt 11, and Domanick Paulson 10. Issac Pratt almost made it a half dozen double figure scorers, chipping in eight points.

The WEM girls basketball team overcame a nine point second half deficit and defeated Fairmont 40-37 Tuesday, Feb. 26 in the South Sub-Section Quarterfinals played at Waterville. Sophomore Toryn Richards hit four straight free throws the final 14 seconds of the game to give the Bucs their first lead. Senior Paige Pittman scored 12 points and sophomore Richards and Brielle Bartelt each added 10 points. WEM, the No. 2 seed, will play the No. 6 seed, Maple River Friday, march 1 at 7:15 p.m. at Mankato East High School in the South Sub-Section semifinals.

Post-season action for the WEM boys and girls basketball teams will start soon for both teams. The girls are the No. 2 seed in the Section 2AA South Sub-Section with a 19-5 record. They will host No. 7 seed Fairmont (8-15 overall) Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. The No. 1 seed is undefeated Medford, who defeated the Bucs Thursday, Feb. 21 for the second time this season. If WEM wins their opener, they will play either No. 3 seed Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial (21-2) or No. 6 seed Maple River (16-10) Friday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Mankato East. WEM defeated LCWM earlier this season.

The WEM girls basketball team jumped out to a quick lead Friday, Feb. 8 against Blooming Prairie and defeated the Blossoms 47-37.
Blooming Prairie had defeated the Bucs earlier this season, but an 18-6 first half lead got the Bucs off to a great start and they never looked back.
WEM knocked down eight three pointers while the Blossoms made only three.
The Bucs also held a 35- 26 rebounding advantage. Trista Hering grabbed seven rebounds. Shelby Hermel added six and Paige Pittmann and Toryn Richards each grabbed five.

For the first time this year, the WEM boys basketball team is rated in the Class A Minnesota Basketball LifeEnterprise News polls. The Bucs, 18-1 overall and winners of 15 straight games, are rated 10th overall. Section 2A, which WEM will compete in in the playoffs, has four teams rated. BOLD is rated No. 2, Minnesota Valley Lutheran is rated No. 3, and Springfield is rated No. 4. WEM won their 15th straight game Thursday, Feb. 14, downing Faribault BA, 87-53. They will host USC Friday, Feb. 15 and travel to Maple River Tuesday, Feb. 19. Thursday, Feb. 21 will be a make-up game at Medford.

The WEM/JWP wrestling team won its second match of the year, defeating Burnsville Thursday, Jan. 24 at Montgomery.
The Grizzlies competed in the quadrangular with Burnsville, Tri City United, and Grand Meadow/LeRoy- Ostrander/Southland (GMLOS).
WEM/JWP opened with a 65-12 loss to GMLOS. They followed that loss with a 48-25 win over Burnsville. Tri City United downed the Grizzlies 67-9 in the final match.
The Grizzlies recorded eight wins in the victory over Burnsville.
Gavin Krause (106) started the match off with a pin of Ripplinger Xavier in 3:46.

The WEM boys basketball team improved to 14-1 overall with a 78-33 nonconference win over Belle Plaine January 15 and a 68-42 Gopher Conference win over Maple River January 21. The Bucs have won 11 straight games and will host NRHEG Friday, Jan. 25, Faribault BA Monday, Jan. 28, and Hayfield Friday, Feb. 1. Hayfield is the only team to defeat the Bucs this season. For more on the Bucs win over Belle Plaine, check out the Jan. 24 edition of the Life/Enterprise.

Four wins in the final five matches lifted the WEM/JWP wrestling team to a 42-26 win over St. Clair Thursday, Jan. 17. The win was the first of the season for the Grizzlies. Jaxson James, Theo Miska, Brant Melchert, and Michael Sheehy were the winners of the four late matches. For more on the win over the cyclones and two other duals, check out the Jan. 24 edition of the Life/Enterprise.

The WEM girls basketball team improved to 6-2 in the Gopher Conference with a 62-55 win over Maple River Tuesday, Jan. 22 in Mapleton. The Bucs are 13-3 overall and second in the conference behind undefeated Medford. WEM will host Faribault BA Thursday, Jan. 24, travel to NRHEG Friday, Jan. 25, and host Cleveland Tuesday, Jan. 29. For more on WEM's game with Norwood-Young America check out the Jan. 24 edition of the Life/Enterprise.

For much of the last five weeks, the WEM boys basketball team has been leading all Class A teams in point differential.
With a pair of 30+ point wins last week they continue to lead the state by outscoring their opponents by more than 33 points per game.
The Bucs defeated Blooming Prairie, 83-58 Tuesday, Jan. 15 and United South Central, 84-44, Friday, Jan. 11 to increase their winning streak to nine straight.

Two WEM/JWP juniors had the top performances for the Grizzly wrestling team last week.
Jaxson James and Brant Melchert each won multiple matches during the week.
James won both of his matches during duals with Glencoe-Silver Lake (GSL) and Mankato East Thursday, Jan. 3.
He pinned Muhammed McMahon of Mankato East in 3:03 at 160 pounds. He won by a 9-0 major decision at 160 pounds over Carter Ziegler of GSL.
Melchert picked up a pair of wins at the NYA Central Invitational Saturday, Jan. 5 in Norwood.