Had it not been for a slow start in the second half of the Trojans’ game against Stillwater Saturday, the NP girls’ basketball team would have enjoyed a far more relaxing victory, the final contest of a busy yet successful week on the hardwood.

The Trojans won all three of their games for the week, improving their record to 6-2 overall. But the road is expected to be a bit more challenging moving forward, NP coach Eric Specht said.

At the beginning of the season, New Prague’s gymnasts eyed their meet against Waconia as an important step in winning another MetroWest championship.

Mission accomplished.

The Trojans topped the Wildcats Dec. 16, 138.125 to 131.275. NP was led by its overall top talent with big contributions from its depth in the victory.

Hailey Proshek posted the top all-around score, 37.425. Karly Ophus was third at 34.35, less than a half-point out of second. Frankee Spicer took fourth at 33.4. Annie Hanzel was sixth at 24.1.

New Prague scored two wins on the hardwood as the boys’ basketball team defeated Simley, 72-53, Tuesday, Dec. 9, and Coon Rapids, 68-55, Friday, Dec. 12.

The Trojans are hosting Northfield tonight (Thursday) at 7 p.m. New Prague travels to Rochester Mayo Saturday, Dec. 20, for a 2:30 p.m. game., then the Trojans will be at the Lakeville North Holiday Tournament facing Lakeville North Monday, Dec. 29, 6:30 p.m. then Rochester John Marshall, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 4 p.m.

With three early wins, New Prague’s floor hockey team is off to a fast start in its effort to defend its state championship.

The Trojans have earned early wins over Shakopee-Chanhassen-Chaska-Prior Lake, Minnetonka-Wayzata and most recently an improved South Suburban squad. The Trojans were back in action Wednesday, Dec. 17, after the newspaper’s print deadline.

After the holiday break, the Trojans will host Mankato Wednesday, Jan. 7, 4:30 p.m., at the New Prague Community Education Center (the former intermediate school).

New Prague High School’s girls’ basketball team is continuing to work on improving its offensive output, an effort that paid off Monday, Dec. 1, in Shakopee.

The Trojans topped the Sabers, 56-47. Details of the contest were not available at the newspaper’s press deadline. The win was a step up from a tough loss Saturday in Northfield where a sub-par shooting day and turnovers hampered NP’s effort against a solid Raiders’ team.

New Prague High School’s wrestling team started its season Saturday, Nov. 29, in Minnetonka in the Tonka Turkey Tussle. The Trojans secured a second place finish behind the #1 ranked AA Simley High School team.

Eight teams competed with three southern Minnesota teams unable to attend due to weather. Simley had first with a score of 273, followed by New Prague scoring 249. Finishing third through eighth were Waconia, 214, Elk River, 180, Maple Grove, 121, White Bear Lake, 92, Hopkins, 77.5, and Minnetonka, 5.

After surviving a pair of early shootout wins, the New Prague boys’ ice team will get a solid test this week with a pair of important games against section oppositions from Rochester.

The Trojans faced Rochester Mayo Tuesday, Dec. 2, after the newspaper’s press deadline. Tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 5, 7:15 p.m., NP will host Rochester Century. Mayo arrived in New Prague at 1-1 overall. Century will bring a 2-1 mark to the friendly confines of the New Prague Community Center.

New Prague’s girls’ basketball team turned the page from being able to count on dominant, experienced players to players learning how to win in a season-opening victory Friday, Nov. 21, at Burnsville High School.

The Trojans topped the Blaze, 60-56, overcoming a 30-19 deficit in the second half. NP’s 41-26 advantage heading into halftime proved to be the advantage New Prague needed to secure the win.

NP coach Brad Drazan wants his boys’ hockey team to be an aggressive team, one that’s hard to play against.

If the first two games are an indication, the Trojans are off to a good start. NP defeated Mankato East in its opener and followed that thrilling effort up with a 3-3 draw against Lakeville North Saturday, Nov. 22, in Lakeville.

New Prague’s girls’ ice hockey team has been involved in some big scores in recent games, and while the Trojans have been on the wrong end of a few of the lopsided scores, they enjoyed a big win recently.

After Tuesday night’s Nov. 18, game against Minnesota Valley played after the newspaper’s press deadline, the Trojans will face Red Wing Tuesday, Nov. 25, at Red Wing Prairie Island Arena. NP will face Mankato East Tuesday, Dec. 2, at All-Seasons Arena in Mankato.

Having won their conference and a berth in the state tournament already this fall, the New Prague bowling team is preparing for the conference tournament this Saturday, Nov. 15, in Belle Plaine.

The Trojans won the conference with a 12-4 record, topping Belle Plaine-Jordan, Westonka-Waconia and Minnetonka-Chaska-Chanhassen. Using the baker scoring system where separate bowlers use the first-sixth, second-seventh, third-eighth, fourth-ninth and fifth-10th frames, the team averaged a 184.79 pergame score, 4.51 pins ahead of Belle Plaine, said coach Al Pankow.

New Prague swimmers Taylor Bassett, Aspen Schieffer and diver Maddyn Anderson earned berths to the Minnesota State High School League’s Class AA state meet last week.

Bassett and Schieffer won the berths at the section meet Friday, evening, Nov. 7, in Rochester. Anderson punched her ticket to state at the section diving competition Thursday, Nov. 6, at Century Middle School in Lakeville.

New Prague swimmers Taylor Bassett and Aspen Schieffer will join diver Maddyn Anderson in the Minnesota Class AA Swimming & Diving meet Nov. 13-15 at the University of Minnesota.

New Prague sophomore Maddyn Anderson overcame a big deficit heading into the Section 1AA diving competition's final round and earned a fourth-place finish and a berth in next week’s state diving competition at the University of Minnesota.

If New Prague’s top two simmers and its best divers have a chance to reach the state meet at the University of Minnesota, their best will be required.

Coach Cassie Fisher says her athletes are aware of the challenge ahead. The Trojans will begin the Section 1AA competition Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Rochester Recreation Center. The diving preliminary round and finals are slated for Thursday, Nov. 6. The swimming finals are slated for Friday, Nov. 7, at the Rochester Recreation Center.

Host Rochester Mayo turned a pair of New Prague turnovers into touchdowns to blow open a tight game on the way to a 35-20 win over the Trojans in the Section 1AAAAA semifinal Saturday night, Oct. 25.