Owatonna hockey

Owatonna hockey battled two of the top teams in the state Saturday, with mixed results. The girls beat No. 8A Orono 2-1. The boys lost to No. 4A St. Paul Academy 5-1.

The winter sports season is here. OHS girls' hockey hosts Mankato East at 7PM at the Four Seasons Centre on Thursday night. Owatonna returns their top five scorers from last season.

Steele County earned their first win of the season 7-0 over Blaine on Saturday at Four Seasons in Owatonna, but lost games Friday and Sunday.

The Steele County Blades opened their season at home at the Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna on Friday night. They jumped out to a 4-1 lead, but lost in overtime to St. Croix Valley.

"What is a dryland training center?" That question had to be answered before the Otto Bremer Foundation gave its final approval to a grant for the Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna.

Huskies coach Josh Storm shared highlights of the 2014-15 season during Sunday's banquet. He talked of the growth and opportunity players had, plus an unbeaten record in seven overtime games.

The Minnesota Junior Hockey League playoffs begin for the Steele County Blades on Friday night, Feb. 27, at Forest Lake. The teams will also play Saturday in Owatonna at 7 p.m.

Owatonna High School boys hockey got shut out by Lakeville South 7-0 in the 1AA quarterfinals on Thursday. Blooming Prairie boys basketball pulled away in the subsection opener 67-49.

A check presentation was recently made to the From the Heart cancer fundraiser from the Stick It To Cancer night at a Steele County Blades Game. More than $3,500 was raised.

The goal is to get to the X. In Section 1AA, No. 1-ranked Lakeville North is the heavy-duty favorite. Owatonna High School starts at Lakeville South. In 1A, New Prague is favored, with several teams close behind.