Winona Area Public Schools
The Winona girls basketball team won their first game of the season Thursday night in Faribault.
The Winhawks rang in the new year with a big night on Thursday.
The boys and girls basketball teams beat Faribault, the boys hockey team got a goal with 17 seconds left in regulation to tie Faribault, and Jack Herczeg set two pool records as the boys swimming team beat Austin.
Girls basketball
Winona 53, Faribault 50: The Winhawks won for the first time this season behind a balanced scoring effort in a Big 9 Conference game that resembled a roller coaster at times.
Izzy Goettelman and Kaelah Simmons each scored 13 points for the Winhawks, who fell behind 7-0, then led 40-23 in the second half before hanging on at the end. Simmons added five assists.
Katie Clemons had nine points and nine rebounds. Jaelyn Simmons added eight points.
Goettelman was 9 of 13 at the free-throw line to help the Winhawks hold on.
Winona returns to action against St. Croix Lutheran at the Mayo Auditorium in Rochester on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Boys basketball
Winona 66, Faribault 43: Jackson Nibbelink scored 27 points as the Winhawks (4-5, 3-4) won easily at home in a Big 9 Conference game.
Winona led 43-12 at halftime. Anthony Appicelli, Garit Wollan and Jasper Hedin each added eight points.
The Winhawks play South St. Paul at 9 a.m. Saturday in Rochester.
Boys hockey
Winona 3, Faribault 3 (OT): Eric Paulson scored the game-tying goal with 17 seconds left in regulation as the Winhawks (4-4-1, 1-4-1) scrapped and clawed their way to a tie with the Falcons in a Big 9 game at Bud King Ice Arena.
It was Paulson’s second goal of the game. He had a power-play tally in the second period off an assist from Roman Grulkowski, who also assisted on the game-tying goal along with Hans Larsen.
Kai Kovala also scored for Winona off assists from Paulson and Matt Thesing.
Alex Benson made 35 saves for Winona, which hosts Rochester Lourdes in a nonconference game at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bud King Ice Arena.
Boys swimming
Winona 93, Austin 87: Ohio State recruit Jack Herczeg added two more pool records to his resume as the Winhawks prevailed in the Big 9 dual.
Herczeg won the 100-yard freestyle in 46.74 seconds and he led the 200-yard freestyle relay with a 50-yard free record of 21.55 seconds.