SPORTS Bears 3-1 after upset of Raptors

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS WRITER

White Bear Lake’s conference has three of the top four teams in the coaches association’s pre-season rankings, but the Bears have a 3-1 record after tripping No. 2 ranked East Ridge 4-1.

“It was a great team win. (Pitcher) Noah Jacka was incredible,” coach Ryan Fitzpatrick said.

The Bears also beat Park 8-3. Their loss was against No. 4 Mounds View 4-1 in the season opener. Stillwater, defending state champion, is ranked first.

Ending an 11-game losing streak against East Ridge, the Bears scored three runs in the seventh to break a 1-1 tie. Kyle Gibson singled and scored on Kaiden Johnson’s double off the center field

Bears Sports Briefs

Boys Lacrosse

White Bear Lake defeated

Cretin-Derham Hall 12-9 at home in their season opener on a cold, windy evening, then cruised 15-4 over Park in Cottage Grove. In the two games, Ben Lockwood pumped in seven goals, Mario Bailey six, Devin Mueller four, Bryce Johnson three, Aiden Kregness three, Evan Vickstrom two and Preston West one. Vickstrom made seven assists and Bailey four. Goalie Harrison Adams stopped 18 of 31 shots. Ground ball leaders were Tyler Svir with eight, Bailey six, Logan Baltzer five and Tanner Olson five.

Tennis

East Ridge handed White Bear Lake a 5-2 loss. Pulling out close wins for the Bears (2-2) were 2-singles Andrew Kolenich 7-5, 6-4 and 4-singles Mason Voeller 3-6, 7-5, 7-6. East Ridge’s Kaushik Buckaroo topped Will Fleming at 1-singles 6-1, 6-1 and Andrew Sayers edged Derrick Thomas at 3-singles 1-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Softball

White Bear Lake had three games postponed due to weather, leaving the Bears record at 2-2.

The Bears’ top hitters so far are Heidi Barber at .571 (8-for-14) and Annika Olsen .385 (5-for-13).

Girls Track

White Bear Lake participated in an unscored eight-team meet at Mounds View. The Bears 4x200 relay was second in 1:54.51. Temitope Adebisi took third in the 200 dash (27.97) with Kamaria Newton fifth (28.17). Autumn Maki was fourth in the 100 (13.43), Alyssa Hamlin fifth (13.46) and Newton eighth (13.59).

fence. Johnson scored on a ground out. Evan Newlander walked, stole second, and scored on a wild pitch.

Noah Jacka pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits, four walks, and one run, striking out eight, and Newlander got the last two outs, one by strikeout. Johnson, Blake Eckerle and Kevin Zollinger each had two hits.

Against Park, Aiden Welch threw five strong innings — no hits, one walk, one unearned run, nine strikeouts — and delivered a two-run single. Jack Setterlund finished. Newlander was 3-for-4 (three RBI’s, two steals), Johnson 3-for-5 (four runs, two RBI’s), Eckerle 2-for-4 (two runs) and Gibson 1-for-3 (two walks, two runs).