Region 2C Champion Hanska ended the 2026 amateur baseball season for the Waterville Indians, downing Waterville, 13-3 in eight innings, in the Class C State Tournament first round Saturday, Aug. 22 in Shakopee.

The two teams started strong, with the score tied at 3-all after two innings.

But the Indians offense went silent and the 5th rated Lakers scored runs in each of the last five innings, including five in the game-ending eighth inning.

The 2025 WEM volleyball team tied for the Gopher Conference Championship with a 9-1 league record.

They finished 20-9 overall and 10 players return from that team which helped 20-year head coach Crystal Lamont reach 400 career wins.

Returning players include All-Gopher Conference libero Alix Velzke, Kyeria Morris, and Bryella Pope, all seniors. Juniors returning include Ellie Lamont, Paetyn Judd, and Brooklyn Novak. Sophomore Inezsa Pope, freshman Kalyn Novak, and eighth grader Greta Velzke also return.

Indians advance to 5th straight State Tourney with 9th inning heroics Sunday

Watching their team down two runs heading into the top of the 9th inning, the fans at the Waterville Indians Class C State qualifying game were a somber group.

Within minutes somber changed to elated.

The Indians, with a “Never Say Die” attitude, exploded for six 9th inning runs to come-from-behind to defeat Cannon Falls, 9-5, in the Region 5C second place game played Sunday, August 16 in Waterville.

CANNON FALLS - With one weekend completed and a big one on the horizon, the Waterville Indians and Morristown Morries are still alive in the Region 5C Amateur Baseball Tournament.

After playing games last weekend in Cannon Falls, the teams will now set their sights on Waterville for the final weekend of the eightteam tournament.

The number which is on the mind of both teams is three.

Twelve unanswered runs in the final four innings lifted the Waterville Indians to a 12-3 win over Pine Island Saturday, August 8 in Cannon Falls in the first round of the Region 5C Amateur Baseball Tournament.

The Indians allowed three unearned runs in the top of the second inning off starting pitcher Dalton Grose.

From that point on, Grose was masterful, allowing only five hits and allowed only one runner to reach third base, which happened on an Indian error.

Two straight wins in the 13-60 League Tournament has given the Morristown amateur baseball team a chance to play in the Region 5C Tournament.

The Morries picked up a 9-2 win over Albert Lea Wednesday, July 29 and an 11-8 win over Blue Earth in the 13-60 League winner's bracket final Saturday, August 1.

Those two wins have moved Morristown into the eight-team, double elimination Region 5C Tournament, which starts Saturday, August 8 in Cannon Falls.

Bulldog track and field teams earn All-Gopher honors

Seventeen JWP/WEM track and field athletes earned All-Gopher Conference honors following the 2026 spring season.

The girls team had 11 athletes named and the boys had six athletes named.

In order to make the First Team, athletes needed to win an event in the Gopher Conference Meet which was held in early May. Honorable Mention selections were picked based on their performances in the meet.

The Bulldogs boys and girls teams each won their respective conference championships.

Eagle Lake, a Class B amateur baseball team, came to Waterville Wednesday, June 24 and defeated the Waterville Indians, 12-2 in eight innings in a non-league game.

The Expos, who were previously in the 13-60 League with the Indians, scored five runs in the fourth inning and added four more in the eighth inning to pick up their ninth win in 12 games.

Dalton Grose started for Waterville and pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits. He walked four and struck out two.

Three WEM baseball players were honored last week by Gopher Conference baseball coaches.

Seniors Jacob Androli, Andrew Krenik, and Noah Lanham received post-season awards. Lanham received the Sportsmanship Award. Androli was named to the All-Gopher First Team. Krenik was named to the Honorable Mention All-Gopher Team. Androli was named for the second straight season.

The top 25 players were named to the All-Conference Team. Each team has one player named to the Honorable Mention Team. Each team had one player selected to receive the Sportsmanship Award.

Halfway through their league season, the Waterville Indians amateur baseball team remains on top of the 13-60 League with a 5-1 record after a 2-0 shutout of Janesville Sunday, June 21. 

The Indians are tied for first with Minnesota Lake, a team they defeated two weeks ago.

The win Sunday included another impressive pitching performance by Dallas McBroom.

McBroom pitched eight scoreless innings and among the 24 outs he recorded, 17 of them were by strikeouts.

Sam Stier shut the door in the ninth inning, picking up his first save of the season.

After a pair of early season losses, the Waterville Indians have started to dominate opponents, improving to 4-1 in the 13-60 League after a 2-1 week.

The Indians won their 4th straight game after a 6-3 win over Minnesota Lake Wednesday, June 10 and a 9-4 win over the Lake Crystal Nine Friday, June 12 in the Waterville Chamber of Commerce game.

Unfortunately the win streak ended Sunday, June 14 at Waseca, with the Braves handing Waterville their first league loss, 9-6.

In the win over Minnesota Lake, Dallas McBroom pitched a gem,

WEM junior Alix Velzke has been named the Most Valuable Player on the 2026 WEM Softball Team.

Those were not the only honors the outstanding player received this spring. She was also named WEM’s Best Offensive Player, was an All-Gopher Conference First team selection, and made the All-Section 1A Team.

A number of WEM softball players have moved their way into the local record books following a successful 2026 spring season.

Senior/graduate Robyn Schwichtenberg, junior Alix Velzke, sophomore Brooklyn Novak, and eighth grader Kalyn Novak are now each included in the school records in either individual season or career season statistics.

The first two wins of the season for the Waterville Indians amateur baseball team were important ones with both being played against 13-60 League opponents.

The Indians celebrated Waterville Bullhead Days Saturday with a 11-5 win over Blue Earth. The following day they traveled to Albert Lea and shutout the newest team in the league by a score of 3-0.

Nolan Grose and Ben Boran each had three hits and a home run. Josh Cook and Dalton Grose added two hits each.

In their first Section 2A Track and Field Meet as a co-op team, the JWP//WEM Bulldogs finished 3rd among 24 entered.

The Bulldogs scored 68 team points finishing behind champion Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial-Nicollet (93.5) and Maple River. The top ten teams included Sibley East (62), St. Clair/Immanuel Lutheran (51.75), Mankato Loyola/Cleveland (48), USC (36.75), Minnesota Valley Lutheran (36), Glencoe-Silver Lake (27), and Windom Area (26).