The WEM girls flag football team opened up some eyes this past summer with their performance during their first season.

Their efforts have given them a chance to do something players would only dream of.

They get to play during halftime of the Saturday, August 16 Minnesota Vikings preseason game which starts at noon.

“The girls are ecstatic,” Jon Bakken, who coaches the team, said. “It is going to blow us away to be at the Bank.”

Last year it was an even dozen for the Waterville Indians Amateur Baseball Team. After last weekend they increased that total to a baker’s dozen.

The Indians will be making their 13th Class C State Tournament appearance after winning two straight games in the Region 5C Tournament played Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3 in Cannon Falls.

Waterville defeated Veseli, 7-5, Saturday afternoon and downed Waseca, 9-4, Sunday afternoon to advance to the Region 5C Championship.

13th State Tournament appearance - 4th straight

The 4th straight Class C State Tournament for the Waterville Indians amateur baseball team was much different than the last few times they have advanced.

This year the Indians, rated No. 5 in Class C, will be heading to State as the No. 1 seed out of Region 5C, after defeating Pine Island, 12-2, in seven innings Friday, August 8 in Waterville.

With three games to play in the regular season, the Waterville Indians amateur baseball team clinched the 13-60 League title and a bye in the Region Tournament, which starts the last weekend in July.

The Indians won two of three games last week, with the two wins both against 13- 60 League opponents. They defeated Minnesota Lake, 6-2, Wednesday, July 9 and routed Waseca, 14-3, in seven innings Sunday, July 13. Eagle Lake edged the Indians, 6-5, Friday, July 11 in a non-league game.

The Waterville Indians and Morristown Morries combined for 29 runs and 32 hits in an 18-11 win by the Indians Sunday, June 1 in amateur baseball.
There were a ton of hitting stars for both teams. Waterville had seven players with multi-hit games, led by Josh Cook with five hits. Nolan Wetzel reached base six times, and Nolan Grose hit three doubles.
Doug Harmon had two hits and three RBI while Kolin Rients and Ben Lamont each had two hits and two RBI for the Morries. Brent Vollbrecht walked three times.

Seven WEM track and field standouts will be representing the school district at the 2025 Class A State Meet Tuesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 11 at St. Michael-Albertville High School.
Three of these Buccaneers will be making their third appearance at State. One is making his second trip. Three are making their first trip. All athletes advanced after placing either first or second at the Section 2A Meet held Saturday, May 31 at Mankato West.

Two WEM boys track and field athletes won Section 2A, North Sub-Section Championships Thursday, May 22 at Central Public Schools in Norwood.
Sophomore Griffin Atherton won the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash, and junior Grady Grohman won the shot put.
These two along with junior Talen Taylor and sophomore Wyatt Jans will represent the Buccaneers at the Section 2A Track and Field Championships Saturday, May 31 at Mankato West.

Senior Ashlyn Pelant won two titles and junior Addison Condon won one at the Section 2A North Sub-Section Track and Field Meet held Thursday, May 22 at Central Public School in Norwood.
These three along with seniors Loryn Caldwell, McKenna Schuster, and Tatum Richards, and seventh grader Rachel Mielke will represent the Buccaneers at the Section 2A Meet Saturday, May 31 at Mankato West High School.
Pelant picked up wins in the shot put with a distance of 38-feet, 1-inch, one of her top efforts of the year and the discus, with a distance of 112-feet, 1-inch.

With a split of two games Sunday, May 18, the WEM girls flag football team tied for the Sub-District Championship.
The Lady Bucs lost to Fairmont, 26-13, but defeated Lakeville South, 24-21, avenging an earlier season 40-14 loss to South.
South, Fairmont, and WEM each ended their Sub-District schedule with a 4-2 record. Fairmont was 6-2 overall while South and WEM were 4-4 overall.
In the loss to Fairmont, Alenka Jans completed 24-of-38 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns.

The WEM baseball team is heading into the Section Playoffs with some positive performances the last two weeks.
The Bucs have won three of their last four games, including a 7-0 forfeit victory against NRHEG and a 10-3 win over Waseca Saturday, May 17. They are now 2-8 in the Gopher Conference and 4-12 overall.
In the game against NRHEG, following the loss, officials realized the Panther pitched had already pitched during the week and exceeded the number of innings pitched allowed.

Four games in five days for the WEM softball team ended in two wins and two losses for the Lady Bucs.
All four games could have been won by either team, with all the games finishing with a one run winner.
WEM defeated Medford Thursday, May 8 by a 5-4 score. The next day WEM defeated Maple River, 8-7, in a non-conference game. Nicollet edged the Bucs, 4-3, Saturday, May 10. Monday, May 12 Blooming Prairie pulled out a 9-8 win.

Two WEM pitchers limited Medford to two hits in a 5-2 win over the Tigers Thursday, May 8 in a Gopher Conference game.
Jacob Androli pitched four innings, allowing one hit and Noah Lanham pitched three innings, allowing one hit, helping the Bucs win their second game of the season.
Androli allowed two unearned runs, three walks, and struck out six. Lanham struck out four and hit a batter in earning his first win of the season.
Brady Murphy was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, and an RBI.
Jackson Dahl was 1-for-2 with two RBI and two walks.

A beautiful late Sunday afternoon gave the WEM girls flag football team a chance to showcase their talents in front of a large crowd of spectators in Waterville.
The Buccaneers held on to their place on top of the Sub-District Standings with a split of two games.
WEM dropped a 40-14 contest to Lakeville South and defeated Lakeville North for the second time this season, 21-6.
The Bucs are tied with Lakeville South with a 3-1 record. Fairmont is 2-2 overall and Lakeville North in 0-4 overall.

Five championships and two runner-up finishes were turned in by the WEM girls track and field team Tuesday, April 22 at Blooming Prairie.
The Bucs won four individual events and one relay in placing sixth in the eightteam Blossom Invitational. WEM scored 79 points. JWP was the team champion with 149 points. They were followed by St. Clair (110), Mankato Loyola/Cleveland (107). Blooming Prairie (92.5), NRHEG (82.5), WEM, United South Central/ Alden-Conger (46), and Medford (19).

Two WEM shot putters competed in the Hamline Elite Track and Field Meet Friday, April 25 with some of the best throwers in the state.
Senior Ashlyn Pelant and junior Grady Grohman each had among their best throws of their careers while placing in this meet.
Pelant actually did have her best throw of her standout career, tossing the four kilogram ball 38-feet, 11-inches, a new personal best which saw her place third overall.
Jayda Kolstoe, a junior from Minnewaska Area won the event with a toss of...

Flag football for females will be part of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Flag football for Minnesota high school students started in April.
One of the teams who will be part of the new flag football league hail from Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.
A total of 51 teams from throughout the state, mostly metro schools, started this journey in early April thanks to the Minnesota Vikings. Last year there were only four teams who competed.