With the 2020-21 season still months out, it’s time to take a look at teams from all over the State of Hockey and examine what happened this past season and what’s ahead. The next team we’re breaking down is Worthington.
How last season went
The struggles started early for the Trojans. From Dec. 3 to Jan. 7, Worthington recorded just one win. The struggles throughout the season came in part to the team allowing 4.67 goals per game during the season.
Eventually, the Trojans did find some success as they picked up wins against Redwood Valley, Fairmont (twice) and Willmar. That propelled the team to a 4-19 regular-season record.
They came into the postseason as the No. 7 seed in Section 3A. The offense came to play in the play-in round as Worthington won 11-4. Things got much more difficult in the quarterfinals against Litchfield/Dassel Cokato as the Trojans saw their season draw to a close with a 5-1 defeat.
Who’s back and who’s gone
While looking at the list of players expected to return for Worthington, some positives are there. For instance, Konner Honius is set to be back following an 18-point season (7 goals, 11 assists). Other key returners include Blake Luinenburg (9G, 4A) and Preston Thavixay, the team’s primary goaltender who posted a .895 save percentage.
As for the graduating seniors, there’s a significant list there. It starts with Kipton Jenson, who moved on following 15 goals and nine assists as a senior. Also gone is Carlos Garcia (5G, 9A).
What to expect next season
In order to improve, Worthington has to find some consistency in about every aspect of its squad. That will be key to improvement. The returning players will likely be tasked with leading that charge.