Sports

America Trejo competes on the course at St. Olaf College during the Class A State Cross Country Championships on November 5th.

Empty seats were hard to come by at the 2022 St. James Area football banquet on November 6th, held at the First Presbyterian Church. Award winners followed the review of each level of the program that finished a season, and a long losing streak.

St. James Area girls tennis had a stellar season this year with the team making it to state and a doubles team making it alone too.

Out of a field of 18 teams, the SJA boys placed 3rd overall and the girls team placed 5th at the Section 2A Cross Country Meet at Norwood- Young America on October 27th. Four runners, Levi Miest, America Trejo, Jacob Friesen, and Katelyn Friesen were named All-Section and Miest and Trejo will advance to compete at the State Cross Country Meet on November 5th.

The 2022 season ended with an impressive 24-5 record for the SJA Saints, narrowly missing out on an upset of Breck in the opening round. SJA opened the consolation round with a 5-2 victory over Staples- Motley before bowing out to Pine City in a 5-2 decision to earn 6th place at the State Championships.

The Saints traveled to Pipestone to open playoffs against the top seed for the 3AA South Subsection and the Arrows needed only three sets to complete the match. Pipestone advanced to battle Redwood Valley.

Allison Bluedorn and Keyana Haler partnered to win an opening round match at the 2022 Class A State Tennis Tournament on October 26th. The next round made for an exit as the duo met up with the eventual State champs.

The host team of Sleepy Eye came out ready to roll, scoring twice in the opening minutes, and did not look back as the St. James Area Saints ended their regular season 1-7. The Saints earned the #7 seed and traveled to Pipestone on Tuesday, October 25th.