By Nick Gerhardt
Northfield continued its winning ways Monday with a 13-4 victory over Mankato at Memorial Field in Northfield.
The Raiders (2-3, 1-0 Big 9) picked up their second straight victory behind three goals each from George Peterson and Will Downs. Tristan Westergren chipped in a pair of goals along with Cam Waters and Grant Selchow. Cooper Rand also scored for Northfield.
The Raiders grabbed control of the game in the first quarter after falling behind 1-0 just 1:13 into the game. Northfield rattled off the next five goals for a 5-1 lead. Downs and Selchow each scored twice in the quarter.
Mankato (1-2, 0-1 Big 9) got two goals back in the second quarter after Kolten McGregor and Gage Schimdt each scored. Both had two goals in the game. Schmidt’s goal made it a 6-3 game at halftime as Waters scored between their goals.
The Raiders went on a 5-0 run starting in the third quarter and into the fourth quarter to build an 11-3 lead. Downs picked up his third goal in the third quarter while Waters notched his second of the game. Peterson tallied his first goal with 4:46 to go in the third period.
Westergren got the first of two fourth-quarter goals with 7:28 left in the fourth quarter to make it 10-3 and Peterson scored his second with 7:07 to go to push the lead to 11-3.
Following a McGregor goal, Westergren struck again to make it 12-4 and Peterson capped the scoring with a goal with 1:33 to play.
Northfield faces a test Thursday against Lakeville South (1-0) at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Field.