MASON CITY, IA. (Friday, March 21st, 2025):
The Watertown Shamrocks put together a dominant performance Friday night, rallying from an early deficit to defeat the North Iowa Bulls 5-2. After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Shamrocks stormed back with three unanswered goals in the second, led by scores from Zach Boren, Cam Markham, and Spencer Sasenbury. Watertown continued their strong play into the third, adding two more goals from Travis Lefere and Owen Chartier to seal the victory. Goaltender Phileas Lachat stood tall, stopping 27 of 29 shots, while the special teams proved crucial, as the Shamrocks capitalized on two power-play opportunities while shutting down all six of North Iowa’s chances with the man advantage.
With the win, the Shamrocks secured a much-needed two points in the NAHL Central Division standings. Watertown outshot North Iowa 33-29 and showcased their defensive resilience by limiting the Bulls to minimal chances after the first period. Carter Sproule contributed two assists, continuing his strong offensive season, while Alexander Visnapuu and Grant Gardner added key helpers. Discipline was tested in a physical matchup that saw a combined 32 minutes of penalties, but Watertown’s penalty kill remained rock-solid.
MASON CITY, IA. (Saturday, March 22nd, 2025):
The Watertown Shamrocks secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the North Iowa Bulls on Saturday night, closing out their weekend series with back-to-back wins. Despite being outshot 42-24, the Shamrocks made the most of their opportunities, with Phoenix Cahill and Ryan Gingher scoring in the second period to erase an early 1-0 deficit. Henry Lechner added a crucial goal in the third, which stood as the game-winner after North Iowa managed to pull within one. Both Cahill and Lechner’s goals marked each of their fist NAHL goals. Goaltender Mason Gudridge was outstanding, stopping 40 of 42 shots to backstop the Shamrocks to victory. Special teams also played a role, as Watertown capitalized on one of their two power-play chances while limiting North Iowa to just one goal on four attempts.
The game turned chippy late, with tensions boiling over at the final buzzer, leading to roughing penalties for Cole Wirun, Sangyeob Kim, Cam Markham, and Carter Sproule. Despite the physicality, the Shamrocks remained composed and executed defensively to secure the win. With this victory, Watertown improved their season record to 16-31-2-3 and gained momentum as they continue their push in the NAHL Central Division.
Photo by: Olivia Sherman