Friday, Jan. 23 offered good performances by both boys and girls basketball as each came off sluggish first halves to blow out Minnetonka. Saturday then offered some heartbreak as the boys hockey team (at home, with a big crowd) blew a four-goal lead and eventually lost 6-5 in overtime to fourth-ranked Eden Prairie. Girls hockey didn’t squander a big lead, but they did lose their fourth straight game, this time 4-2 to Minnetonka.

 From Tuesday, Jan. 26 to January’s final day on Saturday, HHS athletics will have seven games and the Royelles dance team will compete in sections.

Boys basketball

 Tonight the boys basketball team will play host to 4-12 Cooper in a non-conference matchup. On Friday, Jan. 30, the Royals will head to Wayzata for a rematch of the two-point game on Dec. 11 when Vinnie Shahid, junior hit the game-winning shot with only a couple seconds left. An example of the term “no days off” will give the Royals another non-conference game the next day, this one against 9-9 Minneapolis Patrick Henry. The game against the Patriots will be the Royals’ first of a four-game homestand at the Lindbergh Center.

Girls basketball

 The Royals will aim for their 13th straight win as they play 8-8 (0-3 in the Lake Conference) Wayzata on Friday.

Boys hockey

 With the loss to EP last Saturday, the Royals remain last in the Lake Conference with zero points. The Royals can gain some ground in the standings as they face Wayzata (second in the Lake) on Thursday and Minnetonka (third in the Lake) on Saturday.

Girls hockey

 Breaking a losing streak won’t come easy for the Royals in their last regular season game as they face 20-1-1 Maple Grove on Thursday, Jan. 29. The Royals will finish fourth in the Lake Conference if Edina loses to Wayzata in regulation.

Below is a more organized look at when and where the Royals will be in action this week.

Tuesday, Jan. 27

3:30 pm – Nordic skiing conference meet @ Hyland Park

 6:00 pm – Gymnastics meet @ Breck

 7:00 pm – Boys basketball @ Wayzata

Thursday, Jan. 29

 1:30 pm – Nordic skiing conference tournament @ Theodore Wirth Park

 3:30 pm – Alpine skiing varsity meet @ Buck Hill

 4:30 pm – Boys swim and dive @ Edina’s Art Downey Aquatic Center

 4:30 pm – Wrestling @ Wayzata

 6:00 pm – Gymnastics vs. St. Louis Park @ HHS

 7:00 pm – Girls hockey vs. Maple Grove @ Minnetonka Ice Arena

 7:00 pm – Boys hockey vs. Wayzata @ Plymouth Ice Arena

Friday, Jan. 30

 7:00 pm – Boys basketball @ Wayzata

 7:00 pm – Girls basketball vs. Wayzata @ Hopkins Lindbergh Center

Saturday, Jan. 31

 12:45 pm – Jazz, 2:30 pm – Kick; dance team sections tournament @ Minnetonka

 1:00 pm – Boys basketball vs. Patrick Henry @ Hopkins Lindbergh Center

 7:00 pm – Boys hockey @ Minnetonka

 10:00 pm – Wrestling invitational @ Cannon Falls High School

This week will be big for Royals everywhere, and the Royal Page will be on it every step of the way with live tweets and game recaps posted daily.