STMA is back in the state Boys Soccer tournament for the second straight season, and the tournament kicks off on Wednesday. Below is my AAA State Tournament preview. You can catch all the Knights state games on AM1360 KRWC, krwc1360.com and on our app. The first game will be Wednesday night, October 28th at 7:30 PM vs. Wayzata from Spring Lake Park. All of the Knight’s games will have a fifteen-minute pregame on our air before the action starts. Good luck to the Knights!
The teams.
#1 Seed, Wayzata Trojans, 13-1-3.
How they got here: Defeated Washburn, 3-2 in Section 6AAA finals.
State Tournament appearance: #18, state champs in 1985, 2005, 2017, and 2023.
Key Players: George Soeffker 16 goals, 7 assists, Ivan Kwainoe, 5 goals, and goalie, Lucas Woodrum, 0.60 gaa.
Key Stat: The Trojans have allowed one goal or less thirteen times and have eight shutouts as a team.
Did you know? The Trojans not only have four state championships, but they have been runner up six times.
Trojans win state if? Find some goals from someone not named Soeffker.
The Wayzata Trojans, above, are looking for their fifth state championship this season.
#2 Seed, Edina Hornets, 16-2.
How they got here: Defeated Eden Prairie, 3-0 in Section 2AAA finals.
State Tournament Appearance: 15th, state champs in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2019, and 2025.
Key Players: Sam Randolph, Ian Bradley, and Desmond Quigley.
Key Stat: The Hornets retain the core from their state championship team from last season.
Did you know? Edina defeated Maple Grove last season, 1-0 in the championship game, securing their fifth state championship.
Hornets win state if? They do their thing. Play airtight defense, while waiting for their opportunities to strike like a bee…..er Hornet.
The Edina Hornets, above, come into the tournament as the defending state champions in Class AAA.
#3 Seed, Maple Grove Crimson, 14-3-1.
How they got here: Defeated Osseo, 3-0 in Section 5AAA final.
State Tournament Appearance: 2nd.
Key Players: Parker Carlson, 34 goals and 7 assists, Carter Mast, seven goals and nine assists, and Raidyn Bailey, 0.93 gaa.
Key Stat: The Crimson have seven games this season where they have scored five or more goals and have reached that criteria in five of the last seven games.
Did you know? The Crimson made the state championship game last year in just their second ever state appearance, before losing to Edina.
Crimson win state if? Just keep scoring! The Crimson have a high-powered offense, but some questions in goal.
Parker Carlson, above, is this season’s Star Tribune Player of the year.
#4 Seed, Duluth East Greyhounds, 14-0-4.
How they got here: Defeated Blaine, 2-1 in the Section 7AAA finals.
State Tournament Appearance: 10th.
Key Players: Jake Sherman, 10 goals, 13 assists, Logan Murphy, 7 goals and 4 assists, and Otto Lindaman, 1.08 gaa.
Key Stat: The Greyhounds are 5-0-4 in one goal games.
Did you know? No team from the North has ever won a Class AAA Boys state soccer championship.
Greyhounds win state if? Keep it close and win in the end, something the Greyhounds have done all season.
Duluth East, above in white, is looking to become the first team from the North to win a soccer state championship in Class AAA.
#5 Seed, Eastview Lightning, 14-1-3.
How they got here: Defeated Eagan, 1-0 in Section 3AAA final.
State Tournament Appearance: 5th, won state in 2012.
Key Players: Samuale Mehari, Jackson Bents and G, Miles DeLeon, 96% save percentage and 0.17 gaa.
Key Stat: The Lightning have sixteen shutouts this season, and nine straight!
Did you know? This will be Eastview’s first state appearance in seven years.
Lightning win state if? Score. That’s how good DeLeon is! One goal per game could do it.
Above, pretty much says it all about goalie Miles De Leon.
#6 Seed, St. Paul Central Minutemen, 12-3-3.
How they got here: Defeated Two Rivers, 3-2 in Section 2AAA finals.
State Tournament Appearance: 5th.
Key Players: Andrew Wittington, 12 goals and 17 assists, Isaac Iwaszkowic, 9 goals and 4 assists, and William Burns, 0.63 gaa.
Key Stat: The Minutemen like most of the teams at state, excel in close games.
Did you know? The Minutemen as a low seed last season almost upset Edina in the first round, losing only 3-2.
Minutemen win state if? Score three goals. The Minutemen are 9-2-1 this season when they reach three goals.
Andrew Wittington, above, is the leading scorer for the Minutemen.
#7 Seed, Rochester Mayo Spartans, 13-3-2.
How they got here: Defeated Century, 6-5 in Section 1AAA finals.
State Tournament Appearance: 11th.
Key Players: Brennan Zeone, 13 goals, 3 assists, Amani Gupta, 8 goals, 13 assists, and Kassiano Kassiano, 0.60 gaa.
Key Stat: Amani Gupta is clutch, including winning the Section title with a shootout goal against their rivals from Century.
Did you know? Despite eleven state tournament appearances, the Spartans have never medalled.
Spartans win state if? Gupta creates and others finish. Gupta has the ability to lead the Spartans a long way.
Amani Gupta, above, is the key to the Spartans state hopes.
#8 Seed, STMA Knights, 7-9-3.
How they got here: Defeated Moorhead, 4-2 in the Section 8AAA finals.
State Tournament Appearance: 3rd.
Key Players: Femi Omotayo, 22 goals, 4 assists, Molique Doeyou, 5 goals, 5 assists, and Eli Schmoyer, 2.06 gaa.
Key Stat: The Knights after a 1-8-1 start, finished the season, 6-1-2.
Did you know? The Knights tied their first-round opponent and #1 seed Wayzata, 3-3 during the season.
Knights win state if? They believe! It sounds corny, but no one comes into state playing better soccer.
Femi Omotayo, above, leads the Knights with 22 goals this season.
2026 MSHSL Class AAA Boys Soccer State Tournament Bracket:
