Saturday, May 31st.
Baseball.
Section 6AAAA Winners Bracket Final.
#1 Edina 6, #5 Buffalo 2. The Bison got off to a great start on Saturday at Parade Stadium, after a disastrous start for the Hornets. Edina committed three errors and hit two batters, leading to a 2-0 Bison lead after a half inning, but after that it was all Hornets. The two key plays of the game came on the defensive side for Edina. LF, Chase Bjorgaard threw out the go ahead run from left field in the 4th, and John McGrath threw out the tying run for Buffalo in the fifth. It was still a close game going into the bottom of the sixth, but Edina tacked on two more and cruised to the 6-2 win. Nolan Mullenbach and Cash Hourscht drove in the two Bison runs on back-to-back pitches that hit them with the bases loaded in the first. The Bison will now take on Wayzata Wednesday night in an elimination game.
Cash Hourscht, above, from Buffalo, attempts to turn a double play against Edina on Saturday.
Section 6AAA Winners Bracket Final.
#3 Delano 4, #1 Orono 3. The normally explosive Tigers offense only managed four hits on Saturday in Waconia, but it was enough to pick up the win and advance to the Section finals. Down 3-2 in the 4th, the Tigers plated two, then didn’t allow a run the rest of the game, and with the win are just one win away from going back to the state tournament for the second straight season.
Delano, above, gets ready to take the field before their game with Orono on Saturday.
Section 5AAA Elimination Bracket.
#6 Annandale 3, #4 St. Francis 2. St. Francis had already beaten Annandale once this season, and after scoring a run to go up 2-1 heading into the seventh it looked like the Cards season might be coming to an end, but the Cards rallied for a 3-2 win and kept their season alive with a road win on Saturday. Jack Newman led off with a single, Zach O’ Konek then hit a double over the right fielder’s head to tie the game. With one out, Luke Lindquist doubled off the left field wall, scoring Cooper Broman, and the Cards had the lead, 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh. From there Lindquist recorded the final three outs to pick up the complete game win and advance the Cardinals to an elimination game on Tuesday in Princeton against Big Lake. Lindquist went 2-4 at the plate with a double and two RBIs.
Zach O’ Konek, above, attempts to throw out a runner in the Cards, 3-2 win over St. Francis on Saturday.
Boys Lacrosse.
Section 2A Semifinals.
#2 Chanhassen 9, #3 Buffalo 6. Brady Kennedy netted three goals, and Henri Poulin stopped 16 of 22 shots in the nets, as the Storm advanced to the section finals with a win over the Bison.
Girls Lacrosse.
Section 2A Semifinals.
#1 Minnetonka 16, #5 Delano 1. The Tigers were no match for the #1 ranked team in the state as the Skippers ended the Tigers season on Saturday. Delano finished with a 12-3 record.
Addilyn Dietman, above, had a monster year for the Tigers, and she will be back next year. This year the Tigers reached the Section 2A semifinals before losing to #1 Minnetonka on Saturday.
Monday, June 1st.
Baseball.
Section 5AA Winners Bracket final.
#1 Glencoe Silver Lake 3, #6 Dassel-Cokato 2. The Chargers Cinderella run isn’t over yet, but the Panthers did knock them into the elimination finals with a close win on Monday at GSL. The Chargers will take on Providence on Tuesday night at 7 PM in Litchfield. If the Chargers win, they will advance to the finals to face the Panthers, where they would have to defeat them twice.
Softball.
Class AA State Tournament Quarterfinals.
#5 St. Cloud Cathedral 6, #4 Rockford 3. The Rockets got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 3-0 lead on the defending state champs thru three innings at Caswell Park in North Mankato on Tuesday afternoon, but the Crusaders had too much fire power in the end. Keira Alexander hit a grand slam in the fourth, giving SCC a 4-3, lead, then Tayla Vought hammered another home run an inning later and the Crusaders held on for the Quarterfinal win. Lauiren Egbert went 2-3 with a double and two RBIs in the loss for the Rockets.
Keira Alexander, above, hit the game turning grand slam in the fourth inning for the defending AA state champs from SCC, as the Crusaders advanced to the semifinals with a win over Rockford on Tuesday.
Girls Lacrosse.
Section 8A Semifinals.
#1 Buffalo 18, #4 Brainerd 4. The Bison cruised into the finals behind seven goals from Adellita Nelson. So far in the sections the Bison have outscored their two opponents, 38-7.
#3 STMA 11, #2 Elk River 10. The Knights pulled out the road win by the slightest of margins, setting up a section final match with their rivals from Buffalo on Thursday.
Boys Lacrosse.
#2 STMA 7, #3 Moorhead 3. The Knights shut down the Spuds on Tuesday, advancing to the Section finals.
Baseball.
Section 8AAAA.
Winner’s bracket final.
#4 Moorhead 6, #2 Monticello 1. For the second straight year, the Spuds are giving the top seeds, fits. After winning the Section as a five seed last year, the Spuds have already upset #1 seed STMA, and #2 seed Monticello on the road, putting Moorhead in the Section finals once again this year.
Elimination Bracket:
#1 STMA 8, #6 Alexandria 2. The Knights kept their hopes alive with a home win over the Cards on Tuesday.
Section 5AAA Elimination Bracket.
#2 Big Lake 2, #6 Annandale 0. The Hornets scored two runs in the first inning on two Cards errors and that would be all they needed to advance. Austin Politte had the only Cards hit in the seventh inning as their season came to an end. Lefty Jackson LaRoche struck out ten, while only allowing one hit in the complete game victory for Big Lake.
Boys Volleyball.
#2 STMA 3, #3 Rogers 0. The Knights got some revenge on the Royals, who beat them in the Section finals last year to advance to the Section finals for the second straight year. Trailing by four, late in the fourth set, the Knights caught fire and closed out the Royals at home on Tuesday night.
Wednesday, June 3rd.
Girls Softball. Class AA State Consolation Semifinals.
#4 Rockford 4, #8 Esko 1. Lily Bury struck out twelve and threw a no hitter as Rockford advanced to the Consolation finals with a win over Esko in Mankato on Wednesday. Sofia Westgaard added a three-run home run and drove in all four Rockets runs. Rockford will take on Caledonia on Thursday at 11 Am at North Mankato for the Consolation championship.
Sofia Westaard, above left, hit a home run and Lilly Bury, right tossed a no hitter in the Rockets win over Esko on Wed.
Baseball.
Section 6AAA Finals.
#3 Delano 6, #1 Orono 3. Down 3-2 in the sixth, the Tigers got a big break on a throwing error at first base, setting up a four-run inning. From there the Tigers shutdown the Spartans offense, and for the second straight year the Tigers are headed to state in Class AAA. With the victory in Waconia last night, the Tigers will now advance to the state tournament, which starts Thursday in Chaska.
The Delano Tigers, above, celebrate their section final win over Orono on Wed night.
Section 6AAAA Elimination Bracket Finals.
#1 Wayzata 13, #5 Buffalo 5. After the Bison got two quick outs from their ace Aiden Marconett in the top of the first inning, the next four Trojans batters walked, and then catch Connor Sturm provided the big blow with a three run double over the left fielders head, and after that four run outburst to start the game, it was all Wayzata, as the Trojans ended the Bison season on Wednesday night at Parade Stadium. Marconett went 3-4 at the plate, and Cash Hourscht went 2-3 with an RBI in the loss for Buffalo.
What a great backdrop for baseball on Wed night at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis.
Section 8AAAA.
Elimination game.
#1 STMA 5, #3 Elk River 1. The Knights kept their season alive with a win over the Elks in Cold Spring, setting up a matchup with Monticello.
Elimination Bracket Finals.
#2 Monticello 3, #1 STMA 1. Adam Brenny doubled home two runs in the second inning, and that was all the Magic needed in their win over the Knights on Wednesday afternoon in Cold Spring. Gavin Gardner went the distance for Monti, striking out five and only allowing one run. With the win, the Magic advanced to today’s Section final, where they will have to defeat Moorhead twice. First game is at noon, in Cold Spring. The Knights season came to an end.
Girls State Track and Field.
Monticello’s Isabella Mahoney finished 5th in the 3200 in state track and field on Wednesday.
Isabella Mahoney, above, finished 5th in the 3200 at State Wed.
Thursday, June 4th.
Boys Tennis.
AA Individual State Tournament.
Will Schmidt, Buffalo defeated Will Heidtke, Eagan, 6-4, 4-0, retired. In the next round, Wayzata’s Ethan Turunen defeated Schmidt, 6-0, and 6-1 sending Turunen to the semifinals.
Will Schmidt, above, is moving on to the next round, after his win on Thursday morning in state tennis.
Boys Lacrosse.
Section 8A Finals.
#2 STMA 9, #1 Elk River 4. The Knights stifling defense was too much for the Elks on Thursday afternoon, as STMA won on the road to advance to state. It was a tight first half with the Knights only up 5-4 at the half. In the second half the Knights pulled away, and shutout Elk River to punch their ticket to state. Cooper Leland scored five of the Knights goals, while Henry Hannon and Jonathan Landon each scored two for STMA.
Boys Volleyball.
Section 8A Finals.
#2 STMA 3, #1 Elk River 2. The Elks won the first set at Zimmerman on Thursday afternoon, but the Knights jumped right back into it, by winning the next two. The Elks then forced a fifth and deciding game with a 25-23 win in the fourth set. In the fifth set, the Knights jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, winning the final set, 15-9, to advance to state for the first time in school history.
Baseball.
Section 8AAAA Finals.
#2 Monticello 6, #5 Moorhead 4. The Magic kept their season alive, with a four run third inning, then held off the Spuds on Tuesday afternoon in Cold Spring, setting up a winner take all later in the day. Jeron Schlangan tied the game at four with an RBI single in the third, and Carter Anderson hit a sac fly to give the Magic the lead for good, at 5-4.
#2 Monticello 4, #5 Moorhead 3. A hit by pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted Monticello to the two game sweep on Thursday, and even more important a trip to state with the walk off win over the Spuds at Cold Spring.
Softball.
Class AA State Consolation Championship game.
#3 Caledonia 5, #4 Rockford 1. The Warriors beat the Rockets on Thursday morning to take home the consolation championship in AA softball. The Rockets went 1-2 at state, and finished their season with a 23-5 record.
Girls Lacrosse.
Section 8A Finals.
#1 Buffalo 21, #3 STMA 7. With a chance to clinch a trip to state at home against their biggest rivals, the Knights never had a chance. The Bison jumped out to a 14-4 halftime lead and cruised from their. The Bison outscored their opponents, 59-14 on their way to a spot in state.
