Prep Blog: A Hodgepodge Of Spring Playoff Action
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's without question the busiest time of the spring to be a high school athlete in Minnesota.
State tournaments are in action in boys tennis and girls softball. Add the boys and girls state track and field meet at Hamline University this weekend to the mix. Next week, baseball, boys and girls golf and lacrosse take center stage across the state.
When the rush is over, there will be several athletes finishing high school as state champions to go along with their diplomas and over-eating at graduation parties. It's a bittersweet time of year for high school seniors as they look in the rear-view mirror at the last four years while the future awaits, whether that means college or some other adventure.
For now, let's stay in the moment and get a handle on where the playoffs are at in various sports. Here is the prep sports spring landscape at a glance.
Boys Tennis: There are repeat state team champions this year in Mounds View in Class AA and Blake in Class A. The Mustangs beat Cretin-Derham Hall, Rochester Century and Elk River 4-3 in the title match. In Class A, Blake beat Luverne, Rochester Lourdes and rival Breck to win its second straight title. The Bears lost just one individual match in facing the three teams.
Perhaps the bigger story of the tournament is the individual play of Rochester Century's Jessie Aney. She plays on a national circuit in the fall instead of on the girls high school team so the boys team welcomed her this spring. She won her state quarterfinal match, then lost in the semifinals to Forest Lake's Toby Boyer, who is a heavy favorite to win another state title. Aney is headed to play tennis next fall at the University of North Carolina.
Individual play in both singles and doubles continues Friday morning at the University of Minnesota.
Baseball: So far, the Class AAA State Tournament next week will include Northfield, Chanhassen, Lakeville North and Mahtomedi, with the final four entrants to be determined in section play by Saturday. Look for that bracket early next week, and Mounds View is the defending state champion.
In Class AA, the only team to qualify for the state tournament so far is Rochester Lourdes. A majority of the field will be known by Thursday night. St. Cloud Cathedral won last year's state title.
In Class A, the qualified teams include Lewiston-Altura and Win-E-Mac. The rest of the field will be determined by Saturday. New Life Academy won last year's state title.
The State Baseball Tournament will be held at various ballparks, including CHS Field in St. Paul, Siebert Field at the U of M, Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud, Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud, Athletic Park in Chaska and the Mini Met in Jordan. All state championship games will be played at Target Field.
Boys and Girls Golf: The Boys and Girls State Golf Tournaments start next Thursday with the Class A event at Pebble Creek Golf Course in Becker, the Class AA tournament at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan and the Class AAA field at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids.
The teams in the Class AAA boys field include defending champion Edina, Wayzata, White Bear Lake, St. Thomas Academy, Buffalo, Lakeville South, St. Michael-Albertville and Grand Rapids. The girls AAA field includes defending champion Wayzata, Edina, Winona, Woodbury, Stillwater, Spring Lake Park, Forest Lake and Buffalo.
The Class AA boys field includes Blake, which finished third last year. Other teams include Mankato East, Triton, Worthington, Holy Family Catholic, St. Cloud Cathedral, Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin and Crookston. Two of last year's three co-champions are also back in juniors Andrew Israelson of Staples-Motley and Carter Haley of Mankato East. The Class AA girls field includes three-time defending state champion Detroit Lakes, Pequot Lakes, Red Wing, Minnewaska Area, Breck, Albert Lea, Breck and St. Cloud Cathedral. Individual co-champions junior Kate Smith of Detroit Lakes and senior Maggie Heggerston of Pequot Lakes are also back.
In Class A boys action, defending champion Dawson-Boyd will pace the field. It also includes United South Central, Mille Lacs, Murray County Central, Fillmore Central, Ottertail Central and Barnum. Freshman Brock Bliese of Mounds Park Academy is back to defend an individual state title. On the girls side, two-time defending champion Legacy Christian Academy leads the field. The other qualified teams include BOLD, Fillmore Central, Ottertail Central, Barnum, Springfield, Minneota and Fosston.
Boys Lacrosse: We know most of the field for next week's Boys State Lacrosse Tournament, which will be held at Hopkins and Minnetonka High Schools. The current qualifiers include Lakeville North, Mahtomedi, White Bear Lake, Blake, Blaine and Maple Grove. Eden Prairie won last year's state championship.
Girls Lacrosse: All but one spot is filled for next week's Girls State Lacrosse Tournament, which is also at Hopkins and Minnetonka High Schools. The current qualifiers include Lakeville South, Eden Prairie, Stillwater, Robbinsdale Armstrong, Blake, Champlin Park and Wayzata. Blake won last year's state championship.
Tune into WCCO-TV's High School Sports Rally at about 10:20 p.m. Friday with Mike Max, Frank Vascellaro and David McCoy to stay up-to-date on all the prep action.
