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'A Competitive Edge': Hill Murray's Jake Begley Is One Of Minn.'s Top Goalies

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Jake Begley is considered one of the best high school goalies in Minnesota. Not bad for a kid who moved from another state.

"I grew up in Illinois, so there wasn't much hockey, so I played defenseman all the way up until third grade and we moved here," Begley said. "And I decided to play goalie because Mahtomedi Hockey Association didn't have many goalies."

What he's become is a goalie with a fire -- one that burns deep, every game.

"He's very competitive. He's a really competitive goalie," coach Bill Lechner said. "Wants to -- he gets frustrated if he doesn't get a shutout every night or if he gives up a goal. But I do like that he, and he alludes to it, that he handles it."

Because this position requires poise, the pressure not seen as unique, but part of a team concept.

"I don't think there's too much pressure," Begley said. "I think each position's got the same amount of pressure, because if you don't score, you really feel that. There's definitely some pressure being goalie but you just try not to think about it."

It's part of the mindset -- understanding what works and where you need to be come game time.

"I think it's all focus and you can't get over your head in the game," Begley said. "And a lot of it's just focusing the entire game, because if, just a little lapse of concentration, you would miss the puck and that's a goal."

And this goalie has goals. And this goalie has a demeanor that needs to be channeled.

"He's got an edge and he's got to be careful with it," Lechner said, "but it's a competitive edge and you don't want to tame that too much."

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