Former Mounds View hockey player Josh Lavalle, who died in October from cancer, will have his jersey retired.

Lavalle will be honored on Nov. 22 at the Mustangs' home opener against Cloquet at the Vadnais Sports Center. The game starts at 7:30 p.m.

Parents, Marty and Luanne, and brothers Alex and Matt, will drop the ceremonial first puck. Mounds View players will warm up in jerseys with Lavalle's No. 3 on the back.

Lavalle was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia after his junior year and underwent weekly chemotherapy treatments that left him fatigued. He had been an all-Suburban East Conference honorable mention defenseman and hoped to resume playing as a senior.

In between treatments, Lavalle returned to the ice for a game against Hastings in January 2013. Mounds View won 6-1 and Lavalle, a team captain, was on the ice for five of the goals and contributed an assist.

Eckberg makes college commitment

Maple Grove senior guard Mary Eckberg has verbally committed to play basketball at the University of St. Thomas.

Eckberg, a three-year varsity player, averaged 5.7 points per game for the Crimson as the first player off the bench. Maple Grove coach Mark Cook said a strong summer AAU season, good size (6-0) and three-point shooting ability has Eckberg poised for a breakout varsity season.

"We are so excited to have Mary Eckberg join our basketball program," University of St. Thomas coach Ruth Sinn said in a statement. "Mary fits our program well. She has the capacity to stretch the floor and the athleticism to pressure our opponents. Her work ethic and her development through this offseason has really shown what Mary is all about."

Noteworthy

Maple Grove's 10-7 victory against Prior Lake in last week's Class 6A state football quarterfinals marked the lowest number of points scored in a victory in coach Matt Lombardi's four years with the program. … Trailing 3-0 after the first period to St. Francis/North Branch, the Andover girls' hockey team roared back to win 5-4. Claire Butorac's goal held up as the game-winner. The Huskies' Sidney Portner finished with two goals and two assists.

David La Vaque • 612-673-757