Centennial lands ranking in girls' soccer

How did Centennial girls' soccer coach Ginger Flohaug react to her team cracking the top 10 for the first time in her tenure? She considered keeping it a secret.

"We found out on the Monday of Homecoming week," she said last Thursday. "I thought it might cause stress we didn't need."

Flohaug opted to tell her girls, who took the news in stride. In fact, they already had proved their mettle under pressure two days before the rankings came out.

Trailing 1-0 to Hopkins with about five minutes remaining in the game Sept. 26, Centennial (11-2-1) rallied for two goals. An injury to a starter forced Flohaug to substitute. She chose junior defender Megan Helberg, who then scored both goals.

"I was a little worried about that game because Hopkins isn't in our conference or section," Flohaug said. "But the girls refused to give up."

They don't like giving up goals, either. Centennial's nine shutouts this season are a school record.

Since joining the Maranatha Christian Academy varsity soccer team as a seventh-grader, Megan Andres has been tabbed as a rising prospect.

This season, she is in prime form. Entering this week, Andres has 21 goals for Maranatha, located in Brooklyn Park, ranking her among the top scorers in the metro area.

"She can score from anywhere," coach Cindy Roberson said. "On set pieces, she can shoot on frame from 25 yards out."

Andres has almost half of the team's 48 goals, yet she remains a team player.

"There have been games where she could have scored six goals, but she chose to create for teammates," Roberson said. "She's a coach's dream."

Mounds View's volleyball team is hosting a Dig Pink breast cancer fundraising event beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the high school. Spectators can purchase Dig Pink T-shirts for $10 and receive half-price admission. Food, giveaways, contests and a silent auction are also available.

David La Vaque • 612-673-7574