While football, volleyball and cross-country teams across the state get section play underway this week, state tournaments have begun in other sports. Here are some highlights.
SoccerFans of Benilde-St. Margaret's soccer teams will be busy this week. The boys' team (16-2-1) is the No. 2 seed in the Class 1A tournament and opens play against Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (14-3-2) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Cloud State University. The Red Knights girls' team (16-0-3) earned the top seed in Class 1A and drew South St. Paul (10-9) in the opening round. That game is set for 5:30 p.m. Friday at Roseville High School.
Winners of all quarterfinal matches, which also include teams from Blake and Wayzata in the girls' tournament and Minneapolis Southwest, Maple Grove and Eden Prairie in the boys' tournament, advance to games at the Metrodome next week.
TennisOnce the team champions are crowned Wednesday in girls' tennis, the individual and doubles competition gets underway Thursday in both classes. There is plenty of west-metro flavor.
Twelve of the 16 singles qualifiers in Class 2A, including defending champion Kelsey Frechette of Rochester Century, return from last year. That group includes Edina senior Caroline Ward and Eden Prairie senior Maddie Buxton.
Ward, who was ranked fourth in the final coaches poll, placed sixth last year, while Buxton won a doubles title in 2009 before losing in the consolation quarterfinals of last year's singles tournament.
In Class 2A doubles, three pairs return from last year's field including senior Katie Mattson and eighth- grader Hayley Haakenstad of Chanhassen. They took consolation honors last fall.
In Class 1A, senior Elena Sullivan of Providence Academy will compete in the doubles event this year with sister Eva, a sophomore. Elena won a singles title in 2009 and placed second last year. She was ranked second in Class 1A in the final coaches poll.
