In Class 2A, top-ranked Eden Prairie (18-0-3) began the week without a loss. It's the last chance at postseason glory for the senior captain quartet of Ashley Astor, Lauren Boyle, Charly Dahlquist and Angie Heppelmann, a group that finished fourth at the past two state tournaments.
No. 2 Maple Grove, searching for its first-ever state appearance, rebounded from its first loss with an overtime victory at defending state champion Hill-Murray. The Crimson must contend with a loaded section field featuring No. 3 Minnetonka, which handed Maple Grove its first loss, and No. 5 Wayzata.
Another new power, Dodge County, a co-op of eight high schools in southern Minnesota, is poised to emerge as Section 1 champion and reach its first state tournament.
In Class 1A, Blake (19-1) is favored to win a third consecutive state championship and a record sixth overall, though none have come in the big-school class. Forward trio Jordan Chancellor, Carly Bullock and Karlie Lund have combined to score 67 goals — more than 70 percent of the team's total.
Bullock is a metro player of the year candidate, along with Hill-Murray's Kenzie Prater and Edina's Taylor Williamson.
David La Vaque
