Girls' lacrosse state tournament: Blake rolls on to semifinals

Blake seniors Anne Slusser and Lydia Sutton won lacrosse state championships as eighth-graders and plan to add their fifth consecutive titles as recent graduates.

Standard-bearers within the state's top lacrosse program, Slusser and Sutton combined for five goals in a 18-2 blowout of Maple Grove in Tuesday's state tournament quarterfinals at Chanhassen High School. But their effect on the top-ranked Bears (15-2) goes much deeper.

"There's an elevated sense of responsibility this year," said Blake coach Laura Mark, whose team will play Stillwater in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Thursday at Chaska High School. "But they don't feel like they have to carry the team on their backs because they don't. There are a lot of other people to share the ball with on this team."

Blake's offensive potency is remarkable. Olivia Nolan leads the team with 73 goals, followed by Adelaide Winton (43), Sutton (41), Slusser (35) and Annie Lyman (21).

Behind the numbers, however, is perhaps the most resilient Bears team Mark has coached. Jordan Chancellor, Sara McClanahan and Lucy Nelson each missed more than three weeks because of illness and injury. But Slusser and Sutton helped new players acclimate.

The duo is playing is playing with perhaps more excitement and urgency than they did in their first tournament.

"We're not just going to step on the field and play well just because of the name on our jerseys," Slusser said.

Eden Prairie 21, Champlin Park 6: A demolition of Champlin Park sends the Eagles back to the game where their run of excellence stopped last season.

Since the Minnesota State High School League started girls' lacrosse state tournaments in 2007, Eden Prairie and Blake met in the first six championship games. The Eagles, the No. 1 seed last spring, lost 13-12 to Lakeville North in overtime of the semifinals.

Ever the competitor, Eagles co-head coach Judy Baxter said of the game, "It's not like we laid down and died."

But the Eagles' run did. Returning players are trying to embody the right lessons.

"Ending the season on that note gave us motivation," senior midfielder Anna Johnson said. "Going into [Thursday] we will definitely be more prepared. We'll go into it with a different mind-set. Nothing is given to us."

Baxter praised Johnson's leadership this spring, saying, "There's no one better to lead a team. She plays with heart every day, in every drill."

Johnson scored the final goal of Eden Prairie's opening salvo. The No. 2 seed Eagles (15-2) went ahead 11-0 in the first half on goals from six players.

"We all have the capability of making plays all around the field," junior forward Jessica Lagerquist said. "Every person can get the job done and that's been huge for us."

Apple Valley 8, Armstrong 7: The Falcons built a four-goal lead in the first half against undefeated Apple Valley. Turns out Armstrong was playing to the Eagles' strengths.

"We usually do better when we get down, because that's when we pick it up and start fighting," said Katie Larson, Apple Valley senior midfielder.

Armstrong's Hayley Holdahl and Mari Verbeten each scored three goals.

Stillwater 10, Lakeville South 9: Feinting with the ball in her possession much of the final two minutes, Stillwater's Carter Sanderson watched with joy as teammate Ellie Anderson finished the job.

Anderson's goal, scored with 28.3 seconds remaining, enabled the No. 5-seed Ponies (14-3) to escape the No. 4 Cougars (13-4).

With the score tied 3-3, the teams traded four-goal spurts. Stillwater built a 7-3 lead until the Cougars scored the final goal before halftime. Lakeville South added the first three goals in the second half to tie 7-7. One goal separated the teams through the final horn.