Benilde-St. Margaret's finished 19-0 in boys lacrosse last spring, not experiencing a loss until after the season.
Longtime Red Knights coach Rob Horn announced his retirement after leading the program to back-to-back state titles. He was co-head coach in 2007 when BSM won the inaugural Minnesota State High School League-sponsored boys lacrosse state tournament. His successor, Giuseppe Palermo, was a standout at Totino-Grace.
Horn leads a noteworthy group of veteran coaches who won't be on a local high school sideline this season. Patrick Crandall, who directed the Lakeville South girls program to its first state tournament title last season, left to start a women's lacrosse program at the College of St. Benedict. Assistant coach Joel Tornell took over.
In the state final the Cougars defeated newcomer Chanhassen, whose longtime coach Rachel Panner, née Aiken, also stepped down. Carly Goetz, a Chaska High School graduate, is the new voice of the Storm.
Games to watch
Benilde-St. Margaret's and Prior Lake met in the past four boys state tournament championship games. No need to wait that long this spring. On April 27, the defending champion Red Knights head to Prior Lake.
One night later comes a rematch of the 2022 girls state tournament final when Lakeville South heads to Chanhassen.
Fresh faces
Two consecutive state tournaments marked changes across the boys and girls landscape. Last season, the Rosemount girls knocked out defending champ Prior Lake in the Section 6 final. Another powerhouse, Eden Prairie, had reached all 14 previous state tournaments before getting stopped in the Section 2 final.
Those upsets came on the heels of a wild 2021 state tournament. Four new programs reached both the boys and girls brackets.
Metro area players to watch
10 BOYS
Carsen Brandt, senior attack, Benilde-St. Margaret's
Ethan Buskey, senior midfielder, St. Michael-Albertville
Kevin Graff, sophomore attack, Bloomington Jefferson
Layne Kology, senior attack, Buffalo
Ben Mickett, senior midfielder, Prior Lake
Jake Rossman, senior defender, Eastview
Caio Stephens, senior long-stick midfielder, Benilde-St. Margaret's
Griffin Valli, senior defender, Buffalo
Carter Van Holland, senior attack, Chanhassen
Xavier Wells, senior goalie, Osseo/Park Center
10 GIRLS
Uma Corniea, senior goalie, Edina
Izzy Garvin, senior defender, Benilde-St. Margaret's
Katie Grubbs, junior defender, Lakeville South
Kate Hooley, junior attack, Woodbury
Cate Kangas, senior midfielder, Hill-Murray
Tori Liljegren, senior midfielder, Stillwater
Emily Moes, senior attack, Lakeville South
Tatumn Nyen, senior defender, Chanhassen
Mary Velner, senior midfielder, Edina
Rachel Ward, senior midfielder, Prior Lake
