Getting Blake on the schedule this season was a milestone in itself for Mahtomedi. The east-metro program has had to battle its way into relevance amongst the larger suburban and west-metro private team-driven landscape over the length of its existence.
"We're not respected as a lacrosse team, just because we're such a small public school," two-year captain Ryan Brown said.
That all changed quickly. When the opportunity finally came around this spring to take on Blake on April 21, Brown made sure his team knew what was at stake.
He reminded the seniors that this would be the first time they would be able to play the likes of a Blake, Benilde-St. Margaret's or even a Rosemount during their tenure.
"So I was like, 'Guys, this is our time to build the program,' and we came to the game ready to play," Brown said. "The focus was there, to say the least. I knew we could beat them."
And beat them they did.
The Zephyrs ground out a 5-4 victory over the lacrosse powerhouse, in what was described as an emotional, high-speed dogfight. Even the officials told Brown it was one of the more intense high school games they ever had seen.
"I could feel it after the game," said Brown, who scored three of the team's five goals in the victory. "The motivation the guys had afterward was unheard of."