South Metro Notebook: Lakeville girls' hockey showdown to determine state bid

One doesn't need to travel very far to figure out where the South Suburban Conference or the Class 2A, Section 1 girls' hockey champion will reside.

It will either be from the team that calls Ames Arena home or the squad that plays at Hasse Arena. They are both located in Lakeville, and are keen rivals.

"I think rivalries are good," Lake­ville South coach Natalie Darwitz said. "Whenever the two teams get together, it makes for a good game."

The conference just completed its fifth year of existence, and each year Lakeville North or Lakeville South has won the 10-team title. Both schools have finished in the top three every year except once — Lakeville South wound up fourth in 2013-14.

Lakeville North won the crown in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 before being unseated by Lakeville South this year.

The Cougars won the title in the conference's first year of existence (2010-11). They also won the conference title in 2009-10 when it was known as the Lake.

Over that six-year period, one of the Lakeville teans has also advanced to the state tournament. This year will be no different.

The two will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday in Owatonna, with the winner advancing to the state tournament. They split their two regular-season games and have identical 22-4-1 records.

"Hopefully, our girls are ready to take one more stop and come prepared," Darwitz said. "They deserve it."

Shakopee junior forward Steffon Mitchell became the 11th boys' basketball player in school history to reach 1,000 career points.

Mitchell, a 6-foot-7 forward, reached the milestone with a 24-point performance in a 78-69 victory over Prior Lake in a South Suburban Conference matchup. It was his 17th game with at least 20 points this season.

Mitchell, who is averaging 25.6 points per game, scored a career-best 43 points at New Prague earlier in the season.

• Junior forward Nick Swaney had four goals and one assist, leading Lakeville South's boys' hockey team to a 5-2 nonconference victory over Bloomington Jefferson. It was his third hat trick of the season. He followed up with a pair of goals in a 5-1 victory over Apple Valley in South Suburban Conference play. The Minnesota Duluth recruit has 23 goals and 31 assists this year.