Day 2 Soccer State Quarterfinal Recap
Posted: Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - 11:16 PM
A year ago, the St. Charles girls soccer team qualified for the state tournament for the first time and excitement raced through the community. The trip ended with a loss to St. Paul Academy in the Class A quarterfinals. While a short trip, the experience left the Saints with a feeling of determination to keep pushing for more.
That came to fruition a year later when St. Charles guaranteed itself another week of practice and two more games to end the season following a 3-0 victory over St. Croix Prep in the Class A quarterfinals at Irondale High School in New Brighton. Senior forward Araceli White opened the scoring on a penalty kick, and later added an insurance goal, as did senior Samantha Perez to send the No. 3-seeded Saints into the semifinals next week at U.S. Bank Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 31 against No. 2 Southwest Christian.
Senior goalkeeper Madakyn Gust made three saves in the final 20 minutes. St. Croix Prep entered the state tournament averaging more than six goals per game.
Southwest Christian advanced with a 2-0 victory over East Grand Forks at Monticello High School. Sophomore midfielder Isabella Travis scored on a penalty kick in the 49th minutes and junior forward Maya Johnson scored an insurance goal, her 35th of the season, with about two minutes remaining in regulation time.
In Class AA, No. 3 seed Winona was off and running with three first-half goals en route to a 4-2 victory over Cloquet/Carlton at White Bear Lake. Junior midfielder Anna Gilmer had two goals for the Winhawks.
Benilde-St. Margaret’s, the only undefeated team in the Class AA field, stayed that way with a 3-0 victory over Mankato East at Farmington High School. Senior midfielder Sienna Carver, senior midfielder Lauren Hillins and junior midfielder Hanhan Butler supplied the goals for the Red Knights.
Top-seeded Edina was the only Class AAA team in action on Wednesday. The Hornets used a second-half hat trick from Notre Dame recruit Izzy Engle to help Edina hold off upset-minded St. Michael-Albertville in a 4-2 victory at Farmington High School. Senior midfielder Grace Pohlidad scored what proved to be the winner in the second half when she headed in a corner kick by Engle.
It was Edina’s third victory this season over St. Michael-Albertville. The previous two came during the Lake Conference schedule.
Boys
Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa, the No. 4 seed in the Class A field, wasted little time in setting a winning tone en route to convincing 5-0 victory over No. 5 St. Charles at Irondale High School in New Brighton. Scoring in blasts allowed the Wildcats to build a four-goal lead by the intermission. Senior Christopher Tree scored two goals and was credited with a third to send Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa into the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 1 against top-seeded St. Cloud Cathedral. The Wildcats lost to St. Cloud Cathedral 2-0 on Sept. 28.
St. Cloud Cathedral advanced with a 2-0 victory over Marshall School, Duluth at Monticello. Junior Jack Stang scored on a header in the 47th minute and added another for the undefeated Crusaders (20-0-0).
In Class AA, St. Cloud Tech needed a shootout to record a 2-1 victory over Cloquet/Esko/Carlton at White Bear Lake. After regulation time and two overtimes couldn’t produce a winner, St. Cloud Tech won the game-deciding shootout by a 4-2 advantage. Junior Will Pearson scored the decisive shootout goal.
