2024 Soccer State Tournament: Semifinal Advance
Posted: Monday, October 28, 2024 - 8:14 AM
A dozen teams in each gender will continue their journeys this week to what they hope will be a championship conclusion when the Minnesota State High School League’s Soccer State Tournaments are played this week at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. The girls semifinals will be played on Tuesday, Oct. 29 and the boys semifinalists are scheduled to play on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
After a day of rest, six championship games will be played on Friday, Nov. 1.
Here is a look at the remaining teams in the tournament:
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Girls
Class AAA
- No. 1 Wayzata (17-1-1) vs. No. 4 Eagan (16-3-1), 8 a.m.
- No. 2 East Ridge (15-1-2) vs. No. 3 Edina (12-1-5), 10 a.m.
- Wayzata used a 5-1 victory over St. Michael-Albertville in the quarterfinals to earn a berth in the semifinals. The Trojans were the big-school runners-up to Edina a year ago. Under legendary coach Tony Peszneker, Wayzata is a seven-time state champion and placed second another seven times. Eagan advanced with a 3-1 victory over No. 5 Lakeville South. The Wildcats won three Class AA championships from 2014-2017. East Ridge sidestepped overtime by scoring in the final seconds to outlast Maple Grove by a 1-0 score in the quarterfinals. The Crimson have 11 consecutive games. Edina is the defending Class AAA champion. The Hornets advanced with a 5-0 victory over Duluth East. Edina’s only loss this season is to Wayzata during the Lake Conference schedule.
Class AA
- No. 1 Holy Angels (19-1-0) vs. No. 5 Orono (12-4-2), 12:30 p.m.
- No. 2 Mahtomedi (17-2-1) vs. No. 3 Mankato East (16-2-2), 2:30 p.m.
- Holy Angels started the tournament strong with a 5-0 victory over unseeded Byron. The Stars’ lone loss this season was to Wayzata on Sept. 7. Orono needed a shootout to get past No. 5 Cloquet/Carlton. Since 2014, the Spartans have a championship and four runner-up finishes. Mahtomedi is no stranger to the semifinal round. The Zephyrs’ latest trip came following a 3-0 victory over St. Francis in the quarterfinals. Mahtomedi has a state-best 10 championships. Mankato East topped St. Cloud Tech 3-1 in the quarterfinals. The Cougars are on an 11-game winning streak.
Class A
- No. 1 Southwest Christian (18-0-1) vs. No. 5 Esko (14-3-1), 5 p.m.
- No. 2 Providence Academy (12-6-0) vs. No. 3 St. Charles (17-2-1), 7 p.m.
- Southwest Christian remains undefeated following a 4-1 victory over Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa in the quarterfinals. Last season, the Stars placed fourth in Class A. Esko needed a shootout to upend No. 4 St. Cloud Cathedral in the quarterfinals. It is the first time a northern school from Section 7 has advanced to the semifinals. Providence Academy’s full-throttle offense was on display in its 7-1 victory over Concordia Academy in the quarterfinals. Junior forward Maddyn Greenway has more than 150 career goals. St. Charles was the Class A runner-up a year ago to St. Paul Academy. A year later, the Saints dethroned St. Paul Academy with a 1-0 victory in the quarterfinals.
Wednesday, Oct. 30
Boys
Class AAA
- No. 1 Minneapolis Washburn (15-0-3) vs. No. 4 Eagan (18-1-1), 8 a.m.
- No. 2 Maple Grove (18-0-1) vs. Andover (11-3-3), 10 a.m.
- Top-seeded Washburn continued its quest to become the first Minneapolis City Conference school to win a soccer state championship with a 3-0 victory over Bemidji in the quarterfinals. The Millers’ season features a signature victory over Wayzata, the defending big-school champion, on Aug. 29. Eagan used overtime to get past Woodbury in the quarterfinals. The Wildcats have not lost since a 1-0 setback to Prior Lake on Sept. 14, a span of 10 games. Maple Grove was within seconds of playing extra soccer during the quarterfinals before posting a 2-1 victory over Maple Grove. The Crimson were the Class AA champions in 2019 and the runner-up in 2017. Maple Grove was also the state runner-up a year ago. Andover advanced with a 3-2 upset victory over No. 3 Minnetonka. During the Northwest Suburban Conference schedule, the Huskies and Maple Grove played to a scoreless draw.
Class AA
- No. 1 Holy Angels (18-1-1) vs. No. 4 Orono (12-4-2), 12:30 p.m.
- No. 2 Totino-Grace (13-3-3) vs. No. 3 Blake (17-2-1), 2:30 p.m.
- Holy Angels continues its journey toward what it hopes is a fifth berth in a championship game in six state tournament trips. The Stars raced past Northfield for a 7-1 victory in the quarterfinals. The Stars’ only loss this season was to Washburn on Sept. 14 in the Nicollet Avenue Classic. Washburn is located on Nicollet Avenue in South Minneapolis; Holy Angels is a handful of miles down the road in Richfield. Orono knows about Holy Angels, too. The Spartans lost to the Stars 2-1 in the second game of the season. Totino-Grace, in the state tournament for the first time since winning the Class A title in 2017, cruised past St. Cloud Tech in the quarterfinals with a 6-0 victory. Up next for Totino-Grace is Blake, which plays in the powerful Independent Metro Athletic Conference. Blake’s last loss is to St. Paul Academy, the defending Class A champion. Blake was the Class A runner-up in 2019.
Class A
- No. 1 St. Paul Academy (15-3-1) vs. No. 5 Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa (15-2-2), 5 p.m.
- No. 2 St. Cloud Cathedral (20-0-0) vs. No. 3 Rochester Lourdes (16-3-1), 7 p.m.
- St. Paul Academy needed overtime and then a shootout before finally getting past unseeded St. Croix Prep in the quarterfinals. The Spartans are no stranger to the semifinals and championships. St. Paul Academy is a six-time state champion and is looking for its third in a row. Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa upended Breck 2-1 in another quarterfinal. The Wildcats are on a 10-game winning streak. St. Cloud Cathedral is the only semifinal entrant that has an unblemished record. The Crusaders have posted 11 shutouts this season. Rochester Lourdes, a three-time Class A champion, is looking to end a title drought that spans to 2012.
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