Soccer

A frenetic 2008 season came to an end under the lid of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Oct. 30 with the crowning of two first-time state champions, while two others re-asserted their positions of prominence atop the soccer world. Rising from the boys ranks were a pair of teams that raised aloft their inaugural championships as Blake and Osseo were left standing after their initial three-game brackets in Class A and AA. In the girls competition, a duo of state stalwarts in Mahtomedi and Woodbury re-acquired their respective Class A and AA titles after being denied in 2007. Class A Girls As much a part of state competition as the Metrodome, Mahtomedi (20-2-1), making its ninth tournament appearance, won their sixth Class A championship with a 1-0 win against the Academy of Holy Angels on a goal from senior defender Cassie Stang early in the second half. Senior goalkeeper Diana Bocklund made five saves to earn the title-clinching victory in the Zephyrs net. The Stars bested St. Cloud Apollo and Benilde-St. Margaret's to earn a spot in the final. Benilde finished its year with a 1-0 win over Rochester Lourdes for the third place trophy. Class AA Girls In a matchup of familiar foes, Woodbury overcame Eden Prairie, 2-1, in the Class AA final to clinch its fifth state title and first undefeated (20-0-2) season behind goals from Aly DuVal and Emily Moris. It was the third time in four years that the Royals and Eagles met for the championship, with each game ending in a 2-1 score — once in favor of Eden Prairie, twice for Woodbury. The Royals defeated Mounds View and Wayzata in its first two state games of 2008, with Eden Prairie claiming wins over Buffalo and Lakeville South to claim its finals berth. Wayzata earned the third-place trophy with a 3-1 win over Eastview. Class A Boys Charlie Seel, coach of the Blake boys soccer team for 41 seasons, announced his retirement after the Bears (18-2-2) defeated Totino-Grace, 1-0, to win its first state championship in the Class A final. Senior midfielder Austin Dresser's header of senior defender David Nash's 50-yard free kick staked Blake to the would-be final lead after nearly 79 minutes of scoreless gridlock. Bears netminder Tips Jackley made six saves to score the shutout triumph. Blake downed Willmar and Duluth East to lead to the title game, while Totino-Grace moved through the preliminary bracket with wins over Mounds Park Academy and Rochester Lourdes. Duluth East took home the third place trophy with a 1-0 win over Lourdes. Class AA Boys After giving up the game's first goal, Osseo (19-2-2) stormed back with four goals to win its inaugural Class AA honors in a 4-1 win over St. Louis Park in the final title matchup at the Dome. Orioles senior defender John Nuefville tallied two goals, with senior attacker Albert Sims and senior defender Ahmad Bah notching one score apiece. Osseo senior, Patrick Amoako made nine saves for the victory. The Orioles got past Lakeville North and Coon Rapids in quarter- and semi-final matchups, while unseeded St. Louis Park shocked No. 1-ranked Apple Valley in its state opener and eked past Bloomington Jefferson in the semifinals to take its place in the title game. Jefferson shutout Coon Rapids, 5-0, in the third place game. All Tournament Teams Class A Girls Brittany Henry Mahtomedi Attacker Erica Hjelle Mahtomedi Attacker Cassie Stang Mahtomedi Defender Emily Wigstrom Mahtomedi Attacker Rachel Hoaglin Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Midfielder Morgan Rethlake Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Attacker Olivia Schultz Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Attacker Maddie Bergh Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Louis Park Midfielder Maddie Jobe Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Louis Park Goalkeeper Alex Schissel Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Louis Park Defender Danielle Nonn Rochester Lourdes Defender Claire Rider Rochester Lourdes Midfielder Emmy Johnson St. Michael-Albertville Attacker Courtney Lynch St. Cloud Apollo Attacker Sophie Miller Albert Lea Defender Kaylee Steen Hermantown Goalkeeper Class AA Girls Alyssa DuVal Woodbury Attacker Kassey Kallman Woodbury Defender Mary Kroening Woodbury Defender Catherine Sessions Woodbury Attacker Lesley Chilton Eden Prairie Midfielder Mikayla Clark Eden Prairie Midfielder Taylor Uhl Eden Prairie Attacker Bo Podkopacz Wayzata Attacker Sarah Rounds Wayzata Midfielder Taylor Wodnick Wayzata Attacker Brianne Price Eastview, Apple Valley Midfielder Marissa Price Eastview, Apple Valley Attacker Julia Erickson Coon Rapids Defender Celeste Lundgren-Laws Buffalo Goalkeeper Allie Phillips Mounds View Midfielder Madeline Russell Lakeville South Midfielder Class A Boys Michael Ankeny The Blake School, Minneapolis Defender Austin Dressen The Blake School, Minneapolis Midfielder Nick Warner The Blake School, Minneapolis Attacker John Ascher Totino-Grace, Fridley Attacker Matt Canton Totino-Grace, Fridley Attacker Jon Ebert Totino-Grace, Fridley Defender Paul Yonga Totino-Grace, Fridley Midfielder Mitchell Johnson Duluth East Attacker Sean Klun Duluth East Attacker Evan Odean Duluth East Goalkeeper Jon Eickemeyer Rochester Lourdes Midfielder Will Wente Rochester Lourdes Attacker Badal Ali Willmar Midfielder Michael Coborn St. Cloud Cathedral Midfielder Matt Miller Mounds Park Academy, St. Paul Midfielder Will Oberrender Breck School, Golden Valley Midfielder Class AA Boys Ahmad Bah Osseo Defender Lucas Hoang Osseo Midfielder George Kawalawu Osseo Midfielder John Nuefville Osseo Defender Lekpea Kordah St. Louis Park Attacker Tony Lozancic St. Louis Park Attacker Harry Ullmann St. Louis Park Goalkeeper Alexander Ballard Bloomington Jefferson Goalkeeper Chad Gilmer Bloomington Jefferson Defender Joshua Sweeney Bloomington Jefferson Midfielder Emanual Carr Coon Rapids Attacker Lawrence Talery Coon Rapids Attacker Bijan Jabari Apple Valley Defender Nicholas Nugent St. Cloud Tech Midfielder Derrick Roller Lakeville North Goalkeeper Jack Treacy Stillwater Area Midfielder