Blake rolls into section semis

Defending State champion Blake opened the Section 5 girls lacrosse playoffs in fine form with a 16-6 victory over Cretin-Derham Hall.
In a balanced scoring effort, Hillary Hayssen, Hillary Crowe and Meghan Bauer each netted a hat trick for the top-seeded Bears, who won their 13th game of the season with the victory.
Blake, who fell to Eden Prairie -- the team they upset to take the State title last spring -- for their first setback of the year in their final regular-season game, looked sharp in the playoff opener and will now host Edina, a 13-7 victor over Roseville, next Tuesday.
St. Louis Park and Minnehaha Academy also survived in the opposite Section 5 bracket. The winner of the Orioles/Redhawks semifinal will face the Bears/Hornets successor in the sectional final on May 28 at Irondale High School in New Brighton.