Minnesota '07 Season Thread

[mnlax9]

Hows breck gonna be ths year? havent heard much about them

[senorlax17]

We should be a solid team, seeing as how all our players returned from last year (no seniors) and we added some more that should really help out our depth problem. Top 5 or 10 team? I don't know, but we definitely can be. I think our first game will show how good we'll do this year.

[mnlax9]

well senorlax i guess we'll be playin you two days after your first game. i pplay for eastview #2 attackmen. What about you what number and position you play?

[dukelax47]

what time is the blake vs ep game on saturday and wheres it gonna be played at?

[LAXMomx3]

Eden Prairie vs. Blake: Saturday April 14 - 2:45 Boys V; (5pm Girls V) @EPHS Aerie Stadium.

And you'd be wise to bring an umbrella. Better than snow shoes!

[RoyalsLax25]

The Mauzy-Kyrilis matchup (one I didn't even think about before) should be very interesting, with both having experience playing each other from being on the Elite together this summer. I, for one, can't wait for the game.

I played on the Elite and the "Mauzy- Kyrilis matchup is not even a matchup. Mauzy is an extremely strong midfield defender, who may even pick up a longpole in college. Kyrilis has a longpole. Both will help their teams out immensely on the defensive end of the field. But them facing off against eachother is not very likely.

[senorlax17]

I played on the Elite and the "Mauzy- Kyrilis matchup is not even a matchup. Mauzy is an extremely strong midfield defender, who may even pick up a longpole in college. Kyrilis has a longpole. Both will help their teams out immensely on the defensive end of the field. But them facing off against eachother is not very likely.

Mauzy might have played defense for the Elite, but for our team he is very much an offensive player as well. I'm pretty sure that they will go against each other in the game.

well senorlax i guess we'll be playin you two days after your first game. i pplay for eastview #2 attackmen. What about you what number and position you play?

Yah, we do play you second game of the season. And it looks like I could be matching up on you, #11 defender. Did you play on varsity last year? I didn't like that game.....

[mnlax9]

Mauzy might have played defense for the Elite, but for our team he is very much an offensive player as well. I'm pretty sure that they will go against each other in the game.



Yah, we do play you second game of the season. And it looks like I could be matching up on you, #11 defender. Did you play on varsity last year? I didn't like that game.....


well i was a freshman so i dressed didnt play. Well chat on the turf thought it will be fun. That game was pretty ugly, remeber when we scored a lucky as hell goal when you were on the 6 on 3 emo.

[senorlax17]

well i was a freshman so i dressed didnt play. Well chat on the turf thought it will be fun. That game was pretty ugly, remeber when we scored a lucky as hell goal when you were on the 6 on 3 emo.

I've tried to forget that whole game. It was cold, windy, and just an overall bad game for us. Hopefully this year will be better, I'm looking forward to it.

[BSM24]

Wow, I had no idea that there would be games on TV. Where did you find this out?

[senorlax17]

I'm not really sure. A few kids on my team have been saying it, and I know that some other people (not on my team) have heard it's on TV. This (http://www.twelve.tv/boyslacrosse.aspx) is the link to go see when the game is on. It doesn't have a schedule of other games, but I would assume that others would eventually be on there.

[JollyRogerPt2]

1. Jefferson has been broadcasting TV games (usually the game v. Kennedy) on local cable for at least 4 years.

2. Hope you enjoy playing in snow if the weather forecasters are correct...

[mvgoalie]

hey nate is that channel for anyone with cable or is it just for local people.

[senorlax17]

I think it's just local, but I'm not sure.

[LAXMomx3]

The question that essentially started this thread has been published in the metro press -- Whether you agree or not, here it is:

Metro Poll
1. Blake
2. Benilde-St. Margaret
3. Eden Prairie
4. Wayzata
5. Eagan

Top Players (to watch):
David Allan - Eagan (Attack)
Todd Baxter - Eden Prairie (Attack)
Kip Dooley - Blake (Attack)
Mike Dralle - Apple Valley (Defense)
Matt Gilbert - Breck (Defense)
Mike Gilligan - Benilde-St. Margaret (Middie)
Brian Kyrilis - Osseo (Middie)
Matt Rodstein - Eagan (Goalie)
Eric Schmit - Minnetonka (Middie)
Jordan Seivold - Blake (Middie)
Joe Slattery - Wayzata (Goalie)
Bill Straus - Bloomington Jefferson (Defense)
Tom Thone - Woodbury (Goalie)
Vince Wigdahl - Apple Valley (Attack)
Kevin Wilson - Edina (Defense)

[mnlax4life]

Im glad what they did but i think they did a terrible job, leaving out some of the best in the state and putting in some sub par names.

[dukelax47]

eagan got crushed by edina 13-4

[dukelax47]

yep where are donna fong mcmahon in the players to watch? by far some of the best were missed

[BSM24]

Ya, but the real name they didn't put in the paper was COSTELLO!!! How can you leave out a returning all-american. Crazy

[AHA lax5]

Definatly the paper made a few mistakes....but it was their first whirl at it so they aren't high school lacrosse experts, I wasn't expecting an amazing article. But I'm glad to see the attention.

[LAXMomx3]

The truth is, they didn't say the players were "the best" although undoubtedly a few of them are. Players to watch and the best are sometimes two very different things.

[CougarLax07]

The truth is, they didn't say the players were "the best" although undoubtedly a few of them are. Players to watch and the best are sometimes two very different things.

very true but hey gilligan congrats on making the list tho

[mnlax9]

apple valley 8 eastview 7 OT

[Elaxn21]

I also agree. How can you not put Stello and Fong on the the watch list.

[JollyRogerPt2]

How can you think that the Swarm have had anything to do with the growth of HS lax in MN?

[anklebreakerMN]

agreed....it makes it sound as if no lax was here before the swarm - funny the news this week i think wcco had the same opinion....

[LAXMomx3]

I wrote to the star tribune's John Millea about the whole Swarm thing. Blah blah blah.

Hopefully, there will be less talk of the swarm and its players in the future. After all, it's not like the HS basketball coverage has the Timberwolves stamped all over it.

[mnlax4life]

Breck lost to Osseo 6-5. It was a good game played by both teams. Both goalies played well.

[E612Lax]

the trib had eagan ranked 5th??? they got beat by edina 14-3

[mnlax9]

well i think david allan is off the list considering he's out for the year

[mnlax9]

senorlax- Hell of a game today man, you were really good. good luck the rest of the way

[senorlax17]

Hey thanks man, you played really well too. Two goals and an assist isn't half bad haha. Good luck to you too.

[ryan]

the trib had eagan ranked 5th??? they got beat by edina 14-3
and jefferson just beat edina like 7-4 or something like that.

[LAXMomx3]

Eden Prairie beat Blake 9-8. Blake's youth and EP's winter dome practice showed in the first quarter, but then it turned into one great game, right down to the final horn. Todd Baxter played very well, as did Josh Selvog. But Blake had their own scorchers and once their nerves settled, came back from a 5-2 deficit at the half to bring it within one. Besides a wrongly applied penalty for a mouthguard on Blake (turn-over plus 60sec -- when it should have been turn-over plus 30sec), the game was called fairly well. In MN, this pretty much means each team had some equally bad calls. :-)

[mnlax9]

funny story about the point thing. I did score 3 times but they also said i had 3 assists so the ref gave me the gamee ball. I diid not think that happend haha

[falconlax1]

Is it just me or does the trib no idea on how to rank the high schools for the boys

[mnlax9]

and jefferson just beat edina like 7-4 or something like that.


Hey hows jefferson, havent heard much about them

[senorlax17]

Besides a wrongly applied penalty for a mouthguard on Blake (turn-over plus 60sec -- when it should have been turn-over plus 30sec)

I don't think that's wrong. They called the exact same thing in our game vs. Osseo against Osseo, so unless our refs got that call wrong too, it's right. But I'm not exactly sure on the mouthguard rule, so I could be wrong.

[LAXMomx3]

You're right. The high school rule is significantly more penalizing. (Technical Foul in the NCAA vs a Personal Foul for HS). It still sounds WAY excessive OR is just a real push to get kids used to wearing their mouthguards!!!

Be warned.

[anklebreakerMN]

after finally watching some great games this weekend, here is my new top five...

1. EP
2. Blake
3. Jefferson
4. Wayzata
5. BSM - dropped them

[MastaLaxa21]

No rochester is not in the state high school league. They are in MBSLA South, and are 1-0.

[LAXMomx3]

Any insight into the Shattuck/Lakeville game? The score was 18-1 Lakeville. Not intending to slam Shattuck, but either Lakeville is that good or Shattuck hasn't quite learned the less (hockey) is more (lacrosse) philosophy of play. Sure does make one wonder when people say hockey translates so well to the lacrosse field.

[mnlax9]

scoring update.

Jefferson 8 Eastview 7 3 OT's

[anklebreakerMN]

yeah , i noticed that score as well....

and this one too... bsm 14 woodburry 1

Whats the deal here , is BSM that good to allow only 1 goal in two games?

[senorlax17]

I'd guess yes. I mean their competition isn't stellar, but still. 1 goal in two games is solid.

Last Night: Breck 11 Hopkins 1

[slidearly27]

Any insight into the Shattuck/Lakeville game? The score was 18-1 Lakeville. Not intending to slam Shattuck, but either Lakeville is that good or Shattuck hasn't quite learned the less (hockey) is more (lacrosse) philosophy of play. Sure does make one wonder when people say hockey translates so well to the lacrosse field.

Lakeville is much improved from last season.saw the shattuck game and lakeville had all starters out by halftime. last night they shut out EP in the second half and held baxter to 2 goals 0 assists.

[JollyRogerPt2]

Some thoughts after the first few weeks. Random order.

1. Eastview's attack unit is on par with any other team's attack unit - including BSM, and will get better if Freeman uses his right hand any time soon. Next year, they'll lose a defender (#11) and the older Gramstad (#39). But NEXT YEAR if they continue developing they will be expected to contend for state title, along with with Lakeville and Minnetonka.

2. Vibbard from BSM is not getting enough credit - Hartman and Draxler get the headlines, but Vibbard is playing lights out right now. And let's not even bother complementing their close defense - except for stating it is simply dominant to date.

3. Jefferson is playing really well - especially after the return of Bill Strauss who qb's their defense. Wesenburg get's alot of press - certainly deserved - but remember the name of TJ Gallus.

4. Eagan's loss of David Allen is crippling them.

5. Lakeville will be a threat this year, and next year will be great. Anyone want to bet that Coach Pearce has about 35 hs head coaches asking for film on how they held EP to under 10?

6. Blake's moving Kip to Midfield for some shifts is very smart. Makes them even more dangerous. Jordan is Jordan - arguably the most explosive offensive midfielder in the state.

7. Tonka - like Lakeville - will be very good this year, and great next - they have a great young team, but I think lack the experience to contend for the state title this year. E. Schmidt's biggest gift to them will be showing them how to play hard at the varsity level all game. And that gift will pay dividends next year.

8. The Wayzata and Osseo goalies are playing as expected, giving their teams a chance to win every game.

9. Prior Lake - Everyone knows about Childs and Stark - (both elite team). But Spencer Balfanz has returned from injury and playing well. But not enough support around them is problematic and must be fixed if they are to win more games.

10. AHA is doing much better than most expected after losing Hurley, Michalski and Libera. Any coach that can survive the loss of those players deserves a pat on the back.

[d-pole01]

does anyone know how Totino Grace is looking this year?

[LAXMomx3]

If coaches are looking for film on EP, it would seem the Wayzata game might be the one to get ahold of. Not only did Wayzata hold EP to less than 10, they beat them 7-6.

I guess JollyRogerPT2 was correct when he noted that Wayzata's goalie was giving his team the opportunity to win. And a big one at that.

[lax2007]

I would have to agree with the goalie comment, they did keep them in the game. I have talked to some kids that were there and they said it was like a battle of the Elite kids(i think there was three from Wayzata and I think five from EP). They also said that the baxter mcmahon match up was a great one, along with donna on defense on the EP side. I heard that the face offs were no match and seemed to always go in favor for Wayzata ( this is just what i have heard I have no idea if these are true facts, so i could be completely wrong).

Though they said it was a battle of the Elite kids, I find it hard to believe that they did it all. But w/e it came out like it did and thats all I guess.

[mnlax4life]

TG lost to Stillwater 8-9 in OT. Does that answer your question?

[PonyLAX17]

Totino is definately not the team they were last year and it seemed like their defense was really slacking.

As far as the goalie from Woodbury, he is enormous and fairly athletic but he didn't make a single good save against us today and we ended up beating them 8-3.

Anyone else play against the Roseville goalie because he single handedly kept his sub-par supporting cast of a team in the game?

[BSM24]

BSM 14 - St. Thomas 3

[mnlax4life]

Ok, with most teams playing at least a couple games, heres my crack at the rankings:
1. BSM A stacked attack trio (Hartman, Draxler, Vibbard) have done enough so far they dont even need their very strong defense to even be a factor yet. They do play a weak schedule though, best test is probably Osseo.
2. Wayzata A very balanced team that plays well together and shocked most people in the state when they beat EP. Fong is also winning almost all faceoffs.
3. EP They also have a stacked line-up headlined by Baxter and are a very balanced team although somewhat weak in faceoffs. They are still a very good team even though they lost to EP, after all, they did beat Blake.
4. Blake Coach Sievold is doing a great job with his yound defense and they will be much improved later this season. For now Kip and Sievold can run the show on offense, they are two unbelievable players.
5. There are many teams in the footrace for the 5 spot I believe. Here are some teams up for contention:
Jefferson Strauss and Wesenberg lead a strong team with some decent surrounding players. Could be a team to watch out for. I think they play EP soon.
Lakeville I say next year for them but they are still a decent young team with very solid coaching.
Minnetonka Another team I would wait on for next year as well. Schmit will teach his teammates how to win and play at te varsity level. They are not ready yet though.
Edina They have a couple of good players but lost to Jefferson. I don't know if they're deep enough to compete.
Osseo Anybody know what is going on with them? I know they are 4-0 but don't know anything about how their players are doing. Please add something if you know about them. I feel bad, I don't know anything about how their doing.

[MNAttack313]

Yeah that was a pretty fun game having your first line play the entire game, just so we couldn't score.

[mnlax9]

minnetonka 11
wayzata 8

[senorlax17]

Last night: Breck 7 Blake 14

[LAXMomx3]

LaxPower has the Blake/Breck game's final score as 13-7. Not that it makes a difference I suppose, but I was wondering: Does anyone know how that works in terms of the laxpower rankings of MBSLA vs the MSHSL teams? Currently they have White Bear Lake in 1st place.

As for EP's loss to Wayzata and then Mtka's win over them... I am just waiting to see how Eden Prairie News and the EP sports writer for the Sun Sailor spin that. Historically speaking, if EP wins they write it's a given because they are the best; if they lose, it's someone else's fault - refs, bad calls, or other things out of their control (And that goes for all sports, not just lacrosse).

[harey43]

Wow laxmom I cant believe what you just said. It makes no sense and is completely untrue. First of all its the sun current not the sun sailor, dont know where you got that idea. Next, our articles never make up excuses and blame the refs, were not in 1st grade anymore retard.

[Airsloth]

Laxmom... first off what is the name of your son so i can make fun of the fact that his MOM is talking some smack on a highschool forum. Secondly whats all this hatred towards EP? Are you mad that they have a good team this year?? I happend to be at the wayzata/ep game and in the fourth quater, ep had penalty after penalty causing them to be man down for a total of 8 minutes. So no it wasnt the refs or the bad calls, it was a total team meltdown.

[LAXMomx3]

Wow... I am not "against" EP. And I’m certainly not talking smack about their team or their players. I believe I have already complimented specifically by name Josh Selvog and Todd Baxter from EP on their great play this year.

My complaint, if you will, is not with teams or individual players. It’s with biased journalism, and mixing personal opinion with fact. From an historical perspective, I think the writers of Eden Prairie's community newspapers, and Dan Huss of EP News in particular, are unusually biased in what they report. Not just about LAX, but with other sports as well. It’s called “spin” and is used mostly in politics and in a general way to influence opinion. And frankly, based on this history, I doubt very much that either paper will categorize the team's play as, in your words not mine, a "total team meltdown" in any way, shape or form. With other games to write about, I will concede they might brush over the loss with nary a mention to focus on the wins since then. What I said in my earlier post was directly related to the spin of Eden Prairie papers, not players, coaches, or the rest.

The examples of extreme bias are several. But you can start with Dan Huss’s “news” of the Girls Hockey game that knocked them from state play. But for argument's sake, lets just look at their recent lax coverage. The suggestion that Blake had more practice than EP, especially when it snowed for an entire week before the first game was absurd. Not one mention in either paper that EP has a dome to practice in? Nor that they did so all winter? Are we trying to paint EP as some kind of underdog here? A school of 4000 with a dome vs. a school of 400 who was shoveling their fields? And while the Sun didn't mention it, did Huss ask Blake’s coach about their spring break trip to NC? No. He assumed an opinion, which was inaccurate to the facts, and wrote that Blake had some sort of advantage that EP surmounted. EP Won. They played far more settled in the first half than Blake. Second half was brushed over despite how really great a game it was. Certainly, these are community papers and a certain amt of bias is expected, but what bothers me most with EP News sports coverage IN GENERAL is that the majority voice used is one of elite arrogance. Again, this says absolutely nothing negative about the quality of EP's play or the talent of their players. EPNews is a community newspaper, not an arm of EPHS. There are lots of students who attend Holy Angels, BSM, Blake, Breck, etc living here whose teams are NEVER mentioned positively by EPNews. These families pay taxes and are as part of EP as any. But I will give some credit to the Sun, who covers AHA on occasion in EP's edition.

And beyond this community bias or spin, I also feel the Star Trib doesn't understand the sport well enough to even write about it (and in fact, they aren't writing about it). So I concern myself more so with media coverage in general. And I think the Star Trib would be far less biased in their reporting (when and IF they write about it) because of a city-wide audience. However, it would be helpful if community papers took the lead with their coverage and were far less biased to begin with. Let’s just say that the Star Trib using a half page to intermix promotion for the Swarm and box lacrosse with the inaugural season of MSHSL-sponsored HS Boys' Lacrosse at the start of the season was a disservice to the boys playing in the MSHSL, what it actually took to make that happen and the people (and coaches) behind it. Did the equate the baseball season to that of the Twins? And if Ryan Ward was the coach of any school other than Eden Prairie, I’d still have the same opinion that writing about a guy who stepped into an established program having proven nothing yet as a coach of HS players was a slam to those involved for the past 10 or so years at the HS level.

And for the record, the Sun-Current, Sun-Sailor and the rest are all owned by one company, Sun Newspapers. Different communities simply have different Mastheads, but they are all under one umbrella, one owner, essentially the same standards and practices apply across the board.

OK.. As for the slam about my being a woman (and yes, a Mom of 3 players): No one here seems to have much trouble with MALE adults commenting on this forum or having an opinion as to rankings of teams or what they are doing right vs. where they are having trouble (which really only proves the misogynistic society we live in). The point is, I haven't had much of an opinion on who will be number one, two or 20. But I very much understand the rules of this game, both on the girls and boys side, and have been involved since the mid-90's, when current HS players were still in early elementary school. Do I know it all? No, as I have fully admitted. And most recently, I asked for some explanation of how sections and conferences work together and separately in HS sports.

The point is, you don't have to be a man to be educated about sports men play. When you grow up with uncles who play college football (divI) and in the NFL from the time you were about five, you quickly learn to like sports, a lot. Or at least develop an appreciation. And you quickly learn that it's far more interesting if you actually understand whatever game is being played. In fact, I also have a very good understanding of ref signals, not only for LAX, but for football and basketball too. And just because your mom might not understand sports or doesn’t like them much, doesn’t mean ALL moms (or females in general) don’t. Truth is, I know plenty of men who don’t have a clue about or care about athletics.

So there ya have it... and if you still wish to give my son a hard time, I would suggest that says far more about your being narrow-minded than it does about me as his mom or my knowing a modicum of what I am talking about.

[LAXMomx3]

Wow laxmom I cant believe what you just said....were not in 1st grade anymore retard.

"retard"??? Are you sure you're not in first grade? :ahhno:

[mnlax9]

wow. lets not get carried away