Saturday night saw a rivalry renewed as varsity lacrosse teams representing the public schools from Minneapolis and St. Paul faced off for the first time.

Expectations for the game at Washburn High School were understandably high, considering this was the first time teams from the cities have played an official game in more than a century.  

The Shogren brothers of Minneapolis - sophomore attackman Nat and senior midfielder Bobby - did not let the significance of the moment stifle their games.

The pair flashed dizzying maneuvers and perfectly placed shots throughout the game as Nat finished with five goals and two assists and Bobby scored three goals and assisted on three more to propel Minneapolis past St. Paul 15-2 in the season opener for both teams.

This is debut season as a varsity team for the Bobcats, who are comprised of players from the seven St. Paul city high schools.

Since 1998, those schools have played on a co-op club team - that at one point included the Minneapolis high schools - along with several of the metro-area private schools. 

Minneapolis eventually formed its own team, and St. Paul's public and the private schools continued as a co-op through last spring.

The co-op ended before the start of this season as the schools formed two new varsity teams - the private schools compete as the Blackhawks - and joined the Minnesota State High School League. 

Nat and Bobby said that playing the Bobcats in their first regular-season matchup as varsity squad gave the game a little extra meaning because of the familiarity shared by the teams.

“We’ve always had scrimmages with them,” Bobby said after the win. “It’s been great to watch that program grow.”

The lacrosse rivalry between Minneapolis and St. Paul has a rich history.

The St. Paul Lacrosse Club first played the Minneapolis Lacrosse Club on June 30, 1883, with St. Paul winning 3-0, according to a story in the Star Tribune. From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, the teams were considered Minnesota’s premier programs and often played each other in the state championship. However, the games stopped in 1912 due to the public’s increased interest hockey.

Warriors assistant coach Daniel Lipkin, who spoke on behalf of the Minneapolis team, summed up the sentiment surrounding the rivalry's restart in 2015.

“It was so cool to be playing St. Paul,” Lipkin said, adding that several former Warriors players were on hand to watch the monumental game.

And what they witnessed was two outstanding performances by the Shogren’s.

Four of Nat’s goals came in the fourth quarter, redemption for a few missed opportunities earlier in the game. 

Bobby put his younger brother’s early game struggles into perspective, saying that he and Nat hold themselves to high standards of play. 

“We’ve been playing so long that we expect a lot from each other,” he said.

Nat, who scored one goal in five varsity games last season, said his on-field chemistry with Bobby occurs naturally. 

“It’s just kind of a thing that happens,” Nat said. “We don’t really have to talk, we know where (the other) is going to be.”

Bobby, who is also a three-year varsity hockey player for the Minneapolis co-op team, has shown a knack for knowing where his teammate are. He led the Warriors with 19 assists last season. 

Lipkin, whose twin brother Aron is the head coach of the Warriors, said it’s a pleasure to watch the Shogren boys on the field. 

“It’s really entertaining to watch their brother dynamic,” Lipkin said, adding that he connects to the Shogren bond through his own relationship with his brothers.

Lipkin said he wasn’t worried about his players losing their concentration during a lopsided game.

“I’m not big on focus all the time,” Lipkin said with a chuckle. “As long as they’re having fun…they know what to do.”

Minneapolis and St. Paul won’t meet again during the regular season, and Bobby said there is added pride in representing the west side of the Mississippi River in this rivalry resurrected.

“It’s great to play with your brother and for your city,” he said.

Sophomore attackman Nat Shogren scored five goals and had two assists to lead the Minneapolis Warriors past the St. Paul Bobcats 15-2 Saturday night at Washburn High School in the first regular-season meeting between high school teams representing each city.

The Warriors represent the seven Minneapolis public high schools while the seven St. Paul public schools make up the Bobcats, which is debuting as a varsity team this season.

Minneapolis jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the two quarters and never slowed down, scoring seven goals in the fourth quarter to cement the nonconference victory. 

Senior midfielder Bobby Shogren, Nat's brother, scored three goals and added three assists for the Warriors (1-0).

Senior attackman Liam Fawcett scored four goals, freshman attackman Campbell Goff scored his first two career goals, and junior midfielder Garrett Lieb notched a goal for Minneapolis.

Sophomore attackman Jack Bittner and senior attackman Carter McCoy scored for the Bobcats (0-1).

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