Logan Halvorson and her career arc with the Lakeville South girls’ lacrosse team is drawing some lofty recognition from her coach.

Halvorson first made the Cougars varsity squad as an eighth grader, and five years later, the senior enters her final season as one of Lakeville South’s top players. She has amassed more than 100 goals and 250 ground balls in just four years.

Halvorson, who had a key role in leading the Cougars to the state consolation championship last year, was also selected by the Star Tribune as one of the 10 girls’ lacrosse players in the state to watch this season, which is not a surprise to Lakeville coach Patrick Crandall.

“She’s been on this progression since eighth grade,” Crandall said. “I think she’s one of the better players that (Lakeville South) has produced.”

Halvorson’s impressive performance in the season opener served as more evidence supporting Crandall’s claim. The Cougars midfielder tallied eight goals and one assist in a 17-4 rout of Benilde-St. Margaret’s in a nonconference match on Thursday.

Her offensive outburst in the game against the Red Knights nearly equalled the totals from her first varsity season, when she had 15 goals and five assists.

Halvorson has increased her scoring totals every season since and finished her junior year as the team’s third-leading goal scorer with 58. She now has 137 career goals.

Her ground ball totals are even more impressive. She led the state in each of the last two seasons (126 last year and 97 two years ago) and has an eye-popping 260 career ground balls.

That type of production helped Halvorson get noticed by college programs. She has committed to play Division I lacrosse next year at Central Michigan, where she’ll be joined by teammate and fellow senior Maddy Canney.

Halvorson, whose powerful shot belies her diminutive height, said developing a “drop-step” move to use when close to the opponent’s net has helped increasing her scoring. She also credits her mental fortitude for her continued success. 

“I try to push everything out, and focus on the game,” Halvorson added. 

Junior midfielder Emma Schaefer was also dialed in on Thursday, notching four goals in a victory she said was made even sweeter considering the Red Knights scored a goal in the last 30 seconds to defeat the Cougars 10-9 last season. 

“This is a really big statement win for us,” Schaefer said. 

Both Halvorson and Schaefer are key components for this year’s Cougars, who returned five of their six leading scorers from a team that averaged 14.5 goals per game during the regular season. 

“We’re not the team nobody knows about anymore,” Crandall said. 

“Lacrosse is a small community, and when you start doing something well, teams look at that,” Crandall added. 

That small community includes just 73 teams listed as members of with the Minnesota State High School League for the 2015 season. 

Both Halvorson and Schaefer said they hope the sport continues to grow and more girls start playing lacrosse. 

“I think (girls) should (play),” Schaefer said. “Lacrosse is a really easy game to pick up.”

Halvorson, a team captain, has played lacrosse since the fourth grade and prefers it to the other traditional female spring sports - softball, tennis, golf or track and field. 

“I love playing lacrosse,” said a beaming Halvorson. “I like playing contact sports. And with the extra physicality of the game, I love it.”

And that passion has helped propelled Halvorson to rarified air in the annals of the Cougars' lacrosse program.

Senior midfielder Logan Halvorson scored eight goals and junior forward Emma Schaefer added four to lead Lakeville South in a 17-4 romp over Benilde-St. Margaret’s Thursday night at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School. 

The Cougars led 4-2 lead 10 minutes into the first half, but went on an 8-0 run to put the game out of reach by halftime.

Junior forward Chloe Crosby and senior forward Maddy Canney each scored twice for Lakeville South (1-0), and senior defender Thi Thi Bauerfeind added a goal in the rout. 

Senior defender Sydney Liebl scored two goals while senior midfielder McCall Bromelkamp and junior midfielder Sophie Roux finished with one goal apiece for the Red Knights (1-1). 

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