Faribault at Rochester Mayo
8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 1

Both Big 9 Conference competitors made it to the state tournament last year and open their conference slates in a matchup featuring two of southern Minnesota’s top teams.

Faribault fell to St. Thomas Academy 4-1 in the Class 1A third-place game a season ago, and the Falcons look to soar even higher with eight regulars returning to their roster, including three who tallied six or more goals last fall. Faribault (1-0) defeated New Prague 1-0 on Saturday.

Rochester Mayo went undefeated in Big 9 Conference play en route to its first league title since 2011 — the last time the Spartans made the state tournament. They carried that momentum through the postseason, where they won the Class 2A, Section 1 title. Mayo's run came to an end with 2-0 lost to East Ridge in the state quarterfinals.

Junior Mohamed Muse leads a Spartans team that returns half its roster -- one that helped defeat Faribault 4-1 last season. Head coach Charles Abboud won the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaches Association Class 2A Coach of the Year award and is beginning his 31st season with the program.

Mayo (0-2) has yet to score a goal this season, falling to Lakeville North 5-0 and East Ridge 3-0 over the weekend.