Max Arko scored three goals and Will Harkema came within 2 minutes, 28 seconds of a shutout as No. 8-ranked St. Louis Park overwhelmed No. 7 St. Cloud North 11-1 in a Minnesota Boys Scholastic Lacrosse Association state quarterfinal on Monday, June 2, at Irondale High School in New Brighton.
St. Louis Park advances to play Shakopee at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a state semifinal at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
Arko scored twice in the third quarter as the Orioles turned a 5-0 halftime advantage into a 10-0 runaway heading into the final quarter.
Max Sherno scored two goals for St. Louis Park (10-4), with the first coming from just outside the crease as midfielder Sean Berens found a wide-open Sherno with a great feed after Berens made a long run down the field.
Harkema needed to make just three saves in a quiet first half, but was tested repeatedly in the fourth quarter before finally allowing a goal by St. Cloud North’s Carter Kasianov with 2:28 left. Harkema finished with nine saves and gave way to Colin Monicatti after allowing the goal.
Matt Harkema also scored twice for St. Louis Park. Carlos Siguenza scored a first-half goal and won 10 of 12 faceoffs for the Orioles.
St. Cloud North (11-2) played with standout attackman Michael Whitson, the team’s scoring leader who missed the game because of a family vacation.