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Totino-Grace finishes strong

By MN Lax Hub staff, 06/07/12, 1:34AM CDT

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Franklin Nesser scores in final minute to lift Eagles past Edina in third-place game

When senior attackman Franklin Nesser woke up on Thursday morning, he wasn’t exactly greeted by a good omen.

Instead, he was treated to a 100 degree temperature and a burning sore throat. 

After a trip to the doctors and a throat culture, Nesser concluded that although he was sick, there was no chance he was missing his third place game.

“It’s my last game as a senior,” Nesser said definitively after Totino-Grace’s 8-7 win over Edina on Thursday, June 7, at Chanhassen High School in Chanhassen. “You gotta play.”

Good decision.

With just 37 seconds to play, Nesser buried a game-winning goal for the No. 2-seeded Eagles after Joe Hegedus found him wide open on the top of the crease. He finished the game with that lone goal and an assist to cap off a great career with Totino-Grace.

Next season, Nesser will play for the Bulldogs of Minnesota-Duluth.

“I’m really proud of him because he’s sicker than a dog today,” Totino-Grace coach Justin Hoban said. “At the end of the game I could just see how gassed he was but he wanted to finish.”

Nesser has experience in the state tournament from when Totino-Grace lost the 2010 championship game to Benilde-St. Margaret’s. That veteran savvy put him in the right place at the right time when Hegedus dodged and looked for a pass. 

“That’s four years of lacrosse, that’s growing up around the game and just knowing where to go on that play…” Hoban said. “A great play by a senior that we’re gonna miss a lot.”

Besides experience, losing to the Red Knights drove him to desire a win in the last game of his tenure, even if the hardware says third place.

“Only one team gets to end their season how they want to but thanks to this format two teams get to end with a win,” Hoban said. “Two out of 57 is not too bad, we’re happy to turn some of this momentum in and let these seniors leave Totino-Grace with a positive feeling.

“Franks gonna be a big loss for us. He’s been kind of a quarterback on offense for us all season.”

 After the ceremonies were over and hugs were had, Nesser understandably had a tough time keeping it together.

“Huge,” he said about what third place meant to him. “Broke down in tears after the game.”

-- Walker Orenstein, MN Lax Hub staff

Statistics, Summary

Game Recap

Senior Franklin Nesser scored with 37 seconds remaining to lift Totino-Grace to an 8-7 victory over Edina on Thursday, June, 7, in the third-place game of the Minnesota State High School League boys tournament.
 
Nesser, stationed just outside the left post, took a cross-crease feed from junior Joe Hegedus and quickly fired the ball past Edina goaltender Austin Dover.
 
Sphomore Jack Burn assured the victory for third-seeded Totino-Grace (14-4) by stopping a low shot from Ted Goltzman just before the final horn.
 
Goltzman, a sophomore, scored three goals for the fourth-seeded Hornets (7-12-1), who led 7-5 with 8:55 remaining.
 
The Eagles scored the final three goals, with senior Jordan Chrzanak and junior Joshua Radjenovich scoring to tie it, setting up the dramatic finish and Nesser’s winner.
 
Radjenovich finished with three goals for the Eagles, and Junior Derek Todd scored twice in the second half for Edina.
 
Burn, who took over in the fourth quarter for starter Jack Walter, was outstanding while making five saves on six shots.
 
Edina’s Austin Dover made 12 saves on 20 shots.
 
-- Loren Nelson, MN Lax Hub editor

1. Frank Nesser, Totino-Grace
Nesser played his heart out and earned the game-winner with less than a minute left. The senior ended the night and his career with a goal, an assist, and a third place banner to top it off. He also played the game sick, so he gets points for a gutsy performance.

2. Joshua Radjenovich, Totino-Grace
The junior attackman came through with two big goals in the second half including a goal to tie the game at seven late in the fourth quarter. He tallied a hat trick on the night.

3. Ted Goltzman, Edina
Golztman scored three times in the first half to jolt Edina with scoring punch. He only finished with those three but the sophomore attackman led his team in points and finished off a solid season for a sophomore.

-- Walker Orenstein, MN Lax Hub staff

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