In the shadow of an off-white water tower stamped “Mahtomedi,” Jake Helmer was poking around the tall grass near a chain link fence, attending to a mundane postgame chore while his jubilant teammates were more than 200 yards away, still celebrating one of the season’s biggest victories.

Don’t feel bad for the Zephyrs’ senior. These days, he’ll take all the alone time he can get.

As the marquee player on one of the state’s most explosive groups of attackmen, Helmer has had opposing defensemen all but join him in his cleats and shoulder pads during the past few games.

“The last game, against Roseville, the guy just faceguarded me the entire time,” said Helmer, who despite the smothering – and most unwanted – attention still managed a couple of goals in Mahtomedi’s lopsided victory over the Raiders.

Apparently, the don’t-let-him-breathe book on stopping Helmer hasn’t just returned from the printer, it’s been mass-circulated. On Thursday, April 29, it was Hill-Murray doing everything short of strapping Helmer into a straightjacket in an attempt to keep the Zephyrs’ offense under control.

Didn’t work. Again.

While Pioneers junior defenseman Matt DuBois, among others, were often effective in making Helmer’s life miserable, Mahtomedi’s offense continued to hum along unphased in a 10-4 triumph at Mahtomedi High.

Helmer scored twice, but it was teammate John Koenig who did the bulk of the damage. He scored four goals, giving him nine in two games.

“Obviously, as you saw today, a lot of defenses are starting to pressure him, maybe double him in the crease,” Mahtomedi coach Brian . That allows John to step up and shine. He stepped up big for us today, absolutely.”

Koenig, a junior in his first season on the varsity, now has 20 goals this season, tied for the second highest total in the state.

“We’ve got some good chemistry with me and Jake and Tanner Jordan,” Koenig said. “It doesn’t really matter who the defense is focusing on, because we work it all the way around every time.”

Sometimes, as they did throughout the second half, the Zephyrs work the ball around, and around and around and around some more. Taking a 7-2 lead into the second half, Mahtomedi’s lengthy possessions effectively snuffed out any chance of a Pioneers comeback.

“Hats off to them and their possessions,” Hill-Murray coach Greg Visich said. “They did a great job. And every time we did get the ball we would make two passes and lose it again.”

Visich said the best way to combat Mahtomedi’s lengthy possessions would have been for the Pioneers to control the ball for long stretches themselves.

The likelihood of doing that was diminished when Hill-Murray senior midfielder Tim O’Connor spent most of the fourth quarter on the sideline waiting for his stick to be repaired. O’Connor twice broke the shaft of his stick after scoring goals. Despite his repeated equipment malfunctions, he finished with a hat trick.

Still, with Koenig, Helmer and Jordan combining for eight goals, Mahtomedi’s balance was tough to match. If not for a series of near-misses in the fourth quarter, the Zephyrs’ margin of victory could have been much greater.

Many of those misses came after blistering shots sailed just inches wide of the net. When it was over, when Helmer was working the fringes of the Zephyrs’ football stadium field, beating the bushes for balls, he no doubt was savoring Mahtomedi’s sixth straight win after opening with a loss to Woodbury.

“Possession,” said Helmer, who has 19 goals this season. “The biggest thing is possession. If we have the ball, they can’t score, and we’re going to tire out their defense, and we are going to score.”

1. John Koenig, Mahtomedi
Junior attackman scored three consecutive goals in the first half as the Zephyrs broke open a 2-2 game. Koenig finished with four goal and an assist, and his 20 goals this season puts him in a three-way tie fore second place on the statewide goal-scoring list.

2. Jake Helmer, Mahtomedi
Despite being hounded by gritty Hill-Murray defenseman Matt DuBois all game, Helmer, a senior attackman scored two goals to bump his season total to 19.

3. Tim O'Connor, Hill-Murray
Pioneers senior midfielder scored three goals and, in the process of notching two of them, broke the shaft of his stick. O'Connor might have scored more but spent most of the fourth quarter on the sideline while his stick was being fixed for the third time.