Quantcast
skip navigation

Maple Grove pushes Coon Rapids aside to cap perfect 13-0 season

By Peter Odney, SportsEngine, 05/24/17, 6:45AM CDT

Share

Nathan Kacer, Jack Dugan and Brennan Davison recorded three goals apiece, leading the Crimson to a 20-2 victory over the Cardinals.



Jack Dugan (22) scored his first of three goals for the Crimson. Maple Grove capped off an undefeat regular season with a convincing 20-2 win over Coon Rapids. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

Maple Grove coach Gig Willson gave his father a special birthday gift on Wednesday night by doing what he’s done all season.

Winning.

Willson coached his Crimson to a 20-2 victory over Coon Rapids on the road, capping the regular season with an unblemished 13-0 record in addition to clinching the Northwest Suburban Conference title.

“He likes to come out and watch his boys play, so (it’s) nice to have him out here at the field,” Willson said of his father, who got a slightly off-key birthday serenade from the conference champions after the final horn.

Adding to the lighthearted postgame celebration is the fact that players farther down the depth chart made key contributions to the team’s win, highlighted by nonstarter senior defensive midfielder Nathan Kacer’s three goals.

“We looked for the opportunity to get some guys in that aren’t usually on the field,” Willson said. “That’s fun for the coach too when you get to see some kids realize some dreams that otherwise they might not have realized.”

Senior attacker Jack Dugan scored three goals in the first quarter, and said that he didn’t mind coming out of the game and watching his teammates continue to play well without him.

“It’s awesome to see guys lower on the depth chart, even guys on the defense scoring goals,” Dugan said.

A move to the attacker position this season has helped Dugan more than double his goal total from 2016 (18), as he enters the Section 8 playoffs with 43 tallies.

“If you look at his shooting efficiency, where he can score best in tight,” Willson said of Dugan’s transition.

Dugan will take his talents to Jacksonville University (FL) next season, and said that the program’s elevating profile played a role in his decision.

“It’s warmer than here, obviously,” Dugan said with a chuckle. “Their program is on the rise, so I saw potential in that.”

The Crimson, ranked No. 9 in the Minnesota State High School Boys' Lacrosse Coaches Association poll, went 13-0 in 2011 before falling to Minnetonka in the Section 6 finals.

Senior attacker Brennan Davison wasn’t on that 2011 team, but he has a sage idea of how the Crimson (13-0, 11-0) can avoid a similar fate.

“We just have to keep our heads on straight and focus on each game as if it’s the biggest game of our lives.”


Senior midfielder Josiah Taylor (29) attacks through the offensive zone. Taylor has led Coon Rapids in scoring this season including a goal against Maple Grove on Wednesday night. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

First Report

Nathan Kacer, Jack Dugan and Brennan Davison each recorded three goals to lead Maple Grove to a resounding 20-2 win over Northwest Suburban Conference rival Coon Rapids on Wednesday night at Coon Rapids High School.

The Crimson, ranked No. 9 in the Minnesota State High School Boys' Lacrosse Coaches Association poll, racked up 11 goals in the first quarter alone, with the senior attacker duo of Dugan and Davison netting all of their tallies in the frame.

By the end of the Crimson’s first half onslaught, Maple Grove padded its lead to 18-2, proving to be more than enough to claim the victory.

Senior Josiah Taylor and sophomore Caden Anderson were the scorers for the Cardinals (0-13, 0-12).

With the win, the Crimson (13-0, 12-0) completed an undefeated regular season, clinched the conference title, and will enter the Section 8 playoffs with a hefty amount of momentum.

Photo Gallery

The MN Lacrosse Hub polls are for entertainment purposes only. 


Brennan Davison scored three times in the first quarter for Maple Grove. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine


Spotlight Games

Most Popular