Orono starts three sophomores and two freshmen.

Many of the Spartans’ top players from last year’s state runner-up squad, including top scorer Bo Maki, graduated.

One of Orono’s best defensemen, senior Joe Graphenteen, is out for the season with a knee injury.

Minor obstacles, all of them.

The Spartans are 10-1 and ranked No. 3 -- and climbing -- in the state.

Still, they simply can’t be this good.

Or can they?

“I told (the players) before the season that this is the most talented team I’ve had, even over our team two years ago that won a state championship,” Orono coach Josh Scott said.

The Spartans avenged last season’s MBSLA state championship game loss to St. Louis Park by beating the Orioles 8-5 on Wednesday, May 18, at Orono High School.

“I was pumped,” Orono junior Sean Keogan said about the rematch with the Orioles. “I was pumped to play them on our own turf and beat them on our own turf.”

Keogan harnessed his excitement enough to scored three goals for the Spartans, giving him 15 this season. Not bad for a guy who ranked fifth on the team in goal-scoring entering the game.

“This was a big deal, big deal,” Keogan said about his performance. “I don’t know if I just stepped it up or if was open more.”

Either way, a team that was supposed to be too inexperienced to do much damage now has wins over the state’s No. 2 (St. Louis Park) and No. 4 (MontiQuois) ranked teams and six players with double-digit goals.

Five players scored the first five goals for Orono, which bolted to a 3-0 lead and never trailed against the Orioles.

“We have Chandler (Sampson) who has 45 (actually 47) goals, we have Alex (Gross) who has 28 (actually 23) or something like that,” Scott said. “Those are our main scorers.

“And then you have Sean come in and score three goals against one of the better defensive teams in the league. Kids stepping up like that is really clutch for us, and it has been happening all year.”

Orono has outscored its opponents 144-60 this season. The Spartans have won seven games by eight or more goals. Six of their victories have been by double-digit margins.

Scott said it is the Spartans’ hope to move from club level status to the varsity level by next season, when they hope to be a member of the Minnesota State High School League.

“It’s in the works,” Scott said. “I know there is a bunch of paperwork that has to be done. This summer is going to be busy for us.

“I think we have the talent to go up there and really compete.”

For Spartans players such as Keogan, the move can’t come soon enough.

“It’s a big deal,” he said about potentially joining the MSHSL. “I don’t know, if we don’t move up, I don’t know if I can do many more years of this.

“My parents almost don’t even want to come to some of the games because we are winning by so much.”

1. Sean Keogan, Orono
The junior attackman scored three goals, just the second time he’s scored more than two in a game, to bump his season total to 15. Orono coach Josh Scott rated the performance as Keogan’s best in a Spartans uniform.

2. Dan Trio, Orono
A junior midfielder, Trio went 12-for-17 on faceoffs to help the Spartans enjoy a big edge in possession time. Making Trio’s performance even more impressive is that he was squaring off against one of the top faceoff men in the MBSLA in Art Elmer.

3. Art Elmer, St. Louis Park
Elmer, a senior midfielder, scored a goal, added an assist, scooped numerous groudballs and helped create several Orono turnovers.

Junior attackman Sean Keogan scored three goals and senior goaltender Wes Kavanaugh made 15 saves to lead Orono past St. Louis Park 8-5 on Wednesday, May 18, at Orono High School in a rematch of last year’s MBSLA state championship game.

No. 3-ranked Orono (10-1), which lost to No. 2 St. Louis Park (10-4) in last year’s title game, bolted to an early 3-0 lead and never trailed.

The Orioles managed to tie the score at 3 midway through the second quarter, but the Spartans scored the next three goals. St. Louis Park never got closer than two goals after that.

Freshman Chandler Sampson scored two goals to bump his MBSLA-leading total to 47. The next highest total belongs to Thomas Bales of MontiQuois, who has 30.

Five players scored the first five goals for Orono, showcasing the Spartans’ depth.

Senior attackman Max Bergeron scored twice for St. Louis Park, which dropped to 1-3 in the MBSLA West Division and will open the league’s playoffs with a road game most likely in Hastings or Duluth.

Orono still can win a share of the MBSLA West title, depending largely on the outcome of Sunday’s game between West Division-leading Delano and MontiQuois in Monticello.