While Ryan Graff’s on-the-field talent is unquestionable, his retro hairstyle is more dubious.

The Bloomington Jefferson junior attackman currently sports a mullet that is straight out of an 80s rock video, a style he said he may hang on to if the undefeated Jaguars continue winning.

“We haven’t lost yet, so I’m tempted not to cut it,” Graff said after scoring five goals in Bloomington Jefferson’s 11-5 thumping of Metro West Conference rival Chanhassen at Bloomington Jefferson High School on Tuesday.

Jaguars junior attackman Michael Goedderz has different feelings about Graff’s hairdo. 

“I think it’s out of style,” Goedderz said with a laugh. “(It’s) a couple decades old.”

Goedderz, who scored two goals in the victory, may learn to love Graff’s locks if Bloomington Jefferson improves on its 10-0 overall record and continues to garner a high ranking from the Minnesota State High School Boys’ Lacrosse Coaches Association, which has the Jaguars sitting at No. 2 on the latest weekly list. 

Tuesday night’s matchup featured the two teams tied atop the standings of the Metro West, a conference in its inaugural season. Bloomington Jefferson and Chanhassen, along with several west and south metro public high schools such as Chaska, St. Louis Park and Robbinsdale Cooper formed the league in 2013 hoping to create a more balanced competition level between schools with similar-sized enrollments.

With the win, the Jaguars take sole possession of first place in the standings while the No. 7 Storm (8-2, 4-1) drop into second.

Bloomington Jefferson coach Scott Cater said he expects the Jaguars and the Storm will continue being two of the more competitive programs in the conference. 

“We know that (Chanhassen) is a very good team,” Cater said. “They’re going to be a rival for years to come.”

It’s rivalry amplified by more than league affiliation or campus proximity. There are plenty of interpersonal connections to help fuel the competition. 

Graff and Storm junior midfielder Sam Shifflett play for Team Minnesota, a high-level lacrosse training program with a team that travels to compete in tournaments outside the state.  

Graff said friendships are forgotten when he plays high school teams with familiar faces.

“I like (them) off the field,” Graff said. “On the field, they’re just another opponent.”

That mentality has helped Graff achieve some impressive stats for the Jaguars. He leads the team with 26 goals and 23 assists through 10 games. Graff finished last year with a team-high 41 goals and was named an All-American and All-State First Team selection by the coaches association. 

He is one of several talented attackman in Bloomington Jefferson’s lineup. As a group, they have tallied 89 goals this season. 

“That’s a shining star for our program this year, the depth at attack,” Cater said. 

“We’ve got five guys we rotate in and out,” Cater added. “It’s ‘mix and match’ at attack, and as coaches, we’ll take that all day.”

Opponents have not found a way to stop the Jaguars’ imposing attack yet, and as this offensive juggernaut continues to roll, it might be time for Goedderz and others who dislike Graff's 'do to finally stop mocking the mullet.

Junior attackman Ryan Graff scored five goals as Bloomington Jefferson kept its perfect record intact after steamrolling Chanhassen 11-5 in Metro West Conference action Tuesday at Bloomington Jefferson High School. 

Senior attackman Joey Eggleston finished with two goals and two assists for the Jaguars, who improved to 10-0 overall and 5-0 in league play.

Graff scored his first goal with less than one second remaining before halftime to give the Jaguars a 6-3 lead. He completed the hat trick by scoring the first two goals of the third quarter, helping Bloomington Jefferson take a 10-4 lead and put the game out of reach heading into the fourth.

Junior attackman Michael Goedderz had two goals while senior midfielders Malik Ekpenyong and Matt Mowatt each added a goal for Bloomington Jefferson.

The Jaguars, who are No. 2 in the rankings provided by the Minnesota State High School Boys’ Lacrosse Coaches Association, retained the top spot in the Metro West standings with the win, while the No. 7 Storm dropped into second place.

Senior attackman Neal Smith scored four goals and junior midfielder Sam Shifflett had one for Chanhassen (8-2, 4-1).

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