Lakeville South coach Patrick Crandall said his team’s first-half performance against Farmington in the Section 1 championship was not its best. So, Logan Halvorson entered the second half determined to set the tone for the Cougars.

It did not take long for Halvorson, who was named the Player of the Year by the Minnesota Girls’ Lacrosse Coaches Association, to accomplish the task. 

Just three minutes into the final half, the senior captain found herself cradling the ball in front of the Tigers’ net. She jumped across the edge of the crease while firing a shot that beat freshman goalie Amanda Jacobsson. The scoring play gave Lakeville South a five-goal cushion and the ability to breathe a little easier.

And when the play clock expired, the Cougars celebrated a 16-9 home victory over Farmington on Tuesday that secured the section title and a state tournament bid.

“In the first half, we want to come out strong,” Halvorson said of the team's mindset. "But in the second, we want to come out even stronger and we don’t want any ‘sniffs.’”’

Halvorson said a “sniff” is the term Crandall uses for an opponent's scoring chance - when they gets close to enough to Lakeville South’s net to smell a goal.

The Tigers, who lost to the Cougars 14-5 in a regular-season game on May 5, did plenty of "sniffing" in the first half. Trailing 4-1 early in the half, Farmington (11-5) scored three of the next four goals to close the deficit to 5-4.

With her team in danger of giving up the lead, Halvorson took control. She said she got her teammates on the same page and back to playing the type of lacrosse that got Lakeville South (16-0) to the section final.

“The main thing is communication and everything starts with that,” said Halvorson, who added the team responded by increasing its intensity and clamping down defensively. 

Junior forwards Chloe Crosby and Emma Schaefer heard the message and quickly restored the lead.

Crosby netted her second goal just 13 seconds after the Tigers closed the gap to one. Nearly a minute later, Schaefer scored a goal to complete a first-half hat trick and push the Cougars’ lead back to three.

Schaefer finished with a game-high five goals.

Schaefer’s work ethic helped her step up on the biggest night of the season, Halvorson said 

“Our team tried to spread (Farmington) out, and I think (Schaefer) saw those openings and just went for them,” said Halvorson, who combined with Schaefer to score 10 of Lakeville South’s 16 points. “We really needed her tonight.”

Schaefer said she is grateful to be sharing the opportunity to play in a state tournament with her teammates, but is sad she’s played her last home game with Halvorson - a leader who taught her so much about the game.

“Logan always plays an amazing game and she is the ultimate team player,” Schaefer said. “I am so happy she is my captain.”

Farmington not only struggled to stop Schaefer and Halvorson, but also all-state senior forward Maddy Canney, who also had a first-half hat trick and finished with four goals. 

Crandall said the Cougars’ offensive explosions are a result of following their game plan and playing as a team. Execution and selflessness are keys to winning the state tournament, he added.

“We need to improve everyday, but also remember why we are here,” said Crandall, was named co-coach of the year by the coaches association. “We are here to have fun and support each other, and that is what we do.” 

Four goals from senior forward Maddy Canney secured top-seeded Lakeville South a spot in the state girls’ lacrosse tournament as the Cougars defeated second-seeded Farmington 16-9 in the Section 1 championship game Tuesday at Lakeville South High School.

The all-state forward recorded a first-half hat trick to help keep Lakeville South’s perfect season alive.

Canney received help from senior midfielder Logan Halvorson, who was recently named the Player of the Year by the Minnesota Girls' Lacrosse Coaches Association. Halvorson tallied two goals and three assists. The Central Michigan recruit picked her spots throughout the game, notching two points in the first half and three in the second.

The two seniors exposed the inexperience of Farmington’s freshman goaltenders. The Tigers (11-5) played both goalies in an attempt to slow down the Cougars’ scoring, but to no avail.

Lakeville South held a 5-2 lead in the first half when Farmington scored two answered goals to pull within one.

Cougars (16-0) quickly thwarted the threat as junior forward Chloe Crosby responded with a goal just 13 seconds later. Nearly a minute after that, junior forward Emma Schaefer netted her third goal of the first half to record a hat trick and push Lakeville South’s lead back to three.

The Cougars entered halftime leading 9-5 and kept Farmington at bay in the second half, outscoring the Tigers 7-4.

Schaefer finished the game with five goals while Crosby had three goals and one assist. 

Lakeville South advances to the state tournament for the second consecutive season. The Cougars won the consolation championship last year.

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