"Getting that experience early in the season will help us get into the postseason and be able to survive," said senior Matt Hudson, who was one of two players to score seven goals in Tuesday's win.

The Cadets' program has a history of recent success, winning two consecutive Section 3 titles in the back-to-back completed seasons of 2021 and 2019. First-year head coach Frank Clark, working with an experienced coaching staff, said these first three games have helped them see what they have in the lineup.

"It was good, we got to put some guys in some different roles and see how they handled it," Clark said about Tuesday's win. "We're kind of trying to build for the long haul this season."

Clark has experience. He was a head coach at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and Blake High school before moving to his current position with the Cadets. Assistant head coach Hank Marotske was also previously a head coach at Lakeville South. The staff is looking to more than just varsity in search of players ready to take that next step.

"My goal for us is to be a very different team in a couple of weeks then we are right now," Clark said.

The Cadets graduated 12 seniors from last year's team that finished with a 12-5 record and advanced to the state tournament. Stillwater ended St. Thomas Academy's season with a 13-5 win in the state quarterfinals.

And with a mix of experience in returning players, the focus now is getting everyone on the same page.

"I think it's building a culture," Hudson said. "We have a new coaching staff, so it was an easier shift, I think, for the younger guys to get into the program. A whole new staff, everyone is learning new plays."