Kowalski’s Market offers a fine selection of groceries, deli items, baked goods and even the foundation for a boys’ lacrosse state tournament appearance.

No, really. In the early 2000s, Rich Limpert shopped the Kowalski’s in Woodbury wearing his Minnesota State Mankato lacrosse jacket and got approached by a local high school player. Woodbury’s club lacrosse team needed a head coach.

Limpert took the job and added former college teammate Jason Worwa to his staff. In the two decades that followed, lacrosse became a sanctioned Minnesota State High School League sport and Worwa became the Royals’ head coach. And this season, Woodbury reached the state tournament for the first time.

The state tournaments will be played Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Games are hosted at Roseville and Stillwater high schools. No. 5 seed Woodbury rides a 13-game winning streak into its quarterfinal game at 3 p.m. Tuesday at No. 4 seed Stillwater.

“This was the year to do it,” Worwa said. “We have a great senior group and a lot of other players stepping up in their different roles.”

Conor Hooley (54 goals), Marshal Myers-Beck (34), Colin Olson (33) and Joey Velte (28) are the Royals’ high-scoring senior quartet. Two senior defensemen, Jackson Miller and Aidan Zuehlke, earned Worwa’s praise as the team’s “glue,” limiting chances against freshman goalie Evan Hermann.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Worwa said. “Unless you get to state, your season ends with a loss. The players on this team really like one another, so it’s great to keep playing.”

Defending champion and undefeated Benilde-St. Margaret’s (16-0) earned the top seed. Like Woodbury, Farmington makes its first trip to the state tournament.