We task our reporters with identifying several intriguing games throughout the state to assemble our Top Games of the Week. The matchups are presented in no particular order, and when there are additional games we want to highlight, we’ll include them with brief notes.

Lakeville South vs. Chanhassen

7 p.m., Friday, April 28

Girls lacrosse fans will receive a rematch of last year's state championship game as an early treat to this season as defending champion Lakeville South (1-0) travels to take on runner-up Chanhassen (2-0).

Coming in as the top-ranked team in the state in the preseason coaches' poll, Lakeville South lost six players from its championship lineup, including its leader in points and goalie.

The Cougars are not left empty handed, however, as seniors Gabby Bouman (75 points) and Emily Moes (58 points) return to a high-powered offense that had the second-highest goals per game average (16.26).

During last season’s championship run, Lakeville South only lost once, falling 10-9 to Chanhassen on April 26. The Cougars were without Moes during that game, who later scored a game-high three goals in the second meeting with the Storm.

Reaching the program’s first state tournament, Chanhassen came one win shy of completing it with a state title and now seeks its revenge against Lakeville South.

As the second-ranked team in the preseason poll, the Storm lost three of their top five leaders in points from 2022. Junior Gabby Bjugan returns after recording 74 points and has already notched 11 goals in two games this season. 

The meeting with Lakeville South will not be the first against a ranked foe for Chanhassen in 2023. The Storm dismantled preseason No. 9 Eden Prairie 14-3 on April 18 and will face four more ranked foes, including the Cougars.

Prior Lake vs. Edina

7 p.m., Thursday, April 27

Both ranked as top-10 teams in the state in the preseason after missing the state tournament last season, Prior Lake (2-0) and Edina (3-0) are set to meet early in the season for possible section tournament positioning.

As the top seed in last season’s section tournament, Prior Lake came one win short of reaching the state tournament to defend its 2021 state title, losing 13-11 to Rosemount.

The Lakers, however, come into this season as the No. 3-ranked team in the preseason and have come away with two early wins. The Lakers took down fellow top-10 team Stillwater 10-8 on April 15 before crushing Simley 19-2. Senior Rachel Ward returns after having the second-most points on the team as a junior with 46 and has recorded eight in the first two games.

Right behind Prior Lake, Edina earned the No. 2-seed in the 2022 Class 1A, Section 6 tournament but fell 13-12 to eventual section champion Rosemount in the semifinals. To reach the state tournament, the Hornets are now looking to gain a clearer path to home field throughout the section playoffs with a win over the Lakers.

The preseason No. 6 team returns senior goalie Uma Corniea who has picked up where she left off in 2022 with a .684 save percentage in three games and will look to slow down the Prior Lake offense.

Prior Lake has had the advantage in the series six seasons. In seven meetings during that stretch, the Lakers have beaten the Hornets six times, including in the 2021 Class 1A, Section 6 championship.

Maple Grove vs. Elk River/Zimmerman

7 p.m., Wednesday, April 26

After both finished in the top four in the Northwest Suburban Conference standings in 2022, Maple Grove (2-0) and Elk River/Zimmerman (1-1) face off in hopes to move closer to a conference championship in 2023

Maple Grove had been a staple in the state tournament, reaching that point each year since the 2015 season. That streak ended for the Crimson last season, however, along with their two-year undefeated reign over the Northwest Suburban Conference.

Now as the No. 8 team in the preseason rankings, Maple Grove has high expectations and has met them thus far, winning its first two games by a combined score of 25-9. Senior Ella Olson leads the Crimson early on with eight points, but they also have a balanced offensive attack with three other players recording six points through two games.

Elk River/Zimmerman, on the other hand, is looking to bring momentum from last season into this year after one of its best finishes in the conference standings and first state tournament appearance since 2013.

The Elks have had mixed results to start the season, cruising to a 21-0 win over Spring Lake Park on April 13 but losing 5-4 to Andover on the road April 19. With another conference game sandwiched in between, the team will look to bounce back against Maple Grove behind senior Adria Kotzian (10 points)

Elk River/Zimmerman finished tied for second in the conference last season with a 10-2 record, while Maple Grove finished fourth at 9-3. The Elks won the matchup in 2022, snapping a losing streak of nine games to the Crimson.

Monticello vs. Chisago Lakes, 6 p.m., Thursday, April 27. Unlike some teams in other conferences, Monticello (0-1) and Chisago Lakes (0-0) will go up against each other twice during the season, making the rivalry matchup all the more intriguing. The Wildcats come in with the recent advantage, winning both meetings in 2022, but the Magic also have had success in this series with two wins in 2021.

Sophomore Addison Kiphuth returns after recording a team-high 45 points for Monticello as a freshman, but she will be going up against fellow sophomore Laura Carlson, who had a .612 save percentage as a freshman, good for sixth-best among goalies who played at least 13 games.

Cretin-Derham Hall vs. Stillwater, 7 p.m., Friday, April 28. Coming off a state tournament appearance, Stillwater (2-1) is a team with high expectations as the No. 7 ranked team in the preseason. The Ponies fell 10-8 to Prior Lake in their season opener on April 15, but then bounced back with two dominant wins, outscoring opponents 39-1 in those matchups.

Not too far removed from reaching the state tournament in 2019, Cretin-Derham Hall (2-1) is looking to topple Stillwater for the first time since 2018 and push towards the top of the Suburban East Conference. Raiders’ junior Sofia Watts is at the top of the leaderboard in goals (18) and points (22) early in the season. In 2022, Stillwater earned a share of the conference crown at 8-1 while Cretin-Derham Hall was right behind them at 7-2.

The MN Lax Hub poll is only for entertainment purposes.