“Sticking to our system, trusting ourselves but more importantly trusting our teammates,” said Benilde-St. Margaret’s coach Giuseppe Palermo on what won them Thursday night’s game. “Buying into that, valuing the ball and just taking the looks we had instead of forcing things.”  

Despite it being so early in the 2023 season, this was one of the biggest tests either team will face all year. In last year’s state title game, these two teams faced off for a fourth time in a row in the big game.  

Yet, it’s the internal focus for Benilde-St. Margaret’s that’s so important to Palermo.  

“It’s about focusing on the Red Knights and making sure we are doing everything we can to reach our full potential,” Palermo said. “Not allowing big matchups or fancy equipment dictate our mood or our play.”  

There is a clear mutual respect among both sets of players and coaches. To overcome the intensity that this matchup brings, getting the details right can make or break the result.  

Admittedly, parts of the defensive plan could be improved on for the Red Knights. They allowed the Lakers to get back into a groove late, especially when Prior Lake’s Benjamin Mickett scored his fifth goal of the game to make it a 11-8 game with nine minutes left.  

But the Red Knights straightened out in the closing minutes and Brandt scored twice with a minute left to seal the win for his team.  

“Coming into this game, we knew it was going to be a tough battle,” Brandt said. “The last five years, it’s been a great battle between Prior Lake and us. There’s still room to improve but I think we’re happy with the win. 

“Prior Lake always presses out on us and it makes it tough. They really try to make us think, so it was a really good learning experience early in the season for us to realize that we have to move our feet. We can’t just be stagnant.”  

Brandt certainly wasn’t stagnant during Thursday’s contest. His offensive show was encapsulated when he went on a solo run, ducking between two Prior Lake defenders before laying off an underhand assist in the fourth quarter.  

Unfortunately for Brandt, the goal didn’t stand. But that flashy play really highlighted the damage that the Red Knights did offensively.  

“I got checked in the front, and I saw in the corner of my eye someone sliding,” Brandt said. “So I swim moved him and I see the third slide coming while two guys are chasing behind. So I hit a little shovel pass to Luke Drews and he buried it.”  

The collective effort on offense impressed Palermo, despite what he saw on the defensive end. Since it’s so early in the season, now it’s all about building on individual performances like these.  

“Tonight, a big man that stood up was Drews, he had a little coming out party today and showcased what he can do on the field,” Palermo said. “I thought there was great leadership from our junior Adam Backman. And our bench in general. The energy was there all game, no matter if good or bad things were happening. We kept steady.”