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Boys' top games: Eastview/Apple Valley, Lakeville North look to stay atop conference standings

By Luke Hanlon, SportsEngine , 05/08/23, 8:15AM CDT

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May 11: The Valley's defense has been its strength, while the Panthers have thrived through their attack.


Photo by SportsEngine

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.

Eastview/Apple Valley vs. Lakeville North

7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 11

In a three-way tie atop the South Suburban Conference standings, these two teams join Shakopee with perfect 2-0 conference records entering this week. 

On top of a combined 4-0 record in South Suburban Conference play, these teams have combined to go 14-1 this season, with the only loss being Eastview/Apple Valley’s 16-4 loss against Benilde-St. Margaret’s. That can happen when facing the No. 1-ranked team in the most recent coaches’ poll released on May 2

If you take that game away from Eastview/Apple Valley’s (7-1, 2-0) record, however, they’ve only allowed 20 goals in seven games. Jaymeson Zackery has been the backbone of a stingy Valley defense, as he’s stopped 62% of the shots he’s faced and allowed fewer than six goals per game. Backup goalie Joe Bigott was solid in his one start this season as well, stopping seven of the eight shots he saw against Bloomington Kennedy/Burnsville. 

This matchup should be a true clash of styles, as No. 3 Lakeville North has thrived with a high-powered attack this season. The Panthers (7-0, 2-0) have scored 15.1 goals per game, and they feature four players that have scored 17 or more goals. That’s been led by Lane Johnson and Blake Piscitiello, who have each tallied 20 goals so far this season.


Moorhead vs. Benilde-St. Margaret’s

6 p.m., Tuesday, May 9

In its second game of the season, Moorhead defeated No. 4 Shakopee 8-7 to earn a spot in the top 10, coming in at No. 9 in the latest coaches’ poll.

The Spuds (5-0, 1-0) capped off a 3-0 week with a 9-8 win against Elk River/Zimmerman on Friday. Now they’re set to face their toughest test when they travel to Benilde-St. Margaret’s on Tuesday. If the Spuds are going to pull off the upset against the defending state champions, they’ll need a big performance out of Caleb Anderson, who leads the Spuds with 13 goals and seven assists this season. 

The Red Knights (8-0, 3-0) will carry a 39-game win streak into this matchup, a run that has spanned two state championships. During their undefeated run this season, the Red Knights have not had many close games. Their 9-6 win against St. Thomas Academy last Thursday was their closest game so far this year.

Including that three-goal win, the Red Knights have won their eight games by an average of 9.25 goals. Gus Bell’s 31 points have helped create distance between the Red Knights and their opponents so far this year.


St. Thomas Academy vs. Hill-Murray

7 p.m., Tuesday, May 9

Both of these teams have had their struggles against non-conference opponents this year, but neither has faced any trouble playing the Metro East Conference thus far. 

The Cadets (5-3, 3-0) have lost three non-conference games this year, but all three of them have been by three goals or fewer — including a 9-6 loss against No. 1 Benilde-St. Margaret’s. Their three conference games this season have been straightforward, as the Cadets have won by an average of 15.3 goals.

Their most recent was a 27-1 victory over Simley which saw four players score three or more goals for the Cadets. Matthew Hudson was one of them, as he racked up three goals and four assists in the win. That brought his season total to 21 for both categories, which gives him the second-most assists in the state. 

Hill-Murray started the season 1-2 with losses against Eastview/Apple Valley and Chisago Lakes. Since then, the Pioneers (4-2, 2-0) have rattled off three wins in a row, including wins against Simley and Hastings to give them a perfect conference record thus far. The duo of Daniel Morris and Anthony Millett have carried the Pioneers, as they’ve combined to score 31 of their team’s 69 goals this season.


Other games to keep an eye on

Maple Grove vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong, 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 10. Coming into this week, Maple Grove and Robbinsdale Armstrong each boast an undefeated record in the Northwest Suburban Conference. The winner of Wednesday’s game will be in prime position to finish atop the standings at the end of the season. 

Woodbury vs. Stillwater, 7 p.m., Friday, May 12. Both of these teams have just one loss this season, with neither of them coming in Suburban East Conference play. They’ll both need to win conference games to keep the pressure on each other before Friday’s clash.


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