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More of the same for Blake, Eden Prairie

By Michael Rand, Star Tribune, 06/08/11, 10:24PM CDT

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Two teams will meet for the fifth consecutive time in the title game


Eden Prairie's Christine Easton scored a goal on Stillwater's goalie Marie Bonine during first half action Wednesday. Kyndell Harkness, Star Tribune

For the Blake and Eden Prairie girls’ lacrosse teams, this year means more of the same. But the feeling and the matchup never get old.

Since the Minnesota State High School League started sponsoring the girls’ lacrosse state tournament in 2007, the championship game has always pitted those two schools against each other.

Both schools punched their ticket for a fifth consecutive year Wednesday with victories in the semifinals at Chanhassen High School. They’ll meet at 2 p.m. Friday at Chanhassen with plenty at stake.

Both have won two championships — Eden Prairie in 2007 and 2009, and Blake alternating in 2008 and 2010 — and they have what Blake coach Laura Mark called “a deep respect for one another.” Undefeated Blake (15-0) handed Eden Prairie (15-1) its only loss, 14-12, during the regular season. The rematch figures to be more of the same: filled with highly skilled players and close all the way.

The skill was on display in both semifinals. After a stiff test from Edina in the Section 5 final — Blake won 12-10, its only result aside from the Eden Prairie game decided by fewer than seven goals — the Bears came out charging against Bloomington Jefferson.

They led 5-0 after 10 minutes and 10-1 by halftime on the way to a 16-2 victory. Meghan Bauer and Hillary Crowe, two of Blake’s top offensive threats, combined for nine goals.

“Jefferson had a great run to make it to state,” Mark said. “We really wanted to put that momentum to a stop early.”

Eden Prairie looked just as good early on in the second semifinal of the evening, eventually defeating Stillwater 14-10.

Eagles goalie McKenzie Johnson was particularly strong in the first half, making five saves to help her team build a 9-2 lead at the break. Stillwater made a spirited rally to get within 10-8 in the second half, but Eden Prairie responded with the next three goals. Christine Easton — who came in with a team-high 71 goals — scored six for the Eagles.

“We knew we needed to get our stuff together,” Easton said of fending off Stillwater’s rally. “But we knew we could do it, and we tried not to freak out.”

Now both teams can prepare for a game that might have seemed inevitable but upon which neither could focus until their previous business was done.

Crowe and her teammates watched some of the second semifinal. She said film study would follow — likely to find ways to limit Eden Prairie’s clean looks at the net because the Eagles “have a lot of snipers,” in her words.

“We look forward to it more because we know how hard that team works to get here, and we know how hard we work to get here,” Mark said.

Said Easton: “We know they’re good, and they want it just as much as us. … It’s the same feeling, the same energy every game.”

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