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It’s win or go home as soccer kicks off the fall high school tournament season.
In some section tournaments, the best teams in Minnesota will face one another with a spot in the state tournament on the line. State quarterfinals begin Oct. 22, with postseason play running through the state championships on Nov. 1.
But, before that: Here’s six section tournaments to keep a close eye on.
Should these teams meet in a section final, there’s a lot to suggest this will be an even match. They’ve already drawn against one another, 1-1, in September. Both teams’ defenses have only conceded six goals this year. Freshman Ainsley Blair’s 29 goals for Watertown-Mayer puts her among the state’s top scorers, while senior Maya Johnson leads Southwest Christian, with 21 goals this year.
Southwest Christian made its first state tournament last year and is looking to go back-to-back, while Watertown-Mayer hopes to punch its first ticket to state — both new to the state scene, but making noise.
Southeast Minnesota remains a soccer stronghold, and the boys’ Section 1 should prove a classic example in Class 1A. Winona Cotter packed its regular season schedule full of section opponents and beat everyone but No. 5 Rochester Lourdes, losing 2-1 on October 5. Rochester Lourdes filled its regular season with top-10 opponents in its class and heads into sections on a seven-game win streak.
Sophomore Gavin Kammerer has scored 20 goals for Cotter, while junior keeper Ezra Burros has posted a 91.7% save percentage. In a section tournament matchup, Burros would have to deal with Lourdes’ four players that have recorded at least 10 goals this year.
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