Slate Preview: 5.2
Tuesday is a VERY busy night that features 17 games on the boys side - there are a ton of great games to look forward to:
Eden Prairie v Wayzata: EP is coming off an OT thriller with Lakeville North in a game that really opened some eyes on the Eagles potential this season. They have athletes and are well coached. While they may not be as explosive as years past, they really battled in that game with LN and almost came out with the upset. Attackman Kody Balon is a really impressive dodger from X and was able to carry the eagles offense in the LN game, I look for things to continue to run through him again. Wayzata found their way into the top 10 after their dominant win against Buffalo but sputtered against the Rosemount Irish in their game on Saturday. They will need to clean up the turnovers, especially in the clearing game. They gave Rosemount way too many free possessions and put a lot of pressure on the defense. Their defense is solid and there are a couple good pieces on offense, especially #22 Bennet Brown. If they can be a little more careful with the ball, I think they can win this game.
Orono v Jefferson: Orono has been a surprise sleeper team this year. They ran with Minnetonka and BSM for a half, beat buffalo in overtime, and have been dominant in their other wins. They have strong goaltending and a few elite players. Depth is a concern but I think a win against Jefferson will be a huge statement for the spartans if they can pull it off. Jefferson was the most hyped team coming into the season with their young core group of players. It hasn’t come to fruition yet in the wins column, but, their schedule has been extremely difficult. Probably a team that is a year away that is gaining a lot from the tougher competition this year. I think this game could be closer than people think. If Jefferson’s defense can come out like they did early in the season - I am curious if Orono has enough pieces to break them.
Armstrong v Centennial: Wow, this is a big game for both teams. Centennial lost their opener to maple grove by one goal, so, this becomes a must-win for any chance at a conference title. The cougars have looked a little out of sorts this year, not quite a full rebuild, but maybe not as explosive as last year. However, they have some elite talent in Scherman and Adams and their goalie Kramar has played extremely well. Their losses have been close but I think this will be their biggest defensive test of the season. Armstrong has been a goal scoring factory just putting it on teams. They have some elite athletes and players that can completely dominate any matchup they go against. Albrect, Olson and Annis all have 16 goals each this year and their goalie Wells is posting a 68% save percentage, despite already seeing 101 shots in 5 games. This is by far their biggest test as most of their games have been against weaker competition. I think Armstrong looks to be the better team this year, but, I would not count Centennial out in this game if they can generate offensive possessions.
Rosemount v Farmington: This should be a fantastic game. Rosemount has been hot/cold but aside from their game against LN, all of their games have been close. They have depth and are well structured/organized. Two really good offensive players in Schauer and Dabrowski as well as a stud keeper, Soriseil. Farmington is off to a great 5-0 start and had their biggest win of the season last week against Eagan. Their schedule has not been super strong and this is the start of a pretty tough run of games for the Tigers. Tigers will look to lean on their athleticism and toughness while the Irish will look to keep the game methodical and structured. This could very well be an overtime game, I think both teams are pretty close to each other on paper.
Prior Lake v The Valley: Prior Lake had about as tough of a start as you can draw up. Not only did they have to wait to play their first game 3 weeks into the season, but, they got Shakopee and BSM right away to start the year. Prior Lake has talent. They are well coached. Its hard to draw any conclusions from two tough losses against top 3 ranked teams. However, they will need to figure it out sooner rather than later as they play catch-up on their schedule now. Ben Mickett is their go to guy and he has been dominant in both games. I will be curious who will step up for the lakers to generate some offense for them as Mickett will be keyed on by most every opponent this season. The Valley is a team with a lot of talent and an interesting style - it seems like they are very freelance and like to play a fast, aggressive, fancy style of lacrosse. You will see some highlight reel goals from their two top guys, Sam Arendt and Carter Harris. They also have some tough d poles that have been able to handle some of the better offensive players in the state. The Valley’s schedule (aside from BSM) has been pretty light, so, this will be the first of some tough games coming up for them. The Valley should dominate the X and get a ton of offensive possessions - if they are efficient, they could post an upset here.
