Slate Breakdown Girls: 4/13-4/15
18 games on 4/13 and 37 games for this 3 day “week 1”. Getting deep into things quick! Here are our thoughts on our original games of the week post.
4/13: Chanhassen @ Minnetonka @ 5:30 PM: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/
Non-conference game between our top 2 projected picks in section 2 game right out of the gate! Our preseason #2 vs #5. Let’s go!
This is going to tell us a LOT about Minnetonka. Will their off season efforts and success translate into the real season? Can their parents sustain the emotional rollercoaster they’ve put themselves through during the off season, through the regular season? How does Tonka tackle their stream? We expect equal quality in their stream and stream team as we’ve come to expect of their stick skills on the field. The questions are endless.
Tonka doesn’t need a win in this game for it to be a successful outing for them, but rubber meets the road fast for the Skippers.
Love this test for Chan as well. They lost a few guns from last year (Hodgins twins, Bella Detienne), but return so much and had equal or greater off season success than Tonka.
New coaches at each team. Not really sure that’s going to matter, but interesting for each.
Tonka is going keep pace, but don’t think stand up to Bjugan and the Allie/Aly(s). They also have the advantage over Tonka at GK (2024 Katie Colleran)…for this year…and likly the best defender in the state in 2023 Tatum Nyen. We like Chan by 6-8 goals, but Tonka keeps it close in the first half.
4/13: Centennial @ Maple Grove @ 7:00 PM: No Stream
Hand up. We didn’t have this on our list and should have. We hope its because the game was up yet on MLH. One of our darker horse picks (MG #2 in Section 5) and our #1 in Section 7 - this deserves to be talked about.
Listen…first off - the reports of Andover’s demise might have been exaggerated, if we want to believe what’s coming from the BSM Scrimmage Fest on Saturday (thanks Source’s Source), but we are still sticking with Centennial in Section 7. And Champlin Park is killing it on social media scene - they seem really excited for the year, which makes us excited for them!
Back to the game from our Section 7 preview recap - Will the Ella O’Hearn (2023) show rule the day or will Maple Grove’s youth have learned enough from last year to knock off a top team to start the season? Youth might not be served as well in these bigger time games to start the season.
Blake and MG seem to be bidding for the second seed behind BSM in section 5. Blake also plays Farmington on 4/13, but this could be a statement chance for MG.
4/14: Benilde St. Margaret’s @ Eden Prairie @ 4:00 PM: https://www.edenpr.org/eden-prairie-high-school/activitiesathletics/watch-live
Don’t make us look bad EP and Game Time Media. We pumped your tires in our GOTW post, so come on. There’s nothing in you Live/Upcoming queue on your stream page. Insert Side Eyes emoji right now…
Of course, we are waiting to see what the final verdict is for the Vangs on BSM, as that will tell a lot of their story. LOTS or rumors floating around out there about their status, but we’re just going to wait to see what happens on Friday!
Regardless, they have a LOT of talent coming back and we think they’ll be able to fill the production lost by Tilly Wolfe with or without the Vang sisters, led by 2024 Julia Evens (Marquette) and 2024 Maggie Graczyk. Also looking forward to seeing 2023 Izzy Garvin (Vermont) matched up with EP’s 2023 Brinley Hopper (Cincinnati).
Speaking of EP, they lose 3 big time, All-State players (Taylor Kotschevar-Call: Marquette, Josie Lillquist: California, and Ellie Pearson). That is A LOT of production and leadership to replace. They have pieces in the cupboard to do that, so excited to see it happen (’24 Kaci Kotschevar-Call, 23 Brinley Hopper, ‘24 Wallace Twins, ’24 Kylie Bamlett, ’25 Margaret Pearson).
We expect BSM to win by 8-10 goals. We think they are deeper than EP is this year. We are really excited to hear what the DTA crew has to say about EP after seeing them at the Chaska Scrimmage Fest.
4/14: Forest Lake @ Mahtomedi @ 7:00 PM: Mahtomedi streamed games on their YouTube channel in 2021, but hasn’t streamed anything in over a year. Boooo!
We have this weird feeling Mahtomedi could cause some problems. Them taking care of Forest Lake may not confirm that, but them struggling may pop that. Plus you get to watch D1 talent (McKenna Cunnington)…why not?
This one will be a litmus test to see if our suspicions about Maht are correct and how FL will bounce back.
4/15: Simley @ Blake @ 12:00 PM: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/
Blake plays twice before tax day! Pretty sure 2023 Ellie Morrison (Dartmouth) is going to be leading MSHSL in scoring after week 1! Probably would have been the case with only 1 game…but with two games? Not fair.
If you’re a glutton for punishment and like to pay for sketchy streaming, then this is your chance to see Ted’s favorite girl lacrosse sister combo that he’s never seen play, in action, the Kurowskis! Thanks for your service NFHS.
Shout out to Simley for starting the season at Blake and then going easy with an away game at Prior Lake on 4/20 (sneak peak at next week). They did not mess around with their schedule this year. Iron sharpens iron.
4/15: Prior Lake @ Stillwater @ 2:00: Stillwater seems to stream occasionally through “Valley Access Channels”, https://www.vactv.org/ponysports. They appear to be streaming their April 19 game vs Roseville, but not this game. Literally too bad.
The week ends with kind of a banger and rematch to the start of the season last year for these two teams. Basically tied with Chan @ Minnetonka for our Game of the Week.
Lots of questions about to be answered for Prior Lake (goalie, defense, attack). Will the pieces they have step up to the big time, led by 2023s Rachel Ward, Nina Winter (Marquette) and Megan Sporney (High Point)? Will the road opener be too much for their 2025 and 2026s that are filling in those spots?
Stillwater has equal questions at the goalie position after losing Hannah Beard to graduation. They return more on defense than PL does. They’ve also got some pretty even scoring coming back led by 2024 Maycie Neubauer (Florida Southern) and 2023 Tori Liljegren (Lindenwood). Thankfully Queen KT will be there to give us the mega download post game.
Assuming that 2023 Ruby Burandt (Mount Olive) is in goal for PL, we have the Lakers winning by 2-3 goals…but expect this to be a close game the entire time and could easily go to Stillwater. Its too bad that this game isn’t being streamed – we might have to wander over to Pony Stadium for this one…except the weather forecast looks terrible, which is as much on brand for MN spring as possible - 70s all week with 50s and rain on the weekend.