2026 Season Preview - Section 2
BOYS
New Borders, Same King
Section 2 officially entered a new era last spring, sending Shakopee and Eden Prairie west to Section 6 and leaving behind a league that now better reflects the sport’s growth in the outer west metro. The reshuffling thinned things out in a noticeable way. What was once one of the state’s deepest sections now feels far more top-heavy.
And at the top, nothing has changed.
Minnetonka remains the standard — the powerhouse, the favorite, the team everyone else is chasing. While much of the section is trying to replace massive offensive production, the Skippers once again benefit from the thing that separates good programs from great ones: depth.
Minnetonka: Still the Measuring Stick
Minnetonka didn’t just win Section 2 last year — they owned it, finishing sixth at state and rolling out one of the most dangerous offenses in Minnesota. The headliner loss is impossible to ignore: Gabe Miller’s 125-point season leaves a crater in the stat sheet. Add in Ethan Robinson (39 points) and Logan Eue (21), and on paper, it looks like a reset.
In reality? It’s a reload.
The Skippers return their second, third, and fourth leading scorers in Cassidy, Kohler, and Winkler, along with Fortner at the stripe — a faceoff midfielder who won 64% and chipped in 14 points. That’s the kind of balance that keeps the machine running.
Defensively, they lose Botten, but get back a seasoned group in Retrepo, Hommerding, and Van Bergen, plus depth poles who already logged meaningful minutes. Experience won’t be an issue.
The only real question mark is in goal. Senior starter Ciaccio graduated, but sophomore Piant saw time last year and looks ready to take over. If he settles in quickly, that “question mark” disappears fast.
Add it all up — elite depth, a strong youth pipeline, experienced coaching, and a dome on campus — and Minnetonka enters the season as the heavy favorite. Until proven otherwise, Section 2 still runs through Tonka.
Orono: Defense First, Answers Needed
Ian Edwards wasted no time making his mark in his first season, guiding Orono to a 13–3 record and a return trip to the section final. They took advantage of an open bracket and did exactly what good teams are supposed to do.
Now comes the hard part.
Graduation wiped out roughly 75% of their scoring, and that production won’t be easy to replace. Sophomore Asher Schelle is the real deal — 32 points as a freshman tells you that much — and Crosby Van Patten showed flashes in his debut season as well. But someone has to fill a lot of empty space.
The good news is on the defensive end. Volk, Babbitt, Nugent, and Vinton all return, giving Orono one of the more experienced backlines in the section. The concern is in goal, where Bodie Terry’s graduation leaves a void. No other goalie on the roster logged varsity minutes last season.
This will be a defense-first group. If they can solve the goalie situation, Orono has the pieces to keep games close and give themselves a chance late.
Buffalo: Searching for Answers
Buffalo’s 8–7 season was a roller coaster. On some nights, they looked sharp and dangerous. On others, they struggled to find rhythm.
Unfortunately for the Bison, graduation took just about everything that drove their offense. Their top five scorers, starting goalie, and faceoff specialist are all gone. That’s a lot to replace in one offseason.
The bright spot is on defense, where Beckman and Bimson (Maryville commit) return as high-level poles. They’ll anchor a unit that needs to carry this team early. Freshman goalie Wurm saw time last season and gives Buffalo a foundation to build from between the pipes.
Like Orono, Buffalo’s path forward is clear: defend, grind, and figure out the offense as the season unfolds.
Chanhassen: A Long View Pays Off
Seeing Chanhassen struggle in 2025 felt strange. This program hasn’t had a down year in what feels like forever. But if you watched closely, you saw something important: they competed. Night after night. With a very young varsity roster.
The staff appears to be leaning into a long-term plan — letting a talented young group take their lumps now with an eye toward runs in 2027, 2028, and beyond. With a strong youth program still feeding the pipeline, this won’t be a long downturn.
They lose Potenza (28 points) and Jack Carlson (20), but return leading scorer Max Dietel, who put up 34 points as an eighth grader. That alone should grab attention. Add Balliet, Palmquist, Nelson, LSM Blake Kennedy, Defensive Player of the Year and Yale commit Ryler Syverson, starting poles Sullivan and Perry, and sophomore goalie Henri Poulin — and suddenly this looks like a team laying a serious foundation.
They may be a year away from truly challenging Minnetonka, but this is absolutely a team to keep an eye on.
Chaska: Life After Atteberry
Last season, Chaska’s identity was simple: give Kam Atteberry the ball and let him cook. He delivered 87 points and was one of the most dynamic offensive players in the state. Now he’s at Maryville — and so is a massive hole in the offense.
They also lose Wilson, their second-leading scorer, but the cupboard isn’t bare. Hines, Schaffer, Schrandt, and Mulerhan all contributed and will need to step into larger roles.
The faceoff unit gets a boost with Fahler returning, and defensively, Brandt, Cunningham, and Hansen are back, though starter Lane graduated. In goal, Carleton is gone, but junior Witheridge saw time last season and should be ready.
Chaska has pieces and depth. The big question is what the offense looks like without a singular star driving everything.
One Name to Know
Hutchinson — Sid Mayland (G).
The depth might not be there for a section run, but Mayland is elite. Full stop. He’s the kind of goalie who can steal games and keep Hutchinson competitive no matter who they’re playing.
Final Word
Section 2 may look different, but the hierarchy is familiar. Minnetonka sits alone at the top. Everyone else is either rebuilding, redefining, or waiting for their moment.
The gap might not close this year — but the teams laying groundwork now will be the ones making noise sooner than later.
GIRLS
The Race Starts With Orono
If you’re looking for mystery at the top of this section, you’re not going to find much. There are good teams. There are improving teams. There are even some dangerous teams.
But everything still revolves around Orono.
After a 15–4 season and a trip to the state consolation final, the Spartans enter this year with something most sections can’t match: elite talent that actually comes back.
Orono: The Headliner
2025: 15–4, State Consolation Finalist
Only four seniors graduated, and the returners read like an all-state ballot.
Start with Dylan Collins (’26) — Furman commit, 99 points, and 135 draw controls. Add Riley Teele (’27) with 89 points. Then you get to Layla Nick (’27) — 97 points, 81 DCs, Boston College commit — and yes, with all due respect to everyone else in the section, she’s the Stud of the Section. No debate required.
Their goalie is back and now a junior, which matters. A lot. Defensively, there’s room for new faces to step in, but with twelve 2027s on the roster, Orono has plenty of athletic raw material to sort through.
When your biggest question mark is which athletes step into new roles, you’re doing something right.
Minnetonka: Young, Talented, Learning Fast
2025: 11–5, Section Finalist
Minnetonka pushed Orono last year before falling in the section final, but graduation thinned things out. Eight seniors are gone, headlined by Clara Gilbert (90 points) and starting goalie Adi Rothchild.
The torch now passes to Lily Palm (’26), a UConn commit who posted 72 points last season. She’s the clear focal point of the offense, and the next wave will have to grow up quickly around her.
This is the group we may have “picked two years too soon” in the past — but talent doesn’t disappear. It just matures. Expect some early learning curves, followed by meaningful growth as the season progresses.
Chanhassen: The Uncomfortable Middle
2025: 5–8, Quarterfinal Exit
This is where the section gets tricky.
Chanhassen lost six seniors, including Hannah Grimm and Lilly White, but brings back a legitimate weapon in Zoe Zielinski (’26). The Akron commit put up 56 points and was a problem for defenses all season — especially from low attack.
Trying to slot Chanhassen is uncomfortable. They feel like a fourth-place team… but also feel like the type of program that could punch above that. If nothing else, they might be the second-best high school in the greater C3 lacrosse ecosystem — which isn’t nothing.
Chaska: Don’t Sleep on This
2025: 7–8, Section Semifinalist
Chaska is the team I keep circling.
They lost six seniors, but here’s the thing: they return their top five scorers — and the production was remarkably balanced. Those players range from senior to freshman, which means this isn’t a one-year window.
Oh, and they’re also bringing back their starting goalie.
That combination — scoring depth plus stability in net — matters. A lot. We were very close to putting Chaska second in the section. If things break right, they could absolutely make life uncomfortable for both Orono and Minnetonka.
Pay attention.
Eden Prairie: Pride Matters
2025: 3–12, Section Semifinalist
The record was rough. There’s no sugarcoating that. But Eden Prairie showed real pride by winning their quarterfinal matchup as a six seed before falling to Minnetonka.
They lost five seniors, led by Macey Hasse, but return Sara David (’26) — the team’s leading scorer — and Kelsey Pottinger (’27). That’s a solid foundation.
Could EP sneak into the fourth spot? Possibly. For now, they slot in at five — but the gap isn’t massive.
Mound Westonka: Why Not?
2025: 8–7, Quarterfinalist
Mound lost eight seniors, including two key scorers, but the McCutcheon sisters return — and that changes the conversation.
Madison McCutcheon (’26) posted 54 points. Grace McCutcheon (’26) added 51 points and an absurd 147 draw controls. Add Georgia Harmer (39 points), and suddenly there’s a lot to work with.
They split time in goal last year between a 2027 and a 2028 — youth, yes, but also upside. There are real pieces here.
And honestly? How fun would it be if Mound finished ahead of a few MSHSL “blue bloods”? There’s no rule saying they can’t.
The Rest of the Pack
Delano/Rockford: Intriguing. First, second, and fourth leading scorers are back.
Holy Family: Top four scorers and the goalie return. Lost just one senior. They’ll be much better than 4–11.
Hutchinson: Lost three seniors but returns enough pieces to stay competitive.
Waconia: Young last year… probably. Hard to know without grad years, but there’s upside.
Final Thought
This section still starts with Orono. The question is who closes the gap.
Minnetonka has the talent. Chaska has the balance. Chanhassen and Mound have opportunity. And somewhere in the middle, someone is going to surprise people.
That’s what makes this one worth watching.