2026 Season Preview: Section 6
BOYS
If there’s one section in the state that consistently delivers chaos, drama and championship-level lacrosse, it’s this one.
Over the last few seasons we’ve seen programs surge, rosters reload, and contenders emerge from all corners of the bracket. This year brings even more change. Another program consolidation means Kennedy/Burnsville players will now join Jefferson in a co-op situation, adding a fascinating wrinkle to the competitive landscape.
At the top sits the defending state champion, Edina. But calling this a one-team section would be a mistake. From top to bottom, this is loaded. Even the teams projected in the 5–7 range have fielded top-10 caliber squads in the last five years.
It’s earned the nickname before, and it still fits: the Section of Doom.
Edina
Defending Section & State Champions
The Hornets enter the season in the rare position of defending both a section title and a state championship. That’s the good news.
The challenge? Replacing one of the most productive senior classes in program history.
Edina graduated nearly 75% of their offensive production, losing a legendary group that powered last year’s title run. Cooper Anderson and Drew Stocco both finished with 84 points, Eli Busse added 73, while Gentry and Dietrich rounded out a high-powered offense. On the defensive side, Quinn Burnside and LSM Kuehl also move on.
What Edina does bring back is the backbone of a championship defense.
The Hornets return a strong defensive core with Simonson, Dubuc and Van Someren anchoring the unit. At the faceoff X, recent Cleveland State commit, Tor Wilson-Eng returns, while Wyatt Spindler steps back into the cage.
Offensively, the spotlight shifts to Luke Seaman (54 points) and Michael Sieve (28 points).
Edina’s identity will look different this year. The explosive offensive firepower of last season may not be there right away. But championship programs often evolve rather than rebuild. The culture of winning has been established and this next group has seen exactly what it takes.
If the Hornets can develop secondary scoring to support Seaman and Sieve, the defensive foundation is strong enough to keep them right in the hunt for another run.
Eden Prairie
While Edina lost offense, Eden Prairie lost the opposite: a generational defensive group.
For the past several seasons, EP’s identity has been built on elite defensive athletes who are now playing at the college level. Anderson, Kukla, and Hazekamp anchored a dominant unit, while goalie Aiden Chipongian provided elite play between the pipes.
They also lose their top two scorers, Braden Cole and Kleis.
But the biggest change may be on the sideline.
Longtime EP legend Ryan Ward steps aside, and former Minnetonka state championship coach Aaron Olivier takes over the program.
Despite the departures, there’s still a strong core returning in key positions.
Gus Schulz returns as the faceoff specialist, while the offense brings back a balanced group with Palmer, Berrgen, Stidger, and Logan Cole — players who finished between third and sixth in team scoring.
Junior Will Kukla returns in goal after seeing varsity minutes last season and the long-stick midfield unit gets a boost with Rice and Sullivan back in the mix.
If Eden Prairie can develop new close defensemen to stabilize the back end, there’s enough talent across the roster to keep them firmly in the conversation.
Rosemount
Few teams in the section return as much experience as Rosemount. The Irish bring back nearly their entire roster, making them one of the most intriguing challengers in the section.
Their losses are minimal: Birr (14 points), starting defender Owen Sorsoliel and starting LSM Luca Parla.
What remains is a roster loaded with production.
The offense returns its top five scorers, led by Lenmark (57 points), Sickel (49), Sorensen (44), Ekholm (21) and Moelnaar (18). At the faceoff X, Ashton Boehmer returns after winning 61% of his draws, while Jack Noonan anchors the defense as the starting goalie.
Defensively, Rosemount brings back multiple contributing poles including Hanowski, Jones and Burfiend, with Ian Van Dyke returning at LSM.
Another name generating buzz is Sam Vershey, who has been gaining attention on the club circuit.
With experience, scoring depth, and strong returning leadership, the Irish may be one of the most complete teams in the section heading into the season.
Prior Lake
Prior Lake saw several key contributors graduate, particularly on offense.
George Tocko (42 points), Cade Wozney (22), Griffin Noble (20), and Devin Zender (13) all depart, along with defensive pieces Dillon Tushie, Evan Peterson, and SSDM Joe Diedrich.
But the cupboard is far from bare.
Griffin Marshall returns after posting 29 points while also winning 60% of his faceoffs, giving the Lakers flexibility in transition. Carsen Olsen also returns after a 20-point season.
The defensive unit looks solid with Carter Buckingham, Aiden Lavigne and Dylan Penne returning as starting close D, while Brady Bartel anchors the long-stick midfield. Hudson Young returns in goal.
The Lakers also have some intriguing younger talent coming through the pipeline, including Luke Wong and Grady Stephens.
If the offense can develop new scoring threats to replace last year’s production, the defensive core gives Prior Lake a solid foundation.
Jefferson (and Company)
The Section’s Most Intriguing Wild Card
If there’s a team that could dramatically outperform expectations, Jefferson might be it.
Yes, they lost a productive offensive class with Graff, Howat, Wammer, Morrow, and Stanton all graduating, along with starting defender Eric Johns.
But the story here is the the new co-op situation.
Jefferson now adds a 60% senior goalie and a left-handed attackman from Kennedy, immediately boosting the lineup.
The Jaguars already had a major weapon in Van Brunt, who produced 43 points while winning an eye-popping 80% of his faceoffs. His ability to control possessions and push transition could make Jefferson extremely dangerous.
Defensively, Clark and Corbett return as starting poles, with Liu at LSM and Matthews at SSDM.
In goal, Comstock returns — but the addition of Kennedy transfer Vodovnik, who posted a 68% save rate and faced 190 shots in just eight games, creates a fascinating competition in the crease. Kennedy attackman Gino Erickson also joins the roster.
Put all of that together and Jefferson suddenly has the pieces of a sneaky competitive team.
Shakopee
Transition Year
Shakopee enters the season with uncertainty following the departure of its head coach. The Sabers also lose key contributors Doctuer, Coles, and Lee.
Still, there’s offensive firepower returning.
Thorman leads the group with 47 points, followed by Weir with 39 and Malizewski with 22. Defensively, Rasmussen and Duehr return as starting poles.
In goal, both keepers return: Budija (Class of 2028) and Lusk (Class of 2026).
How Shakopee responds to the coaching change will likely define their season. There is a ton of young talent that has varsity experience on this team. The hard part for them is section 6. Loaded with senior heavy teams. They may be a year or two away, but, their young group will be very seasoned by the time they get to be upperclassmen.
The Valley
This team was about as good as a “7 seed” could be in a section playoff. Despite finishing 3–12, the Valley were far more competitive than the record suggests.
Their season was derailed early when their best player suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opening game. The roster also featured a number of underclassmen thrust into varsity roles earlier than expected.
Even with those challenges, the Eagles lost four games by a single goal, showing just how close they were to turning several outcomes around.
They lose Tyson Bell and Carter Harris, but key returners include Cayden Coulson, Derrick Zackery, and Erik Olson.
With another year of experience for a young roster, The Valley could be a far more dangerous opponent than their record might suggest.
Trying to predict this section is always risky.
The defending champions are reloading. A new coaching era begins at Eden Prairie. Rosemount returns a veteran lineup that looks ready to contend. Jefferson adds intriguing new pieces. Prior Lake, Shakopee, and Apple Valley all bring enough talent to create problems.
And in a section where even the lower seeds have produced top-10 teams in recent years, the margin between contenders is razor thin.
Which means one thing is almost guaranteed: The road to the state tournament will be brutal.
GIRLS
For the last several seasons, Section 6 girls lacrosse has been defined by one thing: Prior Lake at the top.
The Lakers finished a perfect 19–0 in 2025, capping their season with a state championship and cementing themselves as the gold standard in the section. But the graduation losses from that roster are significant, opening the door — at least in theory — for challengers like Rosemount and Edina.
The question now becomes: Is this finally the year someone catches the Lakers?
Maybe.
But history says that’s easier said than done.
Prior Lake
2025 Record: 19–0 — State Champions
The numbers alone tell the story: Prior Lake graduated an enormous portion of its championship roster.
Nine seniors are gone, including the Lakers’ top four scorers. Lauryn Knutson led the team with 99 points, Abby Grove added 87 along with 127 draw controls, Emerson Mattox finished with 86 points, and Tali Baldzicki chipped in 74. Starting goalie Addie Christianson also departs after posting a 7.14 GAA.
That’s a staggering amount of production walking out the door.
And yet, if there’s a program built to absorb those losses, it’s Prior Lake.
Leading the returning group is Britney Pinkowski, the team’s fifth-leading scorer last season with 58 points. The Maryville commit has spent years sharing touches with one of the deepest offensive groups in the state. With that group now graduated, Pinkowski could see a major offensive leap.
In the midfield, Madi Beaulieu and Keeley Mohling headline the draw unit. Beaulieu delivered one of the biggest moments of the state tournament, scoring a first-quarter hat trick in the championship game. Mohling, meanwhile, earned her second straight All-State tournament selection.
Still, the holes are undeniable. The Lakers must replace their starting goalie, three-quarters of their defense, and most of their offensive firepower — not to mention the emotional heartbeat of the team in Abby Grove.
If this were almost any other program, we’d likely be talking about a major step back.
But Prior Lake isn’t most programs. With eight returning college commits still on the roster and a system that consistently produces talent, the Lakers remain the team everyone must chase.
Rosemount
2025 Record: 12–3 — Lost in Section Semifinals
Rosemount enters the season in a similar position to Prior Lake: significant graduation losses, but a strong group of young talent ready to step forward.
The Irish graduated six seniors, including their second through fifth leading scorers. Emma Theisen (53 points), Aubrey Zaun (50), Nessa Carrico (45), and Izzy Mroczenski (45) accounted for a massive portion of last year’s offense.
But the cupboard is far from empty.
Leading the returning offense is Izzy Donati, who paced the team last season with 56 points. She’ll be joined by fellow returners Kayla Langstraat and a rising young talent who already caught plenty of attention: Ella Stacy.
Stacy, who was only an eighth grader last season, flashed elite potential before missing the final month of the season. The standout club player showed fearlessness against top competition and could quickly become one of the most dangerous young players in the section.
Another major storyline is the return of the Harris twins, Abi and Madi, who battled back from ACL injuries to appear in the final three games last season. Both players are dynamic playmakers and should have a major impact this spring.
Behind them, Rachel Joseph returns in goal after posting a strong 7.92 goals-against average and a 45.2% save rate.
Like Prior Lake, Rosemount lost major production — but they also bring back enough talent to remain firmly in the title conversation.
Edina
2025 Record: 12–4 — Lost Section Final to Prior Lake
Edina might be the most overlooked powerhouse in the section.
Despite finishing as the No. 5 team in the LaxNumbers rankings last season, the Hornets often find themselves projected as the No. 3 seed in this loaded bracket.
That might be underselling them.
Edina played Prior Lake closer than anyone else last season, losing by four goals in the regular season and by just two in the section final (11–9).
The Hornets lose only four seniors, highlighted by second-leading scorer Kayle Idrogo-Lam, who produced 69 points along with 72 draw controls. Lyric Busby also graduates after contributing in a shortened season.
But the core of the roster remains intact.
Leading the way is Kathryn Ewers, who exploded for 74 points and 115 draw controls last season. She’s joined by fellow offensive standout Suri Austin, who added 33 points and brings versatility across the field.
In goal, Libby Moe returns after posting a 43.3% save percentage, giving Edina a steady presence in the cage.
Perhaps most importantly, Edina returns 10 players from the Class of 2026, including their entire starting defense.
With two-thirds of their scoring back, a full defensive unit returning, and an athletic goalkeeper in place, Edina has all the pieces to challenge for the section title — and in many other sections, they’d likely be the favorite.
Bloomington Jefferson
2025 Record: 12–3 — Lost in Section Semifinals
Jefferson may have been the most unfortunate team in the section last year.
Despite winning 12 games, the Jaguars found themselves as the No. 4 seed in a section stacked with top-five ranked teams.
The challenge now will be replacing a trio of offensive stars.
Jefferson graduates its top three scorers: Kylie Jones (86 points), Beatrice Ruble (82), and Molly Jensen (64). That’s a massive amount of offensive production to replace.
The returning group will lean on Karly Lind, who posted 49 points as a freshman and now steps into a much larger offensive role. Talia Hammond and Brooklyn Mattson also return to help anchor the attack.
In goal, sophomore Madeline Balfe returns after recording a 9.97 GAA and a 41.6% save percentage.
The Jaguars still have a balanced roster and key returning pieces, but replacing their top three scorers may make it difficult to maintain last year’s positioning in such a deep section.
Shakopee
2025 Record: 7–7 — Lost in Section Quarterfinals
Shakopee may quietly be one of the most interesting teams in the middle of the bracket.
The Sabers bring back a significant amount of offensive production, and much of it comes from underclassmen.
Leading the group is Clara Stauff, who produced 41 points as a freshman. She’s joined by Charlotte Holland (36 points), Hailey Schwabe (31), and Brielle Olsononski.
That’s a young core with legitimate scoring ability.
The biggest question mark will be in goal after the graduation of Addison Gaulrapp. However, there are indications that the Sabers have a replacement ready to step in.
Another encouraging sign: Shakopee captured the title in Prior Lake’s Chillax Fall League, suggesting the program is building momentum heading into the season.
With so much young firepower, the Sabers could take a meaningful step forward this year.
Apple Valley
Young and Improving
Apple Valley may not have the same résumé as some of the section’s top teams, but the Eagles have a young core that could make them far more competitive.
Both of their top scorers are 2028 players, and they were dominant on the draw circle last season. The Eagles also return their starting goalie, giving them stability at a key position.
With another year of development for their young stars, Apple Valley could be significantly stronger than their projected seed might suggest.
Final Thoughts
Section 6 continues to be one of the deepest and most competitive brackets in the state.
Prior Lake remains the defending champion but must replace a massive amount of production. Rosemount and Edina both return strong cores capable of making a serious push, while Jefferson and Shakopee bring intriguing young talent into the mix.
In other words, the usual chaos may be coming.