BSM Red Knights Well Represented in Spring State Tournaments

 As the high school sports season draws to a close, there was plenty for Benilde-St. Margaret's fans to cheer for as three Red Knight athletic teams played in state tournaments the weeks of June 15.  

First up was girls softball.  Red Knight fans made the scenic drive down Highway 169 to Caswell Park in North Mankato to watch their team face the St. Anthony Village Huskies in Class AAAA quarterfinal play.  BSM was trailing 7-6 in the sixth inning but would clinch the win on pitcher Tibby Hessian's two RBI single to send the Red Knights into the semifinals.  Their state title hopes would be dashed by the Becker Bulldogs as they scored four of their five runs in the first inning to beat BSM 5-1.  Becker's trophy case would grow like the city's population from 365 in 1970 to 4,538 according to the 2010 census as they would shutout the Winona Winhawks 4-0 to take home the Class AAA title trophy.  Hessian drove in the Red Knights only run with an RBI single in the sixth inning.  BSM would fall in the third place game to a team familiar with Caswell Park since they played in the Section 2AAA tournament at the Howard Dr. fields.  The Red Knights were routed by the Mankato West Scarlets 9-2.  Mankato West took a 7-0 lead in the third inning and the Red Knights were unable to make a comeback, settling for the fourth place trophy.

For Red Knight fans who didn't make the trip to North Mankato, there was plenty of state lacrosse action in the St. Croix Valley as both the boys and girls lacrosse teams would play in the state tournament at Stillwater High School.  We'll start with the girls as they beat the perennial power Eden Prairie Eagles 13-10 in the quarterfinals.  But like their softball counterparts, the Red Knights went down in the semifinals, losing to the eventual state champion Prior Lake Lakers 16-10.  Mackenzie Salengre led the Lakers with five goals.  BSM would face the Rosemount Irish for the second time this season but Irish eyes would be smiling as Rosemount defeated BSM 10-7.  In their previous meeting, the Irish beat the Red Knights 7-6. 

There would be joy in Oak Park Heights for Red Knights fans as the boys lacrosse team would take home their fourth championship trophy.  They got off to a solid start with a 17-1 mashing of the Moorhead Spuds.  Their semifinal opponent would be the host Stillwater Ponies.  But there would be no home field advantage for the Ponies as Matthew Doerden got the hat trick to lead the Red Knights to a 9-3 win.  Next up, the Prior Lake Lakers for the state title.  Could the Lakers bring back two title trophies to the school's Savage campus?  The answer would be no as a balanced scoring attack with nine players tallying to lead BSM to a 16-1 rout of Prior Lake.  

An outstanding week for Benilde-St. Margaret's with the girls softball and lacrosse teams taking home the fourth place trophy and the boys lacrosse team winning back to back state titles.  Fall sports practice begins in mid August as the sports season for 2020-21 comes to an end.