Thursday, May 23, 2019

Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars End Season With Shutout

The 2019 boys lacrosse regular season came to an end Thursday afternoon as the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars got four goals from Max Ritchie that led them to a 20-0 shut out of the host St. Louis Park Orioles.

The Jaguars displayed outstanding passing and ball control that led to 11 first period goals.  Carson Jacobs began the scoring on a centering pass from Garrett Lowe Aydan Rathsabandith :30 later.  Tommy McNamara would line a bounce shot to the net to extend the lead to three.  Jefferson got scoring balance with five goals in a span of 2:44.  Ritchie would score his first goal, then came Jack Vipond, Rathsabandith, Parker Boone and Lowe.  The Jaguars were not finished yet as Reed Ringquist would put them ahead by 10 and Rathsabandith made a pass to Ritchie and he scored with :49 left in the quarter.

Superb passing would play a role in the second quarter for Jefferson as they added seven goals.  Benny Henry fed Gavin Svensson inside the slot and he would tally for goal number 12.  Stone Payer would feed Julian Kidd and Kidd found the net.  Ritchie would get the hat trick for Jefferson.  As for St. Louis Park, they were held hostage in their own end by a swarm of Columbia blue and white jerseys.  However, defense would pay the consequences for the Orioles while goalie Noah Houser was playing out of the net and Keegan Goodin made good with an empty net goal.  Kidd would pick up an assist when he made an outstanding pass to Sam Wallace at the top of the slot and Wallace lined it into the net.  Mcnamara and Boone would scored the next two goals to boost Jefferson's lead to 18-0 at halftime.

The Jaguars would conclude the scoring with two third quarter goals as the game entered running time.  Cody Ringquist lined a shot to the goal and Ritchie would pick up his fourth goal on a shot that was described by Park TV play by play man Bob Christianson as a "sky hook."  There was no scoring in the fourth quarter but St. Louis Park finally got a shot on goal with 10:10 left to play.

Jefferson concluded the regular season with a 10-3 record and enters Section 6 play next week.  St. Louis Park ended their regular season 0-13 and opens Section 5 action on Tuesday, May 28.


Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Bloomington Kennedy Eagles Spoil Senior Night for SLP Orioles

The Brothers Trenary, Thomas and Andrew combined for five goals and Joseph Workman had four assists to lead the Bloomington Kennedy Eagles to a 16-2 win over the host St. Louis Park Orioles on Senior Night Tuesday.

Luke Dosan began the scoring for the Eagles in the first quarter as he scored off a pass from Mason Phair.  The Orioles would tie the game :23 later on a line shot from OJ Hagar.  That would be the only good news for St. Louis Park as Kennedy would score five unanswered goals in the quarter.  Thomas Trenary and Workman would score two apiece and Connor Freiberg would score from the center slot to give the Eagles a 6-1 lead.

Kennedy would extend their scoring run to 10 in the second quarter Andrew Trenary would tally and Workman would pick up two straight assists as his passing help set up goals Peter Vodovnik and John Lane.  The Eagles added two more goals on passes from Andrew Trenary to Dosan and Thomas Trenary to extend the lead to 11-1 at halftime.

Andrew Trenary and Lane increase the Eagles unanswered string to 12 in the third quarter.  There would finally be good news for Oriole fans when Parker Brynildson ended the Kennedy scoring run after he caught an inside pass from Flynn Spano.  The Eagle lead would be 13-2 at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Kennedy would add three goals to their ledger, starting with Kiran Haefel-Zastrow 1:05 into the quarter.  Freiberg and Connor Lynch would conclude the Eagle scoring as the game was played the rest of the way in running time.

At halftime, Noah Hauser and David Bryant were recognized in the Senior Night recognition ceremony.

Kennedy improved their record to 4-8 and wraps up the regular season on Thursday, May 23 as they head down Highway 77 to Apple Valley to face the Eastview Lightning at 6 PM.  St. Louis Park falls to 0-12 and also concludes the regular season on the 23rd, hosting the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars at 5:30 PM.

Monday, May 20, 2019

SLP Orioles End Regular Season With Win Over Coon Rapids Cardinals

The St. Louis Park Orioles closed out the 2019 regular season with a three run fifth inning that led them to a 3-2 come from behind win over the Coon Rapids Cardinals Monday night at Derrick Keller Field at Dakota Park.

Both teams were scoreless through the first two innings,  Only one runner was in scoring position and it was the Cardinals Braden Farley who singled in the top of the second inning and stole second base.

Coon Rapids took the lead in the top of the third when Jackson Aurelius singled and scored on a throwing error by Drew Boyum that caused Antonio Manos to reach base.  Manos would cross the plate on Xavier Paar sacrifice fly to right fielder Aaron Sledge and the Cardinals built a two run lead.

However, the lead wouldn't last as errors would plague Coon Rapids in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Drew Boyum led off with a single, Jackson McClain walked and Aaron Ellingson singled.  But a wild throw enabled Drew Boyum and McClain to cross the plate to tie the game at two and errors by Logan Rotzien and Paar sent jack Wandmacher to second base.  St. Louis Park would vault into the lead on Anthony Odens' sacrifice fly that scored Ellingson.

Solid pitching would be the key in holding the Oriole lead in the sixth and seventh innings with Kristopher Hokenson on the mound in relief of Will Hannon, who replaced  starting pitcher Odens on the mound.  Hokenson did not give up a hit, but walked Ryan Garlick and pinch hitter Jack Arndt and they were both stranded at first base as the freshman pitcher struck out four batters to pick up the save.

Oriole catcher Sam Hunt left the game in the second inning due to an injured knee.

St. Louis Park concluded the regular season with a record of 12-8 and will enter Section 6AAAA tournament play on Friday, May 24 at Hopkins High School.  Conn Rapids falls to 6-11 and hosts the Osseo Orioles on Tuesday, May 21 at 4:30 PM.

Friday, May 17, 2019

A Senior Night Success For SLP Orioles

Friday night was Senior Night for the St. Louis Park girls lacrosse team but the future looks really bright for junior Sarah McCallon who scored six goals to lead the host Orioles 16-4 win over the Columbia Heights Hylanders.

Aliviah McClinton began the scoring for the Orioles as she lined a shot to the net.  Anna Nicholls would score on a free shot :32 later to put St. Louis Park ahead by two.  McCallon would score her first going, bulldozing through several Columbia Heights defenders and sent the ball to the goal.  The Hylanders would erase the zero from their portion of the scoreboard on a free shot goal from Aurora Wigley.  The Orioles would score three unanswered goals that started with Jarilyz Lopez, followed by Alyssa Barth's goal as he ball bounced off her stick and crossed the goal line.  Halle Weinmann would score from the left side to put St. Louis Park ahead 6-1.  But Columbia Heights wasn't done scoring in the first half.  They would get a goal from Jessica Zhagnay and Wigley would go around the right side of the net and put it past Oriole goalie Molly Hallett.  McCallon would wrap up the scoring  with her second goal that came from a centering pass by Lopez and St. Louis Park led 7-3 at halftime.

The Orioles would pull further ahead from the Hylanders in the second half with two straight goals from McClinton and Grace Lynch would go top shelf.  Columbia Heights would tally once in the second half as Wigley would get the hat trick :25 later.  McClinto would put on an outstanding shooting display, sending three balls into the net in a span of :39.  The third came on Lopez's second assist. The Orioles would get another hat trick, this time from Lynch as she scored a pair of goals.  McClinton would score her sixth goal of the game on another free shot with 1:40 remaining in the game.

Five St. Louis Park seniors were honored at halftime.  The two varsity seniors were Lynch and Weinmann.  The other three that played on the junior varsity team were Sam Shug, Estelle Tronson and Alexis Machoka.  In addition to playing lacrosse, Machoka is the current senior class president.

The Orioles improved their record to 5-5 and will head to Bloomington Kennedy on Tuesday, May 21 for a 6 PM game against the Eagles.  The Hylanders fell to 4-5 and will also be in action on the 21st, hosting the East Ridge Raptors at 6:15

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Chanhassen Storm Thunders Past SLP Orioles

The Chanhassen Storm heated up like the weather Tuesday night as Sydnie Soto and Elle Wagner scored four goals apiece to lead them to a 19-5 rout of the host St. Louis Park Orioles.

Kyra Grindberg would grind one into the net off a pass from Maddie Thomes 1:03 into the game.  The Storm would go up by four on a three goal burst in a span of 1:24.  Soto would strike first on a free shot and Wagner would set up the second goal that was scored by Josie Seltun and score the next goal on an inside pass from Soto.  Seltun would score her second goal to put Chanhassen ahead by five.  Lo and behold, the Orioles would end the Storm's five goal run on Aliviah McClinton's free shot that entered the net.  But Chanhassen would go on another scoring binge with six unanswered goals.  Grace Doerring would score first, followed by Soto, Seltun, freshman Bella Etienne, Livie Saatzer and Taylor Jones.  Jones would play a huge role in the Storm offense with two of her four assists.  St. Louis Park would tally on Sarah McCallon's free shot to wrap up the first half scoring for the Orioles as Chanhassen score three more goals with Jones scoring first and her superb passing set up the final two for Grindberg and Soto.  The Storm led at halftime 14-2.

Since the margin surpassed ten goals, most of the second half was played in running time.  Wagner began the scoring on a free shot for Chanhassen.  St. Louis Park would counter when Halle Weinmann went around the right side of the net and deposited the ball past Storm goalie Kaylyn Cater.  Wagner would score her second consecutive free shot goal and the Orioles score :32 later when Anna Nicholls went around the right side of the net and fired an underhanded shot to the goal.   Chanhassen would add three more goals to their ledger, starting with Maia Hodgins, then came Soto and Doerring.  McClinton would get the hat trick for St. Louis Park with 1:44 left and that would wrap up the scoring.

The Storm ranked third in Minnesota, won their fifth straight game and improved their record to 8-1 and will host the Breck Mustangs on Friday, May 17 at 7 PM.  The Orioles fell to 4-5 and will also be in action on the 17th hosting the Columbia Heights Hylanders at 6 PM.  It will also be the final regular season home game for two Oriole seniors Weinmann and Grace Lynch.

Monday, May 13, 2019

Mahmoud Leads BSM Red Knights to Shutout SLP Orioles

Blake Mahmoud put Red Knights fans in a great mood Monday night as he pitched a one hitter and struck out 12 batters to lead Benilde-St. Margaret's to a 4-0 win over the St. Louis Park Orioles at Derrick Keller Field at Dakota Park.

The game was scoreless until the top of the third inning when Mason James hit into a force out at second with the bases loaded to score Nick Renk.  The Red Knights erupted for three runs in the top of the fourth on Will Thompson's RBI double that scored Matt Hansberry.  They would add two more when Ian Bahr drove home Thompson and Jonny Woodford.

As for the Orioles, they couldn't get a lot of offense against the junior pitcher Mahmoud.  While scouts from Tulane, Indiana and Boston College were in the throng at Derrick Keller field observing Mahmoud, they saw him allow only three Orioles to reach base.  The only St. Louis Park player in scoring position was Aaron Sledge, who had the team's only hit when he singled in the bottom of the second inning and advanced to second on a errant throw to first by Mahmoud.  A walk to Aaron Ellingson in the bottom of the third and Drew Boyum reaching first on an error by Thompson in the bottom of the fifth were the only other St. Louis Park players to reach base.

Mahmoud would shut down the Orioles offense, striking out five of the last seven batters to give him 12 for the game.

Following the game, 13 St. Louis Park seniors were honored on Senior Night.

BSM Improved their record to 5-7 and will return to action on Tuesday, May 14 as they host the Richfield Spartans in a doubleheader beginning at 5 PM.  St. Louis Park fell to 9-7 and got shut out for the first time since they lost 4-0 to the Chanhassen Storm on April 29.  They will also be in action on the 14th, heading to Bloomington to face the Kennedy Eagles at 7 PM.

Saturday, May 11, 2019

SLP Orioles Hold Off Columbia Heights Hylanders

Solid pitching from Matt Lidenberg and Will Hannon helped the St. Louis Park Orioles to a 3-1 win over the Columbia Heights Hylanders Saturday afternoon at Derrick Keller Field at Dakota Park.

The Orioles struck first in the bottom of the second inning on Anthony Odens' RBI single that scored Jordan McClain.  The Hylanders had a chance to to tie or take the lead in the top of the third as Lidenberg walked three consecutive batters to load the bases with one out.  But Isaac Bender flied out to left field and Conner Hogg, who was the starting pitcher for Columbia Heights, was thrown out at third base by McClain.

St. Louis Park would go up by two in the bottom of the third as Jack Wandmacher crossed the plate when Luke Boyum reached base on an error by Hylander second baseman Zack Severson.  Wandmacher would drive in Odens in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single.

There would be no shut out for the Orioles in the top of the fifth inning as Columbia Heights would capitalize on two St. Louis Park errors.  The first would be on third baseman Sam Hunt and the second on Odens would allow Ben Rogatzke to score.  Rogatzke led off the inning with a single.

Columbia Heights would have an opportunity to tie the game in the top of the sixth with a pair of one out singles from Amir Davis and Carter Helmers.  It wouldn't happen since Hannon, who came on in the fifth in relief of Lidenberg, got Rogatzke to pop out to Hunt at third base and struck out Hogg.  Hannon would retire the side in order to pick up the save.

The Hylanders left nine base runners stranded.

St. Louis Park improved their record to 9-6 and will host the Benilde-St. Margaret's Red Knights on Monday, May 13 at 6 PM at Derrick Keller Field.  Columbia Heights fell to 9-4 and will also be in action on the 13th, hosting the Concordia Academy Beacons at 4:30 PM.