The Minnewaska Area boys soccer team won two more home matches last week to end the regular season with a 7-7 overall record, including a 5-4 record in the Granite Ridge Conference.  The Lakers topped Rocori last Monday night, 3-1, and also routed Melrose Area last Tuesday, 5-1.

Also included in the results that follow is information about a 1-0 loss to Little Falls from Thursday, Sept. 29.

The start of the Section 8A Soccer Tournament is next and the Lakers are set to play at Prinsburg in the quarterfinals, Thursday, Oct. 13. Minnewaska was seeded third in its half of the section for most of the season after losing early to the Bluejays, 3-0, but the Lakers picked up some key wins late in the season to overtake Prinsburg in the QRF rankings.  However, it was not enough to surpass the Bluejays in the final seeding.

The winner moves on to play the winner of the No. 1-St. Cloud Cathedral vs. St. John’s Prep or Melrose matchup at 1 p.m., Saturday at St. Cloud.  The championship is set for 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Sauk Centre.

Little Falls 1, Lakers 0

In a result that was received too late to make last week’s paper, the Lakers lost at home to Little Falls, Thursday, Sept. 29.  Little Falls entered the match with a 6-4-1 record, but Minnewaska had the visitors on the ropes early in the match as Laker forwards Genaro Contreras Mondragon and Blake Nelson had early scoring opportunities in the first 10 minutes of play.  

Contreras Mondragon was free on the right wing and had two excellent chances that were turned aside by Flyers’ keeper Ethan Yorek.  The Little Falls side settled down and played Minnewaska even for the rest of the half, which ended in a 0-0 tie.  

The second half was much of the same with end-to-end play from both teams.  Little Falls managed the only goal of the game at the 56-minute mark.  Garret Lindberg found himself standing unmarked on the far bar, and touched the ball into the Lakers’ net.  

“For most of the match, we played well enough to win,” coach Ted Hill said.  “Tenzin made timely saves in the first half, and the back four defenders had another solid night for us.  We didn’t take advantage of our chances and Little Falls did.  That was the story of this match.” 

Minnewaska 3, Rocori 1

The Lakers earned a 3-1 victory at home against Rocori last Monday night for its sixth victory in the last 10 matches.  Genaro Contreras Mondragon had all three goals for the Lakers with Aaron Feigum credited with two assists and Ryan Greseth assisting on the final goal.

Rocori’s Tayden Metzger scored the first goal of the game in the 15th minute, but Contreras Mondragon tied it up three minutes later off a feed from Feigum.

“Aaron made a hustle play to get the ball to Genaro and Genaro used perfect technique to keep his shot low and on frame,” coach Hill said.  “It was a good example of how good soccer is played, a combination of hard work and good technique.”

The score stayed 1-1 through the end of the first half, but Contreras Mondragon put the  Lakers up for good with his second goal in the second minute of the second half with Feigum earning another assist.

Minnewaska Area added a third goal in the 53rd minute of play as Contreras Mondragon earned his hattrick with his third goal of the game, assisted by Greseth.  “Genaro had a break-out match for us,” coach Hill said.  “He was supplied the ball in good space and knew what to do with that space.  His teammates are allowing him to think about the shot rather than having to create his own shot.”

Tenzin Dahl, who has given up zero or one goal in each of the last 10 games, recorded six saves in net for the Lakers, who outshot the Spartans, 8-7.

“We wanted to contain Metzger; he’s been their leading scorer all year,” Hill said.  “Our midfielders, Connor Quelle and Blake Nelson, did a good job frustrating him and playing him off the ball.  And our back three has been solid all year.  The last six or seven games, they’re giving up just 1.1 goals per game.”

Minnewaska is battling with Prinsburg for the second seed in its half of Section 8A.  The Bluejays, who beat the Lakers in the second game of the season, 3-0, fell to the same Rocori squad one week earlier, 2-0.

“This was the most important match of the year for us in regard to our seeding.  It was a must win,” coach Ted Hill said.  “We are playing very good soccer right now and we want to host a first-round playoff game.”

Minnewaska 5, Melrose 1

Aaron Feigum and Genaro Contreras Mondragon had two goals each to lead the Lakers to a 5-1 win over Melrose, Thursday night at home.

The Lakers gave up an own-goal to start the game, in the 23rd minute, but one minute later, the Lakers tied up the game on a goal by Feigum, assisted by Preston Martin.

Contreras Mondragon’s goal in the 30th minute, assisted by Feigum, put Minnewaska Area up for good going into halftime.

In the second half, Contreras Mondragon scored an unassisted goal in the 51th minute for a 3-1 lead, Feigum connected six minutes later for his second goal, assisted by Contreras Mondragon, and Martin got the final goal for the Lakers in the 65th minute in another goal assisted by Feigum.

“I cannot stress how important the back line of Noah Palmer, Ethan Curry and Thomas Poegel has been to our success this year,” coach Hill said.  “They don’t get goals or assists, but they give us the security to be able to push our other players forward for scoring opportunities.”

The Lakers were able to play all their reserves at the end of the game and coach Hill was happy for that chance.  “Our reserves train very hard throughout the season,” coach Hill said.  “It is always great to have them play at the varsity level.  It is good for them and good for our program.”

Little Falls 1, at Waska 0

Minnewaska (5-7) 0 0 — 0

Little Falls 0 1 — 1

First half:  No scoring

Second half:  (1) LF-Garret Lindberg, 56th minute

Shots on goal:  Unavailable

Goalie saves:  Tenzin Dahl, Min UA; Ethan Yorek, LF UA

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at Minnewaska 3, Rocori 1

Rocori (6-8) 1 0 — 1

Minnewaska (6-7) 1 2 — 3

First half:  (1) Rocori-Tayden Metzger (Davey Maldonaldo) 15th minute . . . (2) Min-Genaro Contreras Mondragon (Aaron Feigum) 18th minute

Second half:  (3) Min-Contreras Mondragon (Feigum) 42nd minute . . . (4) Min-Contreras Mondragon (Ryan Greseth) 53rd minute

Shots on goal:  Minnewaska 8, Rocori 7

Saves:  Tenzin Dahl, Min 6 saves; Luis Lopez, Rocori 5 saves

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at Minnewaska 5, Melrose 1

Melrose (0-12) 1 0 — 1

Minnewaska (7-7) 2 3 — 5 

First half:  (1) Mel-own goal, 23rd minute . . . (2) Min-Aaron Feigum (Preston Martin) 24th minute . . . (3) Min-Genaro Contreras Mondragon (Feigum) 30th minute

Second half:  Min-Contreras Mondragon, 51st minute . . . (5) Min-Feigum (Contreras Mondragon) 57th minute . . . (6) Min-Martin (Feigum) 65th minute

Shots:  Waska 15, Melrose 5

Saves:  Tenzin Dahl, Min 4 saves; Ederson Lopez, Mel 10