The Minnewaska Area boys soccer team improved to 2-1 this season with a 3-1 victory over Hillcrest during a wet and windy game at home last Monday night.

It was another passionate effort that led to the win for the Lakers, according to head coach David Vinje.    The Lakers went up 2-1 early and then, after Hillcrest cut the lead in half, Minnewaska Area scored an insurance goal to give the Lakers their second-straight win after beating Heritage Christian last Saturday.

“It’s still early in the season,” coach Vinje said.  “But we’re beginning to establish roles, rotations and playing styles and it’s great to see the team get a result like this.”

The Minnewaska boys soccer team opened up the season Thursday, Aug. 22 with a 4-1 loss at Fergus Falls but has won its next two games heading into the Labor Day weekend.

The soccer team, which was 6-6-4 last year, graduated five key players.

The Lakers are set for play again Tuesday, Sept. 3 at Little Falls followed by a game at Melrose Area, Thursday, Sept. 5 and another game at home, Saturday, Sept. 7 versus Pelican Rapids.

The Lakers have 14 regular-season games scheduled this season and eight of them are at home.

Gone from last year’s team, coached by first-year head coach David Vinje and assisted by Caleb Greene (JV) and Jarrid Jergenson (junior high), are Blake Nelson, Thomas Poegel, Connor Quelle, Ethan Curry and Jose Contreras Mondragon.

This year’s Minnewaska Area varsity boys soccer roster includes seniors Tenzin Dahl, Jackson Holmes, Morgan Meyer and Riley Thorfinnson; juniors Riley Week, Ryan Greseth, Lane Curry, Lucas Curry and Connor Erickson; sophomores Caden Christensen, Cale Johnsrud, Marshall Kopp, Carter LeClair and Tydan Stewart; and ninth-graders Owen Greene and Soren Jergenson.

The junior high roster includes eighth-graders Brayden Katzenmeyer and Austin Gugisberg; and seventh-graders Tyler Goebel, Ian Gorres, Kason Huckle, Noah Johnson, Josiah Mahoney, Nolan Oberg, Liam Sanders and Aaron Vogt.

•  St. Cloud Cathedral, ranked among the top three in state all season, won the conference title with a perfect 8-0 record last fall, followed by Little Falls-LPGE (3-3-2), Minnewaska (2-4-2) and Melrose Area and St. John’s Prep (both 2-5-1).

Lakers 3, Hillcrest 1

Lane Curry and Jackson Holmes both had a goal and assist to lead the Lakers to a 3-1 win over Hillcrest last Monday night at home.

Holmes set up the first goal by Tenzin Dahl on a cross to Dahl, who put in the shot from close range in the eighth minute.

Holmes scored on a header off a Lane Curry corner kick 19 minutes later for a 2-0 lead, but Hillcrest came right back four minutes later to score its first and only goal on a Minnewaska miscommunication, according to coach Vinje.

In the 48th minute, Curry gave Minnewaska Area some breathing room with a score off a scramble in front of the net following a corner kick.

Marshall Kopp won his second-straight game, stopping seven shots.  Through three games, the Lakers have already had five different goal scorers.

at Waska 3, Hillcrest 1

Hillcrest 1 0 — 1

Minnewaska (2-1) 2 1 — 3

First half:  (1) Min-Tenzin Dahl (Jackson Holmes), 8th min . . . (2) Min-Holmes (Lane Curry), 27th min . . . (3) Hillcrest, 31st min

Second half:  (4) Min-Curry, 48th min

Shots on goal:  Minnewaska 10, Hillcrest 8

Goalie saves:  Marshall Kopp, Min 7 saves

Check out more photos in our photo gallery!