4th-straight Boys State Lacrosse Final between Benilde-St Margaret’s and Prior Lake goes to BSM in OT

The defending champions from Benilde-St. Margaret’s led 8-6 after three quarters in the championship game but No. 3 Prior Lake refused to give up. The Lakers went up 9-8 in the fourth quarter before Benilde sophomore Hunter Payer set up overtime for the Red Knights. Senior Mitch Dokman secured the 10-9 victory for Benilde-St. Margaret’s with his overtime goal.

The Lakers battled back in the fourth quarter with senior Eric Dueffert tying the score at 8-8 with 5:52 left in the game. Justin Simon, another senior, then put Prior Lake up 9-8 less than a minute later. After Payer’s tying goal, each team lost out on their final possession with an apparent Prior Lake goal disallowed with 13 seconds remaining in regulation.

Junior Carsen Brandt led top-seeded Benilde-St. Margaret’s with two goals and three assists. Sophomores Sky Rold and Gus Bell added two goals apiece for the Red Knights. Three players scored two goals each for Prior Lake: Simonson and sophomores Max Anderson and Jack Tocko.

This was the fourth time in five years that Benilde-St. Margaret’s and Prior Lake met in the title game. The Lakers won in 2018 and 2019 before the Red Knights won last year. These teams also met on May 6 this year, with Benilde-St. Margaret’s winning 9-8 in overtime.

Stillwater Area, the No. 4 seed, defeated Centennial 11-9 in the third-place game. Stillwater Area senior Carter Bies tied a state tournament record with five assists in the victory. He also had two goals for the Ponies. Junior Tomas Anderson and senior Thomas Lindberg each notched three goals for Stillwater Area. Centennial senior Noah Berger led all scorers with five goals.

No. 2 Chanhassen dismissed Woodbury 18-8 in the consolation final. Senior Dylan Kendrick scored six goals for the Storm and senior Alex Moroney notched four more. Junior Carter Van Holland and senior Ryan Nicholson added three goals apiece for the Storm. Senior Conor Hooley was the top scorer for Wodbury; he finished the game with three goals and one assist.

Courtesy: Minnesota State High School League