I was really worried going in and we spent a lot of extra time evaluating players at the start of the year and found some people who can jump in and do the job. It’s been good. Once again, it was unexpected for me. I wasn’t expecting what we got.”

Park head coach Scott Leonard

Next up is a Section 3A quarterfinal game Thursday at 7:30 at Cottage Grove. Section 3A finals are scheduled for Thursday, June 6 at 7 p.m.

Junior attacker Madi Brinkman scored six goals as Park knocked off conference rival Woodbury 12-8 Tuesday to finish first in the Suburban East Conference for the second consecutive season.
Played indoors in the M Health Fairview Sports Center in Woodbury because of Tuesday’s stormy weather, the Wolfpack led from start to finish to take down the Royals. Park led 4-2 after the first period, 6-3 at the half and 10-6 after three periods.
The icing on the cake for the Wolfpack was the first appearance by Park in this week’s top 10 girls' lacrosse teams. The Wolfpack entered the Minnesota State High School Girls Lacrosse Coaches Association rankings for the first time this season at No. 9.
Park and fifth-ranked Stillwater tied for the SEC crown this season, both with 8-1 conference records. It was the second straight season those two teams have tied for the SEC title.
“Can’t complain at all,” said Park head coach Scott Leonard. “As I told you last week after losing Shelby (Hansen) and three other key starters, two on defense and another attacker, we weren’t sure what we were going to get. I was really worried going in and we spent a lot of extra time evaluating players at the start of the year and found some people who can jump in and do the job. It’s been good. Once again, it was unexpected for me. I wasn’t expecting what we got.”
Park’s Josie Leonard, Sidni Gitzen and Maleah McMorrow scored two goals each for the Wolfpack against the Royals. Kyra Stofer had two assists and McMorrow one. Park had 22 shots on goal to 12 for Woodbury.
“I think on offense we were able to throw the ball down, and then when we saw out ability to drive the net, we drove the net and capitalized,” said ninth grade midfielder Maleah McMorrow.
Sophomore goalie Lauryn Ehrenstrom stopped four of 12 Woodbury shots.
Asked what the Wolfpack needs to do to have success in the sections, sophomore midfielder Sidni Gitzen said, “Definitely, keep up the intensity just the whole time, every game. Offense, just keep controlling the ball and making sure we’re making smart plays and defense just staying on cutters.”
Asked the same question, Leonard said, “We’ve got to clean up our cutters a little bit, defending the cutters and then just keep our composure. At times we get a little loose with the ball. But this game and our game against Cretin we did really good job defending for about 90 percent of the game and then we kind of let things get a little wacky.”

Park 16, Apple Valley 2
Park easily took down Apple Valley in a non-conference contest, winning 16-2 to close out the regular season Wednesday afternoon.
It was the eighth-straight win for the Wolfpack.
Madi Brinkman scored six goals, Kyra Stofer three and Josie Leonard two to lead Park. Choomia Morgan, Ava Reckinger and Alaina Wright had Park’s other scores.
Park’s defense held Apple Valley to just four shots. Goalie Lauryn Ehrenstrom notched another net win, stopping 2 of 4 shots.
The win wrapped up the regular season for the Wolfpack. Next up is a Section 3A quarterfinal game Thursday at 7:30 at Cottage Grove. Park (12-1) drew the top seed in the section and will face the winner of eighth-seeded Hastings (6-5) and ninth-seeded St. Paul/Two Rivers (2-11).
East Ridge (10-3) drew the No. 2 seed and meets the winner of seventh-seeded Visitation (4-9) and 10th-seeded St. Paul Academy and Summit School (1-11). Third-seeded Cretin-Derham Hall (8-5) plays a quarterfinal game against sixth-seeded St. Croix Preparatory Academy (10-3). Fourth-seeded Simley (7-6) plays Woodbury (6-7) in another quarterfinal.
Park has already beaten the second, third, fourth and fifth seeds in the section, but each were hard-fought wins. The Wolfpack also can recall last season when they were knocked out of the tournament as the top seed in an upset by fifth-seeded Simley.
Section 3A finals are scheduled for Thursday, June 6 at 7 p.m.