Thunderbolts play South Suburban at state

The schedule makers didn’t do the Thunderbolts any favors with a first-round match against the team they lost to in the last regular season game, the South Suburban Jets. The two teams meet in the adapted soccer state quarterfinals Friday at White Bear Lake High School Friday.

South Washington Country (7-1-1) drew the No. 1 seed from the southwest while South Suburban (7-2-2) was seeded second from the Northwest. The two teams split two games during the regular season, with the Thunderbolts winning the first 7-2, but losing the second 7-4.

Quarterfinal games are Friday, with the semifinals, finals, third play and consolation play all on Saturday.

It’s the Thunderbolt’s 26th appearance in the state adapted soccer tournament. South Washington County won state championships in 1997, 1998, 2014 and 2019 and finished second in 2005, 2006 and 2018.

Girls hockey team opens the season with win

The visiting Park Wolfpack got the 2025-26 season off to a winning start Saturday with a 3-1 win at Forest Lake.

Park’s Addie Corkish opened the scoring with a power play goal in the first half. After a scoreless second period, the Wolfpack outscored the Rangers 2-1 in the final period to claim the victory,

Lauren Tait made it a 2-0 Park lead in the third. Then Stella Daly closed out the scoring with a goal at 15:01 in the third period.

Senior goalie Alayna Adamez got a strong win in the net for the Wolfpack. Allowing just one score in 41 attempts.

Alaina Post, Alaina Wright and Nora Thomas had assists for Park.

Park opens the home season Saturday against Mounds View/Irondale (1-0), with a 4 p.m. start.

Park runners fare well in regional meet

Park’ senior Eli Firchau, juniors Henry Joa and Jana Hafiz all raced in the NXR Heartland Regional cross country meet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sunday.

Firchau finished 27th in the boys open invitational Section 2 race and 212th in the boys combined open results 5K in a time of 17:38.0. In all, some 1,200 runners competed in the section races.

Joa was 63rd in the boys open invitational and finished 441st in the boys combined open results, finishing in a time of 18:05.3.

Hafiz was 200th in the girls open invitational Section 2 race and 755th in the girls combined open 5K with a time of 22”49.5.

Runners from Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin competed in the regional meet.

The Nike Cross Nationals is comprised of eight Regional Qualifying meets and the National Finals in Portland.