Emma Klancke helped Hopkins end two streaks with one goal.

The senior midfielder scored late in the second half, giving the Royals a 1-0 victory over Benilde-St. Margaret’s Monday at Benilde St. Margaret’s High School.

Hopkins (8-3-2) entered the game on a four-game winless streak with losses to Robbinsdale Armstrong and Lake Conference rivals Eden Prairie and Edina. The Royals tied reigning Class 2A state champion Minnetonka 0-0 during the run.

Hopkins also did not score a goal during the streak, which knocked the Royals out of the Minnesota State High School Coaching Association's Class 2A rankings.

Klancke, however, ended both droughts with a solid kick from the middle of the penalty box, sending the ball past Benilde-St. Margaret’s sophomore goalkeeper Maya Berg with 4 minutes, 55 seconds remaining in the game.

“It felt great because we haven’t scored in four games, so it was a good goal,” Klancke said.

Klancke’s goal was good but didn’t come easy with the Royals and Red Knights (7-3), No. 3 in Class 1A, spending most of the game battling for possession.

Hopkins’ head coach Keith Pavelka said his team’s been putting out a winning effort all year.

“I feel like we’ve been playing well enough to win all the games, even though we weren’t getting the results,” Pavelka said.

Hopkins has little time to celebrate the victory as the Royals close out the season playing a tough schedule with home games against conference opponents Wayzata, Edina and Eden Prairie.

Royals’ senior midfielder Corbin Boyd said her team embraces the difficult task ahead.

“Everyone is like, ‘Oh you’re in the hardest conference,’ but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Boyd said. “I’d rather play tough games, where it’s back and forth opportunities, than blowout games that aren’t fun.”

Senior midfielder Emma Klancke scored with 4 minutes, 55 seconds remaining in the game as Hopkins defeated reigning Class 1A state champion Benilde-St. Margaret’s 1-0 Monday at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School.

The Royals (8-3-2) ended a four-game winless streak with the victory over the Red Knights (7-3), No. 3-1A.

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