Eagan junior forward Jade King turned it up a notch for the title.

King’s goal with 14:26 left in the first half held up as the lone tally in a 1-0 victory over Eden Prairie in the Class 2A championship game Thursday at Husky Stadium in St. Cloud. The Wildcats finished the year undefeated. 

“It feels amazing,” King said. “I’m so excited to come back next year and try to win another one.”

King’s third shot on goal of the first half went over the outstretched arm of Eden Prairie goalie Lindsay Eliasen. King’s goal came as Eden Prairie failed to clear it out of its defensive zone. King held the ball in, then quickly sent a shot on net for her ninth goal of the year.  

“I turned around and took the shot and saw it go over the goalie’s head,” King said. “That was so exciting.” 

Eagan coach Bulut Ozturk said he challenged King before the game to show what she could do as the Wildcats (21-0-1) went up against her Minnesota Thunder Academy teammate April Bockin, the Star Tribune’s Metro Player of the Year and Minnesota’s Ms. Soccer in Class 2A. 

“In big games I expect big players to deliver,” said Ozturk, who is in his first year with Eagan after coaching at Lakeville North the past three years. “I told Jade before this match I wanted her to be able to go up against Ms. Soccer, so she can show her stuff in a big game. She delivered.”

Eagan’s stingy defense stifled Eden Prairie (17-3-1) and neutralized Bockin enough to hold the Eagles scoreless. Eagan, which allowed only nine goals throughout the the regular season and the playoffs, held the Eagles to just two shots on goal. 

Ozturk said he changed his defensive alignment to allow senior defender Rachel Wall, a team captain, to shadow Bockin, who scored eight of Eden Prairie’s 11 goals in the postseason, the entire game. 

“We had a lot of respect for Eden Prairie - they’re a very good club - and for Ms. Soccer,” Ozturk said. “We didn’t want to give April any space. Rachel did her job. She was nervous today, but she came through.”

With 37:16 left in the game, Eagan goalkeeper Jordyn Clark was knocked out of the game after making a save on a tight-angle shot by Eden Prairie’s Kellie Fuhs. Senior Ashley Patyk took over in the Wildcats' net for the rest of the game and secured the shutout, making one official save. 

“As soon as I saw Jordyn go down and they told me to warm up, all I was thinking was I had to do my job and not let my team down,” said Patyk, who played two years of varsity for Eagan. “This was the state championship game, I had to come through.”

Eagan’s state title is its first in girls' soccer. The Wildcats' only other appearance in the soccer finals was in 1996.

“This is an incredible feeling,” Ozturk said. 

Eagan junior forward Jade King’s goal with 14:26 left in the first half held up as the lone goal in a 1-0 victory over Eden Prairie in the Class 2A state championship.

The goal came as Eden Prairie failed to clear the ball from of its defensive zone. King held the ball in, then quickly shot it on net, her third of the game. The bal went over the outstretched arm of Eden Prairie goalie Lindsay Eliasen, giving King her ninth tally of the season.

Eagan’s stingy defense stifled Eden Prairie (17-3-1) and star player April Bockin. Eagan (21-0-1) allowed just nine goals in the regular season and the playoffs.

Eagan’s state title is its first. The Wildcats' only other appearance in the state championship game was in 1996.

Check back later for more on the game.