ST. CLOUD — Benilde-St. Margaret’s wanted revenge after losing to arguably its biggest rival, Orono, in last year’s Class 1A, Section 6 final.

The top-seeded Red Knights got it Thursday, defeating the second-seeded Spartans 4-2 at Husky Stadium for their third Class 1A title in four years.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s (20-1-1) broke away with three goals in a four-minute stretch, much to its own surprise. Aleksa Tataryn, Amanda Cassidy and Madison Stoks scored for the Red Knights.

“We didn’t expect it to happen that quickly,” coach Scott Helling-Christy said.

The victory was especially sweet for the team’s 10 seniors, including captains Emily Schmitz, Tataryn and Sophie Roux and defenseman Taylor Gelling. Those four have been playing together since their freshman year and are like sisters, Helling-Christy said. 

Tataryn, Roux, and Gelling play on the same club soccer team as Orono’s Carly Goehring, who scored on Thursday. All four have committed to play college soccer.

“It’s like the best feeling in the world,” Roux said of the title.

Gelling was unable to play Thursday because of a kidney injury she sustained during Wednesday’s semifinal. Julia Stellijes played her position and made the all-tournament team.

For Orono’s 11 seniors, Thursday ended a career that included winning the 2014 state title. Coach Erin Murray was able to play all 11 in the last five minutes of the game.

“We didn’t give up,” Murray said. “That’s all we really wanted.”

Benilde-St. Margaret’s scored three goals in a 4-minute span in the second half to break a halftime tie with Orono and win the Class 1A girls’ soccer championship Thursday at Husky Stadium in St. Cloud.

The Red Knights (20-1-1) were led by Aleksa Tataryn, who scored her team’s first two goals, including the go-ahead goal in the second half.

Tataryn, recently named Ms. Soccer in Class 1A, scored the game’s first goal in the game’s second minute.

Orono’s Claire Bash tied it with a goal with 18:45 remaining in the first half.

The Red Knight onslaught in the second half began when Tataryn scored her second goal, assisted by Madison Stoks, with 23:26 remaining. Three minutes later the top-ranked Red Knights scored again, this time on a goal by Amanda Cassidy. About a minute later, Madison Stoks scored to make it a 4-1 lead.

Orono’s Carly Goehring narrowed the lead when she scored on a free kick with 13:43 remaining.

Orono, which won the Class 1A title in 2014, finished with a 19-3 record.

Check back later for more on the game.