Last week, it routed an undefeated invader from the north.
This week’s challenger arrives from the south.
No, we aren’t talking about "Game of Thrones" episodes or scenes from the Mel Gibson movie "Braveheart." This isn’t (fictional) life and death, after all, it’s just boys’ soccer.
Which isn’t to say that Minneapolis Washburn's Saturday matchup with Lakeville North is just another game. In fact, it's our Top Game Game of the Week.
After it’s 3-0 triumph over previously unbeaten St. Cloud Tech last Saturday, Minneapolis Washburn, ranked No. 8 in the Class 2A coaches' poll from Sept. 16, served notice that it can compete with, and beat, some of the state's hottest teams.
Millers’ standout forward Darley Florvil continued his torrid scoring pace, notching a goal against St. Cloud Tech to boost his season total to 13. Jameson Charles and Sam Isaacman added goals and Ben Schliemann made three saves in the shutout victory for Washburn (7-2-1, 3-0-0), which was a state tournament fixture in the 1980s with six appearances in the decade but has qualified just once (2015) since.
No team has had a more impressive season to date than Lakeville North (11-0-0, 5-0-0), which shut out two more opponents — Prior Lake (1-0 on Sept. 17) and Rosemount (1-0 two days later) — last week to run its season total to nine.
Lakeville South, on Sept. 12, and Bloomington Jefferson, this past Saturday, are the only teams to register goals against the No. 4-2A Panthers this season. Evan Siefken made six saves, and Mason Faint, Ethan Sedlacek and Josiah Enderson scored in the 3-1 victory over Jefferson. Sedlacek, a junior forward, leads Lakeville North, a Class 2A state tournament qualifier the last two seasons, offensively with seven goals.
Saturday's game caps a brutally tough week for Lakeville North, which plays No. 10-2A Shakopee Tuesday night and No. 6-2A Eastview on Thursday.