You often hear coaches express concern when they catch players looking ahead on the schedule. The whole,"we're going to take it one game at a time" phrase is among the biggest clichés in sports.

And while Pete Tyma wasn't saying his Lakeville North boys' soccer team bagged the final games of the regular season, he understood why players were looking ahead to the start this week of the Class 2A, Section 1 tournament.

"We've kept our focus, but it's on to the next season," Tyma said. "Our guys are really excited for this tournament. The last few games at the end of the [regular] season, our guys were just ready for the excitement of the playoffs. That whole 'you never know what's going to happen' kind of thing."

The Panthers (8-5-2) grabbed the No. 1 seed in the section tournament despite limping to a 1-5 end to the regular season. Not exactly an ideal way to enter the playoffs, but there is still hope.

Six of Lakeville North's first nine games of the season were played against fellow Section 1 opponents. The Panthers went 5-0-1, including an 8-1 romp over Rochester John Marshall -- their first-round opponent Thursday.

"We all know getting to the state tournament is the No. 1 goal," Tyma said. "And obviously through sections is how you do that."

Lakeville North took an academic approach to games this season, using film breakdown as part of its preparation. That was a new tactic for Tyma, in his eighth year as head coach for the Panthers, but tape of previous games should help his team get through a section that includes teams from three different conferences.

"Every matchup is going to be a good one," he said. "That's the nice thing about our section. It's not decided yet. Someone is going to have to earn it."

• In Section 3, Eastview opened play Tuesday against Hastings. The Lightning entered the game, which was played after this edition went to print, 15-0-1 with shutouts in four of its past five games.

Girls' soccer

• Lakeville North's girls' program enters its section tournament as a top seed. The Panthers are No. 1 in Class 2A, Section 1 after finishing the regular season 14-0-2. The team opens play Thursday against Rochester Mayo, a squad that the Panthers throttled 7-0 on Sept. 24.

• Burnsville opens Section 2 play Thursday at home as the top seed against Bloomington Kennedy. The Blaze (12-4) lost 2-1 to Lakeville North on Oct. 4 but its last seven victories of the season came via shutout.

• Visitation finished the regular season with its most victories since 2008, but the Blazers (11-5) couldn't get a bye in their section. They drew the No. 5 seed in Class 1A, Section 3, a loaded field that includes Blake School, SPA and Holy Angels as the top three seeds and an automatic trip into Round 2. Visitation opened section play Tuesday against Bethany Academy.

Brian Stensaas • 612-673-4127