Benilde-St. Margaret's coach Scott Helling-Christy leads the No. 2-1A Red Knights into another tussle with No. 3-1A Blake on Sept. 1. The team are longtime rivals who have faced each other for the Class 1A title three times. Photo by Kelly McGinley
Two perennial Class 1A state title contenders meet in a pivotal section-seeding game when Benilde-St. Margaret’s, No. 2 in the rankings provided by the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaching Association, meets No. 3 Blake. Both moved to Section 5 this season.
The Red Knights had won Class 1A state championships in 2013 and 2012 and finished runners-up in 2011, but couldn’t get past Orono in the Class 1A, Section 6 finals last year, falling 2-1 in a shootout loss to the eventual state champion Spartans.
The Bears, meanwhile, couldn't get by Benilde-St. Margaret’s when they met in the 2012 and 2013 state championship games. Blake won the 2011 state title with a victory over the Red Knights.
This rivalry will once again be renewed when the teams meet in our Top Game of the Week.
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Tag(s): Girls' MSHSL Big 9 Mankato West Big South St. Peter Central Lakes Sartell Sauk Rapids-Rice IMAC Blake St. Paul Academy Lake Wayzata Metro East Mahtomedi Metro West Benilde-St. Margaret's Mississippi 8 St. Michael-Albertville Northwest Suburban Maple Grove Robbinsdale Armstrong South Suburban Burnsville Eastview Suburban East East Ridge Mounds View Park of Cottage Grove Woodbury Tri-Metro Visitation