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Maple Grove girls return to state tourney after booting OT winner against Centennial

By Dominic Davis, SportsEngine, 10/17/18, 9:45AM CDT

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Brenna Saladin netted a hat trick, including the game winner, to send the Crimson to the Class 2A tournament.

Maple Grove's Brenna Saladin (4) scores the game-winning goal to beat Centennial in overtime. Saladin finished the night with three goals. Photo by Carter Jones, SportsEngine

Maple Grove's Brenna Saladin (4) scores the game-winning goal to beat Centennial in overtime. Saladin finished the night with three goals. Photo by Carter Jones, SportsEngine

Class 2A, Section 5 has two heavyweights and the rivalry between Maple Grove (15-2-2) and Centennial (14-4) grows deeper with each section final they go head to head. This year’s championship was the fourth consecutive these two have played each other.

In 2015 and 2016, Centennial beat Maple Grove 3-0 and 3-2, respectively. The Cougars went on to win the state title in 2016.

The Crimson got the upperhand in 2017, when they won the section finale 3-0. Maple Grove made it all the way to the state title game where the Crimson fell just short, losing 2-1 to Eagan.

This was Maple Grove’s year to repeat as section champion with Brenna Saladin pushing the Crimson, ranked No. 6 in the final Class 2A coaches’ poll of the season, past the No. 8-2A Cougars. Saladin scored three goals in a 3-2 overtime win Tuesday night at Maple Grove High School.

Maple Grove midfielder Emma Fournier threads a shot past a Centennial defender at Maple Grove High School Tuesday night. Photo by Carter Jones, SportsEngine

Maple Grove midfielder Emma Fournier threads a shot past a Centennial defender at Maple Grove High School Tuesday night. Photo by Carter Jones, SportsEngine

First Report

Maple Grove’s Brenna Saladin scored three goals, including the game-winner in overtime, to top Centennial 3-2 in the Class 2A, Section 5 final at Maple Grove High School Tuesday night.

The Cougars (14-4) broke the stalemate with four minutes remaining in the first half. Forward Khyah Harper headed in a goal to give her team a 1-0 lead going into halftime.

Centennial goalie Brianna Levine made five saves in the first half. Two of which were very close to being goals for the Crimson.

Maple Grove (15-2-2) tied the match four minutes into the second half when Saladin took advantage of a mistake by the Centennial defense. Moments later, the Cougars, ranked No. 8 in the Class 2A coaches’ poll, regained the lead with a strike from Harper, her second of the match.

Saladin netted her second tally, assisted by Mannon McMahon, moments later, pushing the game to overtime.

Five minutes into overtime, Saladin tapped in a rebound off the crossbar to complete her hat trick and win the game, sending her team back to the state tournament, where the No. 6-2A Crimson lost to Eagan in the championship game a year ago.

Centennial forward Kyah Harper scores on a free kick to go up 2-1 against Maple Grove. Centennial would go on to lose 3-2 in overtime. Photo by Carter Jones, SportsEngine

Centennial forward Kyah Harper scores on a free kick to go up 2-1 against Maple Grove. Centennial would go on to lose 3-2 in overtime. Photo by Carter Jones, SportsEngine

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