2023 Season Preview

Welcome to Ted & JPs game of the week blog. This is where you will find the pre-game previews, post-game breakdowns and media links from the games that DTA attends this season!

As we embark on the 2023 spring season, one can only ask; Do all roads lead to a BSM/PL final, AGAIN, for the 5th year in a row? We are coming to feel like the HS season just ends up being a race for third place with those two powerhouse programs having such amazing success, collectively over the last 5 seasons. Until proven otherwise, PL & BSM are in a tier by themselves but here are some of our key storylines as we head into 2023:

BSM’s biggest change this year is a new coaching staff. While the new head coach was previously an assistant and has a ton of familiarity with the program, anytime there is a change in leadership, we can expect there will be some growing pains. Even if it’s simply changes in personality and expectations. That being said, the new BSM staff is extremely experienced and should not have any problem leading the Red Knights back to the promised land.

Prior Lake is more motivated than ever after back to back runner-up seasons, with last year’s final being and overtime thriller and one of the best championship games we have seen in the short history of High School Lacrosse in Minnesota. A few key losses from an offense that was lethal last season will be the big adjustment for the Lakers heading into the season, but, as we have seen, they seem to have plenty of depth in program for new players to step up and fill the void. The Lakers also return their entire defense and several key contributors from last year that should allow them to weather, if any, adjustment type storm early in the season.

Chanhassen has been “upset” the past two seasons at the state tournament but returns a very strong Junior class and a couple key seniors to a team that was extremely good last year. They did lose a face-off guy and a couple key pieces on offense, but, like PL, they return their defensive starters and several key offensive players as well. The Storm should come out of the gate firing and hungry to avenge the quarter-final loss to Centennial from a year ago.

Rosemount, Mahtomedi, St. Thomas Academy, and Eagan bring back teams that were solid from last year and comprised mostly of under-classmen. Now senior heavy, they should have the athletes and experience to make a run should the pieces fall into place. Hard to put any of these teams in “surprise” category as they have all had a lot of success over the years, but, I could see one of these teams being a state contender by end of the season.

Centennial and Stillwater, two state tournament teams from a year ago, lost some big time players to graduation and are left with what is mostly unproven underclassmen. But, like aforementioned Prior Lake, big programs tend to have players “waiting their turn” to step up as starters on the big stage. These teams may look different but I don’t expect too much of a drop off in talent. Expectations at these programs are high and the players know what needs to be done to uphold the success of past groups.

Jefferson, Lakeville North and Edina all had extremely young teams last year and are taking the “baptism-by-fire” approach with their young guns. Teams that had countless freshman and sophomores last season on VARSITY are banking on rolling with and developing a great core group that have received varsity minutes from the start. I expect all of these teams to continue to trend up and could be surprise teams this season.

Farmington and Woodbury, who were state participants from last year are out to prove they are Section mainstays and not a one and done programs. Both teams bracing for the loss of an all-American superstar and additional scoring production, but, both teams also return a lot of role player depth. The big question mark for both of these teams is who steps up to fill that “alpha” leadership role? I think both teams have strong depth and youth programs that will be looking to prove that the loss of a few guys to graduation is not enough to slow them down.

Moorhead, another state tourney participant last year (back to back representatives from section 8) did lose some key senior contributors to graduation, but, they have proven over the last two seasons that they are usually a tough out in sections. STMA and Elk River seem to be the biggest challengers to Moorhead and usually has a lot of hype heading into the season, is this the year one of them they finally break through or is Moorhead heading back to the dance for a third season in a row? Also watch out for Sartell/Sauk Rapids and Providence Academy in section 8. Both of those teams have been growing and improving year after year and could pop off at any moment

Praying that the weather begins to turn to “spring” as we get underway in a few days - couldn’t be more excited for 2023!

-Ted