BOYS: Lakeville North
Moving on to #3 in the LaxNumbers rankings on the boys side… Defending State Champion, Lakeville North
2023 Record
17-2. State CHAMPIONS
Lost Notables?
Austin Winship - 46 G, 29A
Leo Piscitiello - 19G, 25A
Nathan Long - 11G, 8A (also, the two biggest goals in program history)
Tyler Ahlvers - .581 SV%, senior captain
Drew Mulcahy - starting close Defenseman
Returning Notables?
Holy Smokes… okay
Quinn Power - a DUDE. 78.5% FO (against the toughest teams), 22 G, 11A, 234 Ground Balls! LOL WHAT?
Blake Piscitiello - 67G, 31A
Carson Piscitiello - 35G, 57A
Lane Johnson - 45G, 14A
Jack Neisen - starting LSM
Melin/Erickson - Starting SSDMs
Halstead/Riley - two thirds of the starting D
Instant Reaction
As a Farmington coach (section and conference opponent) I am crying as I type this. After the Panthers made their run to the championship last year, I thought maybe they would have to make some adjustments. But, a deeper dive into this and I may have to put them right next to BSM as a clear favorite to win state again.
They lost a few key guys - maybe not their top point producers but true team leaders. Winship, Leo, Tyler and Drew were all guys that had been around for a while and provided veteran leadership. I think they made the young guns on that team better. Nathan Long was sort of a late comer to the party, but, scored arguably, the two biggest goals in program history with OT game winners in the state semi-final and final. He had the clutch gene and brought a level of toughness that I am sure will be missed. Winship was a true quarterback in that he was able to create for others and make their whole system work.
They get their guy, Quinn Power back. He is the best face-off man in the state and also can produce. Also, from what little I know of him, is the hardest worker on the team, so, he sets the tone for the whole bunch.
On defense, They get 2/3 of their starting close defense back and will insert a really good pole, Joel Schlauderaff in to fill Mulcahy’s spot. Their starting LSM and two starting SSDM’s also return. They will have to replace Ahlvers in goal but Bouman comes from a great lacrosse family and was solid in his time in the crease last year when Ahlvers was out.
They get their top two point producers back, twin brothers, Blake and Carson Piscietello, as well as their steady midfielder, Lane Johnson who has been starting since he was a freshman. Andy Slattery is another middy that will jump into the offensive lineup who had a decent amount of time last year as a sophomore.
The real only question mark I have with the panthers now is who fills that third midfield spot?
The Future
The 2026 and 2027 classes at Lakeville North are largely unknown to me as they have been a bit overshadowed by the talented 2025 class that has been contributing since they were freshman. While they aren’t underclassmen, these few guys below will be expected to step up to fill some of the void from graduation and play a larger role in 2024
Andy Slattery: 18 points as a sophomore last year… probably is a starter on a lot of teams but was more of a role player last year. I do expect him to be part of their starting midfield. Luckily, he has plenty of varsity experience
Carter Zweber: Another depth guy on varsity last year that will probably take on a larger role this year
Reece Hunt: Should challenge for more playing time in the close D rotation
2024 Schedule
As always, They will get the strong conference games in the SSC. Last year added Tonka, Northfield, Hastings, Eden Prairie, Mankato, and Edina. I hope they play Edina again this upcoming year and if they do, I hope it’s earlier in the regular season. Last year, it was the final regular season game in late may. Both teams had locked up #1 seeds in their section. I am not saying they didn’t try to win the game or compete fully, but, there wasn’t much on the line with the result of the game. I am curious on how things change for them this year being defending champs. Do teams look at them differently and give them a different level of effort/intensity? They have always been a top program, so, maybe not, but as they say, “its harder to stay on top than it is to get there.”
In Conclusion
If there was ever a perfect set up for a repeat. This is it. So many starters and contributors are back for the panthers, and when you have a player who can win nearly every face-off with bonafide goal scorers on offense, you always have a chance. Plus, you have a defense that grew up a lot last year and now is playing varsity lacrosse as upperclassmen. You can shout out anything you want about lax iq, skills, etc, etc. If you aren’t physically ready to compete against your competition, it’s tough sledding. I think their defense takes another step this year. The only real area of weakness I see with LVN is their depth. With two high schools in Lakeville, the program isn’t massive. The starting 10 for the Panthers are elite. If they stay healthy, they should be somewhere near the final again. But, if someone goes down, it might change the identity of their team. They have a few seniors that logged some minutes last year and got some experience, so, my guess would be that they jump in and be okay, but, only time will tell. All in all, the panthers will be back, if not better, than last year.
Next Week: Shakopee
