Section 7 Preview: 2024 MSHSL Girls Lacrosse
Will Katie manage to alienate another team in this week’s section review? We can only hope so!
A little disruption in Section 7.
Section 7 champion Champlin Park has moved on to choppier waters in Section 5. This leaves Section 7 totally up in the air, but will the takes be as controversial as those made in Section 6? Let’s get into it!
Mrs. Pmac’s Source’s Section 7 2024 Projected Top 4
First – Andover
Second – Chisago Lakes
Third – Centennial
Fourth – Grand Rapids/Greenway
Keeping Our Eye On – Duluth
Andover
2023 Record: 11-4
2023 Lost to Centennial in Section 7 semifinals 9-6, as the 2 seed
State Tournament Appearances: 2 times - 2021 & 2022
Andover finds themselves back atop our pre-season section rankings, after last year’s champ was moved into Section 5. Andover loses (5) 2023s, most notably their goalie and leading defender.
They bring back a lot of their production from last year and sport a goalie that did get some varsity reps. They’ve proven themselves to be a solid NWSC member with a deep and dedicated program.
The improved NWSC conference scheduling should really help Andover, and the rest of the NWSC teams, get dialed in as they head into sections.
Key wins:
Elk River/Zimmerman 5-4
Armstrong 6-5
Wayzata 10-6
Key losses:
Maple Grove 14-3
Centennial 6-3, 9-6
Champlin Park 7-6
Key players they lose:
(5) 2023s
Emma Tammi (D) - 44 GB/30 FT - D3 UWEC
Elizabeth Schrubbe (A) - 36 points - D3 College of St, Benedict’s
Ava Bock (GK) - 4.69 GAA/66.1% - 651 min played
Key players coming back:
2024 Merill Delich (M) - 55 points/37 GB/31 CT/38 DC
2025 Ella Thoreson (A) - 32 points/33 GB
2024 Riley Klein (D) - 12 GB/9 CT - D2 Concordia St. Paul
2024 Isabel Mika (M) - 21 points/33 GB/21CT/39 DC - D2 Embry-Riddle
2025 Lucy Morgan (GK) - 2.53 GAA/61.5% - 99 min played
Chisago Lakes
2023 Record: 15-1
2023 Lost to Champlin Park in Section 7 semifinals 10-3, as the 4 seed
State Tournament Appearances: none
Undefeated until the section semifinal…Chisago Lakes takes the #2 spot, as what one of our sources called “the up and coming team of the section.” While a program on the rise, they do lose their #1 points scorer, but return most everything else, including their keeper, who has been touted to us as the the real deal.
Also worth noting, Makenna Olson was described as the “fastest player I’ve seen this side of Velner from Edina last year, she basically is their transition package.” That’s is high praise…and means she’s silly fast…and an issue for Section 7.
Their run last year helps give them a bump this year.
Key wins:
Monticello 10-8
St. Cloud 10-3
Key losses:
Champlin Park 10-3
Key players they lose:
(6) 2023s
Skyler Wells (A) - 43 points
Kaianna Senne (A) - 27 points
Key players coming back:
2024 Kamryn Peterson (M) - 32 points - D3 College of St. Benedict
2024 Makenna Olson (D) - 25 GB - D2 Mars Hill
2026 Camryn Hinsch (M) - 25 points
2026 Naomi Eaton (M) - 24 points
2025 Laura Carlson (GK) - 5.07 GAA/66.2%
Centennial
2023 Record: 11-4
2023 Lost to Champlin Park in Section 7 finals 15-7, as the 3 seed
State Tournament Appearances: 1 time - 2009
Probably the most upset over Chisago Lakes’ position has got to be Centennial. Centennial had (50) people on their 2023 MLH roster…(10) of which were 2023s and lose, their top 2, by a LARGE margin, point scorers. The thing that interests us for the next two years are that they have (12) 2025s and (20) 2026s on their 2023 MLH roster. Bonkers.
Stats through 10 games, so not a total complete picture…but good enough.
Key wins:
Andover 6-3 & 9-6
Armstrong 9-8
Grand Rapids/Greenway 11-5
Key losses:
Maple Grove 11-6
Champlin Park 15-3 & 15-7
Elk River/Zimmerman 14-7
Key players they lose:
(10) 2023s
Elizabeth Clough (D) - D3 UWRF
Ella O’Hearn (M) - 54 points
Callie Cody (M) 31 points
Key players coming back:
2024 Peyton Brenzy (GK) - 5.92 GAA/34.3%
2025 Ella Weist (A) - 18 points
Grand Rapids/Greenway
2023 Record: 11-4
2023 Lost to Centennial in Section 7 quarterfinals 11-5, as the 6 seed
State Tournament Appearances: none
Honestly…we thought long and hard about putting Grand Rapids/Greenway in the 3 spot (given the # of 2023s Centennial is losing), but we need a little bit more and will instead give them the chance to prove us wrong. 11-4 last year, they lost to Forest Lake, Gentry, Moorhead and Centennial…but their only key win was an earlier season win against Moorhead. They lost a 70 point scorer, but bring back a 78 and 70 point scorer and their goalies.
Some sources suggest we are a little too high on GR/G, but we’ll let it fly with them at 4.
Key wins:
Moorhead 19-15
Key losses:
Forest Lake 13-12
Gentry 18-5
Moorhead 11-10
Centennial 11-5
Key players they lose:
(5) 2023s
Caroline Ahcan (A) - 70 points - D3 College of St. Benedict’s
Key players coming back:
2024 Molly Pierce (A) - 78 points
2025 Ryleigh Sherlock - 70 points
2024 Barrie Bahr (A) - 52 points
2026 Julia Stefan (GK) - 7.28 GAA/39.7%
2027 Mariah Cole (GK) - 9.50 GAA/36.7%
Duluth
2023 Record: 7-8
2023 Lost to Spring Lake Park in Section 7 play in game 16-13, as the 10 seed
State Tournament Appearances: none
Duluth was a real curious one for us: they only lose (4) 2023s (one a big time scorer), bring back (2) goalies, and bring back a lot of the rest of the production. Based on their schedule, it seems they could be primed for making more noise than last year.
Don’t worry Duluth - you’re turning some heads in the state - keep up the good work!
Forest Lake
2023 Record: 4-11
2023 Lost to Chisago Lakes in Section 7 quarterfinals 11-6, as the 5 seed
State Tournament Appearances: 1 time - 2019
The Rangers of Forest Lake struggled a little last year and lose their #1 point scorer, by almost 30 points. Having a more diversified offense is probably better in the long run, but might lead to a bumpier road in 2024. Supporting this tactic is very few returning 2024s, so look for FL to make some more waves in 2025.
Spring Lake Park
2023 Record: 5-10
2023 Lost to Andover in Section 7 quarterfinals 14-3, as the 7 seed
State Tournament Appearances: none
The other SLP, Spring Lake Park, slides in after a 5-10 campaign. Looking at their losses and returners, this feels like the right spot.
Anoka
2023 Record: 4-11
2023 Lost to Champlin Park in Section 7 quarterfinals 18-5, as the 9 seed
State Tournament Appearances: none
Losing #1, #3, and #5 point scorers, but bringing back goalies. They had virtually no production elsewhere (#5 only had 8 points), so we need to see where production will come from and how much they’ll have.
Blaine
2023 Record: 3-11
2023 Lost to Anoka in Section 7 play in game 12-11, as the 8 seed
State Tournament Appearances: 3 times - 2016, 2017, 2018
We almost promoted Blaine over Anoka, but they lose (11) 2023s.
Hermantown/Proctor
2023 Record: 4-10
2023 Lost to Grand Rapids/Greenway in Section 7 play in game 21-8, as the 11 seed
State Tournament Appearances: none
Hermantown/Proctor also had 4 wins, but they didn’t post grad years. Got to take a wait and see approach.
Duluth Marshall
2023 Record: 1-6
2023 Did not play in MSHSL Section Playoffs
State Tournament Appearances: none
Almost rounding out Section 7 is Duluth Marshall. Went 1-6 last year in their first season…no grad years in MLH, so we don’t really know what to expect for them coming back. Curious what is going on up in Duluth - glad to see them supporting two teams…now let’s see how we can get them to grow their respective programs!
Coon Rapids
2023 Record: 0-14
2023 Lost to Forest lake in Section 7 play in game 19-1, as the 12 seed
State Tournament Appearances: none
Only had (4) 2023s on their roster. Let’s hope that there are things on the rise for CR.