The Blazing Cats. a cooperative adaptive floor hockey team sponsored by the Farmington, Lakeville and Burnsville school districts, advanced to the state tournament with a 9-4 record, including a 7-2 playoff victory over North Suburban.
In the eight-team state meet held March 17-18 at Bloomington Jefferson High School, the Blazing Cats opened play with an 11-4 loss to Anoka-Hennepin, the defending state champion.
Unbeaten Anoka-Hennepin scored five first period goals and rolled to its 13th consecutive win. Stephan Friday scored three of the four Blazing Cats goals.
In Saturday's consolation round Owatonna rallied for five goals in the third period to edge the Cats 8-7 and advance to the consolation finals.
The teams were tied 3-3 after two periods before the Blazing Cats rattled off three straight goals to take a 6-3 lead. But the Huskies countered with four straight scores of their own and then held on for the one-goal win.
Friday had another big offensive game in the losing effort, accounting for five goals and running his two-day total to eight.
Senior Ashley Smith of Farmington played goalie for the Blazing Cats. Other Farmington players included freshmen D.J. Evans, Terry Kalm and Jacob Kuhlman.
The Blazing Cats closed the 2010-11 season with a 9-6 record.
