Girls Lacrosse: A season to savor

Rachael Welzin 33 goals, 20 assists (photo by Jim Lindquist)

A 14-win season. A top-five state ranking. A Missota Conference championship. A 13-game winning streak and a first-ever trip to the section finals. By any measurement, the 2014 Tiger girls' lacrosse season was one to remember.

"This was such a fun year," coach Dan Pickens said. "Things are always more fun when you are winning, but I am convinced that this group would have enjoyed the season regardless. We had some learning to do at the beginning, but once we really got going we were fun to watch.

"With the dynamics of our team having 13 seniors and 13 freshman we had to work a bit to gel.  I saw the girls grow so much as a team...The season was not without its challenges, but overall, things went about as well as they could."

To show the diversity of the 2014 Tigers, 13 of the 25 players receiving varsity letters at the post-season banquet were seniors and two were juniors. The remaining 10 were either eighth or ninth graders.

Defensive leader Shaye Jenrich (No. 3) (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Senior letterwinners included Shaye Jenrich, Kylee Glen, Lindsay Benson, Mikalaya Todd, Brooke Raske, Breanna Raske, Rachael Welzin. Kaitlyn Lacroix, Delaney Johnson, Kaeli Halverson, Kelly Kornmann, Bria Donnelly and Maddie Kohlbeck.

Underclassmen receiving letters included juniors Shelby Klotz and Becky Genzler; freshmen  Dani Wright, Ali Saby, Kamryn Corraro, Ashley Steffes, Amanda Davenport, Ashley Hessler and Alexis Stanley and eighth-graders Lexi Laube, Christine Steffes and Emma Kohlbeck.

 A record four players earned all-state recognition, including goalkeeper Maddie Kohlbeck (4.45 goals against average), Rachael Welzin (33 goals 20 assists), Klotz (47 goals) and defensive standout Shaye Jenrich.

Goalie of the Year finalist Maddie Kohlbeck (photo by J. Lindquist)

Kohlbeck, Welzin, Klotz and Ashley Steffes all made the all-Missota Conference team. Genzler and Jenrich received all-league honorable mention.

Kohlbeck is one of two finalists for the yet-to-be announced state Goalie of the Year Award.

When asked to point to the major highlights of the season, Pickens started to rattle off some examples like outscoring the opposition by a head-scratching 178-60 before finally settling on two that best described the memorable run.

"Basically, it came down to breaking every record in our book, having fun and enjoying our time together," he said.

Pickens said there was but one regret in the season jut completed, failure to get by Lakeville South in the section title game and landing the program's fist-ever berth in the state tournament.

Even though the strong senior class will be absent when practice starts next spring, Pickens says he is confident that winning lacrosse is here to stay for Farmington.

"We'll have a lot of younger players returning and we also have an excelling youth program to keep feeding us," he said. " Farmington is going to be a prominent force for a while now, and I am excited to be a part of it."

As for the move to the South Suburban Conference next year, Pickens said he is excited about the prospect.

Shelby Klotz scored a team-high 47 goals (photo by Jim Lindquist)

"The Missota was nice to have this year but we are a much better fit in the South Suburban," he said. "It will be nice to play some more competition throughout the season so we are better prepared for section and other post-season games."

Pickens said that players improving their skills over the off-season will continue to be a factor in his program's trend upward.

"Lacrosse is becoming more of a girls' main sport and that is a good thing for the program," he said. "Coaches also need to continue to learn and bring that expertise to the team.  A culture has been set and we need to continue to build leadership capacity within the program so that our success continues.

"Success is much more than the overall record. It is about how well everyone gets along, fun that is had and what lessons were learned. Usually when those things happen, a good record follows."

Girls Lacrosse: South spoils another party

2014 Section 1 runner-ups (photo by Jim Lindquist)

If Farmington is looking to develop a rivalry in the South Suburban Conference next year, Lakeville South might be an appropriate choice.

For the fourth time this spring the Cougars eliminated the Tigers from post-season competition, this time with a 12-5 win in Tuesday's night's Section 1 championship at Tiger Stadium.

Over the previous two weeks South had also taken out Farmington in post-season play in baseball, softball and boys lacrosse.

Tuesday's title match pitted the No. 5-rated Tigers who came in riding a 13-game winning streak and the sixth-ranked Cougars who had won six straight.

The Tigers shot out of the gate with leading scorers Rachael Welzin and Shelby Klotz each finding the net in the game's first 65 seconds for a 2-0 lead.

South responded in kind but Ashley Steffes put her team back on top 3-2 with a goal at 7:56 of the opening half.

Farmington held its last lead at 4-3 on Becky Genzler's score with 6:52 to go before intermission before the game took an about face. South rattled off four unanswered goals in the final four minutes of the half to hit the break with a three-goal lead.
 

Rachael Welzin scored 2 goals (photo by Jim Lindquist)

 "Lacrosse is a game of runs, more than any other sport I have played or coached," Tiger coach Dan Pickens said. "I have seen leads appear and disappear very fast. The beginning and end of the halves are huge and they came up big."
The second half belonged to the Cougars who seemed to control every face-off and subsequently time of possession.

"We won only six out of 19 draws in the game and that along with the possession made a big difference," Pickens said.

South scored twice in the first five minutes of the second half and then after Welzin netted the only Tiger goal of the second half, tacked on three more to sew up the Section 1 berth in next week's state tournament in Chanhassen.

"The biggest difference was ball control and winning little battles around the field for possession," Pickens said. "If we could go back and had another day to prepare, I wouldn’t do anything differently. We were ready and the girls were excited. It just wasn’t our night."

The final shots on goal numbers told the ball control story as the Cougars finished with a 25-9 bulge. Tiger goalie Maddie Kohlbeck racked up 13 saves in her final high school game.

Farmington finished the season with a school-record 14-2 mark with both losses to South. The Tigers went undefeated while winning the first-ever Missota Conference championship and according to Pickens, raised the bar for his program significantly.

"I have to keep reminding myself and the girls not to be sad because it ended, but happy because it happened," Pickens said. "This was an incredible ride. I knew we were going to be good this year, but had no idea we would accomplish this much.

"I am so proud of how this team came together and acted as a team. When one got down, others picked her up. The season was not without its challenges, but I will remember this team and this year for many years. I feel blessed to be able to be a part of a great group like this."

Shelby Klotz had a goal and an assist (photo by Jim Lindquist)

13 in a row and a trip to the finals

Ashley Steffes 7 goals, assist (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Fifth-ranked Farmington (14-1) won its 13th game in a row and earned its first-ever trip to the section finals with a dominant 16-6 semifinal win over Owatonna Friday night at Tiger Stadium.

The high-flying Tigers dominated the play early on against the Huskies but had a little trouble putting the ball in the net. Gradually the scoring gates opened and by intermission the section's top seed was sitting on a 7-2 lead.

"We started the game with a lot of possession time, but we couldn’t score right away," coach Dan Pickens sad. "But it was obvious early that we had a winning attitude and it was going to take a lot to slow us down.

"We also knew they had two girls that score most of their goals and we were going to have to shut them down. Our defense and (goalie) Maddie Kohlbeck played with attitude..."

On offense Ashley Steffes, Rachael Welzin and Shelby Klotz combined to score 14 of the Farmington goals. Steffes had a huge night, scoring seven goals and assisting on one.

Maddie Kohlbeck 14 saves (photo by Jim Lindquist)

"The biggest difference in the game was our team offense," Pickens said. "It was the best it's been all year...Ashley (Steffes) is a very underrated player who really stepped up when they keyed on Rachael (Welzin) and Shelby (Klotz)..."

Welzin tallied four goals and two assists and leading season goal scorer Shelby Klotz (40) chipped in with a hat trick. Kaeli Halverson and Amanda Davenport also scored for the Missota Conference champions. Becky Genzler didn't score a goal but chimed in with five assists.

Kohlbeck, a finalist for state Goalie of the Year honors, faced 20 shots and finished with 14 saves.

The semifinal victory set up a rematch with six-ranked Lakeville South Tuesday night at Tiger Stadium for the Section 1 title and a berth in the state tournament scheduled for Chanhassen the following week.

The Cougars scored a goal in the game's final 10 seconds to hand Farmington its only loss in the second game of the regular season.

"We are ready." Pickens said. " No matter what happens, we know it is going to be a fast-paced, well-played lacrosse game."

Girls Lacrosse: No.1 and looking the part

Kaitlyn Lacroix 3 goals, assist (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Top-seeded Farmington barely broke a sweat in its Section 1 opener Tuesday night, rolling by first-year program Northfield 20-1 at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers won the regular season meeting between the two teams 18-2 and the rematch looked like a re-run most of the night.

"We have been anticipating the post-season for a while now and the time is here<' Tiger coach Dan Pickens said.  We have had a phenomenal season so far, but as we talked about everyone starts at 0-0 in the playoffs.

"We were able to get the entire section roster into the game which was nice."

Shelby Klotz scored twice in the game's first 1:38 to set the tone for the contest and the home team led 10-0 with 10:51 remaining in the opening half to start running time.

The lead was at an even dozen by intermission and swelled even more over the final half.

Pickens had a chance to use his roster liberally throughout the night and the final stat sheet showed the results.Thirteen different players scored goals and 15 scored at least a point.

Klotz finished with four goals to top the list. Kaitlyn Lacroix added three scores and an assist and Kaeli Halverson and Alexis Stanley each found the net twice.

Rachael Welzin, Amanda Davenport, Betsy Genzler,  Brooke Raske, Ashley Steffes, Christina Steffes,, Kelly Kornmann, Kamryn Corraro and Ashley Hessler also scored for the winners.

Genzler chipped in with three assists and Ashley Steffes and Brooke Raske each had two. Breanna Raske and Ali Saby also recorded assists for the Tigers.

Goalkeeper Maddie Kohlbeck didn't see much action around the net but stopped five of the six Raider shots.

The win vaulted the No. 5-rated Tigers into a Friday night semifinal match-up at Tiger Stadium against the winner of Tuesday's night's opening round game between Owatonna and Rochester Century.

"We are looking forward to playing Friday and will be ready," Pickens said. "Glad we are playing at home, I think the large field is an advantage for our very fast, athletic team."

Girls Lacrosse: Tigers win Missota, finish 12-1

11 of the 13 Tiger seniors model their Missota Conference championship t-shirts

It's official: The Tigers are the one, the only and forever Missota Conference girls' lacrosse champions.

In the first season the Missota has given the sport championship status and the last of its more than half century existence, Farmington (12-1 overall) finished with a perfect 5-0 league mark, outscoring its opponents by a combined score of 73-17.

Coach Dan Pickens' team finished off its perfect conference season Friday night with a 17-3 thrashing of Shakopee. That followed a lopsided 19-6 victory over Section 1 rival Rochester John Marshall Thursday night.

"I know I keep saying this but this is a very special group of girls that starts with a wonderful 2014 class of seniors that know what it takes to be leaders," Pickens said. "I feel honored to be able to coach these girls to such a successful season. Now we just need to finish it with our first trip to the state tournament."

Farmington 19 Rochester Century 6
If Thursday's Senior Night game at Tiger Field was a boxing match it would have been declared a technical knockout as the The Tigers dominated from start to finish against the Rockets.

Seven different players scored goals for Farmington with leading scorer Shelby Klotz paving the way with four goals. Rachael Welzin and Kaeli Halverson each chimed in with three goals and an assist and Ashley Steffes scored two goals and assisted on two others.

Ashley Steffes 4 goals, 4 assists in final two games (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Kaitlyn Lacroix, Becky Genzler and Lindsay Benson each contributed a goal and and an assist and Kamryn Corraro chipped in with a goal.

Farmington outshot its guests by a one-sided 41-15. Maddie Kohlbeck and Scootie Donnelly shared the goaltending duties. Kohlbeck gave up five goals with four saves. Donnelly stopped six of the seven Rocket shots she faced.

"Our seniors have grown so much as lacrosse players and as leaders during their time with the team," Pickens said. "They have a great group of younger girls to lead and the younger players definitely look up to them. This team is a perfect example of how important strong leadership is to the success of a team."

Farmington 17 Shakopee 3
The conference championship clinching win over the Sabers was long over at intermission as the Tigers scored a dozen unanswered goals in the opening period.

"We played some different positions and the girls were their normal respectful selves," Pickens said.

 All in all, 13 different players scored goals for the winners with Halverson leading the way with her second hat trick in as many nights. Kelli Kornmann and Steffes each netted a pair of goals.
 

Kelly Kornmann (No. 46) two goals vs. Shakopee (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Klotz, Welzin, Genzler, Amanda Davenport, Jill Tollefson, Kylee Glenn, Alexis Stanley, Nikki Colvard, Brooke Raske and Ali Saby also scored for the Tigers.

Steffes recorded two assists and Glen, Benson, Welzin, Shaye Jenrich and Ashley Hessler each had one.

Kohlbeck worked the Farmignton nets and finished with six saves.

Now the Tigers turn their attention to the post-season. Farmignton, ranked fifth in the most recent state poll, opens Section 1 play Tuesday with a home game against eighth-seeded Northfield. The Tigers beat the Raiders 18-2 during the regular season.

Lacrosse: Girls 1, Boys 2 in Section 1 seeding

The Farmington boys and girls lacrosse teams received a lot of respect when it came to seeding for the upcoming Section 1 post-season tournament.

Farmington (12-1) earned the top spot on the girls' side and will start tournament play Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m against No. 8 Northfield at Tiger Stadium. A win against the Raiders buys the Tigers a date with the Rochester Century-Owatonna winner Friday at Tiger Stadium.

With the No. 1 seed the Tigers will have home field advantage throughout the section playoffs.

For complete Section 1 girls' brackets visit
http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/showxmlbrackets.asp?tournid=678&bracket=6279

The Tiger boys (10-3), meanwhile, were ranked No. 2 by section coaches and will play seventh-seeded Northfield Tuesday, May 27, at Tiger Stadium. Game time is 5:00 p.m.

A victory in that game would give the Tigers home field advantage for a semifinal game on Friday against the winner of the opening round contest between Lakeville South and and Owatonna. The finals are scheduled for Tuesday, June 3.

For complete Section 1 boys' brackets visit
http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/showxmlbrackets.asp?tournid=682&bracket=6278

Girls Lacrosse: Tigers down No. 10 East Ridge

Rachael Welzin netted the tying and winning goals (photo by Jim Lindquist)

No. 5 Farmington (10-1) faced a big test Tuesday night and the Tigers passed with flying colors, edging No. 10 East Ridge  (10-2) 8-7 in overtime at Tiger Stadium.

"What an exhilarating game," Farmington coach Dan Pickens said. "I will give it to them (East Ridge). They are a very good team and they play a lot like us.

"The game was never more than two goals apart; it was a close one...We knew we needed this one going into the section seeding. We were nervous but knew we had to get over the nerves and play our game."

The teams were tied 4-4 at intermission and 6-6 at the end of regulation.

In the first extra three-minute session the Raptors scored to take a one-goal lead but Rachael Welzin responded with the tying score. Another Welzin goal, her third of the night, inside a minute to play in the second OT gave her team back the lead and a late turnover by East Ridge sealed the deal..

No. 3 Shaye Jenrich (pictured above with Kamryn Corraro) and Kylee Glen led a strong defensive effort (file photo by Jim Lindquist)

"We talk about big players playing big in big games," Pickens said. "That is what happened tonight with our top four scorers getting all of the goals."

Welzin and leading scorer Shelby Klotz each scored a trio of goals and Becky Genzler and Ashley Steffes added one apiece in the Tigers ninth straight win.

Amanda Davenport assisted on two scores and Welzin, Steffes and Genzler each added an assist.

Pickens said the defense also had an outstanding night with Shaye Jenrich and Kylee Glenn standing out, especially the second half.

Senior goaltender Maddie Kohlbeck, who leads the state in save percentage with a .692 mark, also had a big night for the Tigers, stopping 18 of 25 shots sent her way.

"We showed that we can come to play in the big games," Pickens said. "I am looking forward to the remainder of the season and moving into playoffs."

The Tigers entertain section rival Rochester John Marshall Thursday night and then try to warp up the first-ever Missota Conference championship Friday at Shakopee. Section 1 post-season play begins next Monday.

Maddie Kohlbeck 18 saves (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Girls Lacrosse: Tigers clinch Missota tie

Kaeli Halverson 3 goals (file photo by Jim Lindquist)

Farmington assured itself of at least a tie for the first (and last) Missota Conference girls' lacrosse championship with a a 13-1 rout of Holy Angels Thursday night at Tiger Stadium.

This is the first year the sport has been recognized as a league activity. The conference will disband following this school year with Farmington moving to the South Suburban Conference in the fall.

The victory over the Stars was the eighth straight for Farmington (9-1) who is ranked fifth and eighth respectively in the most recent state polls.

The outcome of Thursday's game was never in doubt with the winners scoring seven unanswered goals in the first half.

"This team is like a machine," coach Dan Pickens said. "It just keeps getting better and better. Our neutral zone play was great tonight, creating turnover after turnover. This has been an area of focus, so it is nice to see we are making some head way."

Nine different players scored for Farmington with Shelby Klotz and Kaeli Halverson each scoring three times. Rachael Welzin had another fine all-around game, scoring two goals and assisting on three more.

Shelby Klotz 8 goals in the past 2 games (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Ashley Steffes and Becky Genzler each added a goal and and two assists. Kailtlin Lacroix chimed in with a goal and an assist and Lindsay Benson and Delaney Johnson each scored a goal. Brooke Raske recorded the final Tiger point with an assist.

We are getting better and better each game and practice and I am looking forward to the post-season," Pickens said. "But we do have to keep moving forward one day at a time. Right now our focus is East Ridge on Tuesday. They will be a tough opponent.

The Tigers close out their regular season next week with a three-game slate: Tuesday and Thursday at home versus East Ridge and Rochester John Marshall and Friday at Shakopee. A win against the Sabers would give Farmington the outright Missota championship.

Girls Lacrosse: No. 5 Tigers win going away

Becky Genzler 3 goals, 3 assists

Rochester Century had no answer for Farmington's balanced offense, superior defense and solid goaltending in Wednesday night's 16-4 Tiger win at Tiger Stadium.

The victory was the seventh straight for coach Dan Pickens' team. During the run the Tigers have outscored the opposition by a lopsided 102-30 margin.

Farmington (8-1) has moved into the No. 5  spot in the lacrosse state power rankings and sits eighth in the StarTribune state poll.

The Tigers built a 7-2 lead over the first half and dominated even more in the second period in the win over Section 1 rival Century.

"We did the little things right tonight," Pickens said. "We won draws, played smart, protected the ball and stuck to the game plan. This is why we were able to put up a big number on a good team."

A balanced offensive attack again keyed the victory with seven Tigers getting into the goal scoring act. Season-leading scorers Shelby Klotz (5 goals) and Rachael Welzin (2 goal, 2 assists) both had big games but they had plenty of help.

Becky Genzler had the most productive night of her junior season with six points on three goals and three assists.

Kaeli Halverson and Ashley Steffes each chipped with two goals and an assist. Amanda Davenport recorded a goal and and an assist and Kaitlyn Lacroix chimed in with a goal. Brooke Raske also had an assist for the winners.

The Tigers finished with a robust 31-16 edge in shots on goal with keeper Maddie Kohlbeck having another strong outing in the nets with 12 saves.

Maddie Kohlbeck 12 saves (photo by Jim Lindquist)

"Maddie is now No. 1 in the state in save percentage according to mnlaxhub.com," Pickens said."She has a lot of help in front of her as well from our defensive corps. It is great to see the girls play so well in our own zone and communicate effectively."

The Tigers bounce right back into action Thursday night with a Missota Conference home contest with Holy Angels where a victory would assure them at least a tie for the 2014 league title. Game time is 7:00 at Tiger Stadium.

"The win over Century was a complete team effort," Pickens said. "Now we need to continue to play that well for the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs."

Girls Lacrosse: Been there, done that

Lindsay Benson scored twice (photo by J. Lindquist)

Tiger coach Dan Pickens remembers five years ago when he started the girls lacrosse program at FHS and how it wasn't always easy going up against more experienced team.

Those memories came back loud and clear Friday night when a first-year Northfield team came to town to play the Tigers. The results weren't pretty as the more seasoned Tigers rolled to an 18-2 Missota Conference win despite playing reserves much of the night.

"Games like this are not easy for anyone," Pickens said. "They are in the same position we were in five years ago.

"I am amazed at how far we have come in that time, and I am sure Northfield will have a similar experience if they work as hard as the girls that joined lacrosse in Farmington."

Thirteen different players scored goals in the contest that saw the home team roar to an 11-1 halftime lead.

Jill Tollefson, Lindsay Benson, Shelby Klotz, Lexi Laube and Shaye Jenrich each found the net twice for the winners. Amanda Davenport, Smalls Steffes, Kinzie Markwardt, Becky Genzler, Kaitlyn Lacroix, Ali Saby, Delaney Johnson and Kaeli Halverson also scored for the Tigers.

Becky Genzler goal, 2 assists

Six more Farmington players were credited with assists, including Rachael Welzin (3), Genzler (2),  Kamryn Corraro, Nikki Colvard, Ashley Hessler and Klotz.

"The good thing about this game was we were able to see the character of the girls," Pickens said.
"They showed an unselfish attitude with good sportsmanship the entire game. They know we
were in the same spot and helped the other team when they could. That was great to see."

Ninth-rated Farmington (7-1) returns to action next Wednesday and Thursday when its hosts section rival Rochester Century and Missota Conference challenger Holy Angels.

Girls Lacrosse: No. 9 Tigers hammer Hill-Murray

Kaeli Halverson 3 goal-game

Farmington celebrated the announcement of its No. 9 ranking in the weekly state poll with a dominating 17-5 non-conference win over Hill-Murray Tuesday night at Tiger Stadium.

"The girls got the news this week that they had cracked the top 10 in the state for the first time," coach Dan Pickens said. "I was a little nervous that it would get to their heads but it definitely didn't happen as we kept moving forward."

The Tigers built a commanding 9-3 lead by the halftime break and went on to score eight more times in the second period.

Leading scorers Shelby Klotz and Rachael Welzin along with Ashley Steffes finished with identical stat lines, each scoring three goals and assisting on a fourth. But the high-flying trio had plenty of help in the scoring department.

Becky Genzler had an outstanding all-around game with a pair of goals and three assists and Kaeli Halverson recorded her first career hat trick. Amanda Davenport, Lindsay Benson and Kaitlyn Lacroix also found the net for the winners. Brooke Raske chipped in with a pair of assists.

Seniors Maddie Kohlbeck and Scootie Donnelly shared the goalkeeping duties and both played well. Kohlbeck stopped seven of 10 shots in the opening half and Donnelly turned away five of seven in the second.

For the game the Tigers outshot the Pioneers by a 28-17 count.

"Winning draws continues to be a strength of the team and we go as our draws go," Pickens said. Amanda Davenport is an animal on the draws. Although she is small, she plays big on the draws and usually brings the ball down for control in their zone right away."

Thursday the Tigers will try to improve on their 6-1 start with a Missota Conference road game at Shakopee.

Girls Lacrosse: Another rally, another win

Rachael Welzin (28) and Amanda Davenport (6) combined for five goals (photo by J. Lindquist)

For the second straight game the Tigers spotted the opposition an early lead before rallying for a win, this one a 13-6 triumph over Missota Conference rival Chanhassen Thursday evening at Tiger Stadium.

The visiting Storm led 6-4 at the halftime break, a deficit Tiger coach Dan Pickens partly attributed to the recent spate of bad weather.

"After another long break with games being cancelled, we apparently needed to knock the rust off again," he said. "At halftime I left the team alone for a while knowing that we have a whole lot of leaders, including 13 seniors, to work out what was going wrong.

"Then we talked about what got us where we are-- teamwork and positive communication--and they committed to play the second half differently."

The Tigers wasted little time in showing they got the message with Amanda Davenport cutting the deficit to goal just seven seconds into the second half. Farmington went on to outscore its guests 8-0 the rest of the way.

Leading scorers Shelby Klotz (4 goals) and Rachael Welzin (3 goals, 2 assists) did much of the offensive damage for the winners.

Davenport and Ashley Steffes each scored a pair of goals and Kamryn Corraro and Becky Genzler added a goal apiece. Genzler, Steffes, Lindsay Benson and Kaitlyn Lacroix each chipped in with an assist.

The Tigers and the Storm each finished with 16 shots with senior goalkeeper Maddie Kohlbeck picking up the win with a 10-save effort.

"This is one of the proudest moments I've felt about a team that I have coached," Pickens said. "They worked together and put the team first in the second half.  Big players stepped up again and we showed everyone that we are a new team this year.

"I am excited to get to the rest of the season with the weather looking like it will be improving as well."

The win boosted Farmington's season record to 5-1 and a perfect 2-0 in the Missota Conference. The Tigers return to action next Tuesday with a home game versus Hill-Murray.

Girls Lacrosse: Tigers rally to down Eastview

Rachael Welzin (No. 28) 4 goals vs. Eastview (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Host Eastview scored a pair of goals in the opening minute of Saturday afternoon's non-conference  game but Farmington managed to right the ship for an 11-6 win, its fourth in five games this season.

"The field conditions at Eastview weren’t the best with all of the rain we got in the last few days," Tiger coach Dan Pickens said. "That didn’t help the natural grass field. We had a tough time scooping
balls and keeping control which are things that we pride ourselves on.

"Again we played a solid defensive game and Maddie Kohlbeck returned to the goal with another great effort."

Senior co-captain Rachael Welzin had a big day for the winners, who led 8-2 at halftime, with four goals. Becky Genzler netted a pair of goals and added an assist and Amanda Davenport also scored twice for the winners. Shelby Klotz, Ashley Steffes and Brooke Raske each added a goal.

"We continue to have different players step up offensively which makes it difficult for teams to prepare for us," Pickens said.

Kohlbeck, who currently ranks second among the state's goalkeepers in save percentage, picked up nine saves to post her third win of the young season.

This week the Tigers have two home games on the docket, Monday versus section rival Rochester Century and Thursday against Chanhassen.

Girls Lacrosse: Tigers win Missota opener

Shelby Klotz 6 goals, assist (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Shelby Klotz and Rachael Welzin combined for nine goals to lead the Tigers to a 12-5 win over Chaska in their Missota Conference opener played Friday night at Chaska.

The victory raised Farmington's season record to 3-1 and a perfect 1-0 in conference play.

"We were giving the ball away more than usual and had to knock the rust off after not playing for over a week due to the inclement weather," coach Dan Pickens said. "Once we settled down and played our game we were doubling the ball and out-running Chaska.

"We got another solid defensive effort led by Shaye Jenrich. Our goalie, Scootie Donnelly, also stepped up and made some big saves at key times."

The Tigers led 7-3 at intermission and extended it throughout the second half.

Klotz had a monster of a game with six goals and an assist while Welzin chimed in with three goals and two assists for a five-point night. Becky Genzler added two goals and an assist and Kamryn Corraro chipped in with a goal and an assist. Ashley Steffes and Kaeli Halverson each had assists for the winners.

Donnelly finished her first varsity start in goal with five saves.

The Tigers will try to make chalk up win No. 4 Saturday afternoon when they host Eastview at Tiger Stadium.

Girls Larcosse: Back on track

Senior defender Delaney Johnson scored one of the Tiger goals (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Farmington (2-1) showed no ill effects from Friday night's one goal loss to Lakeville South in a 15-2 road romp over Hastings Monday night.

Ten different Tigers scored and three others added assists in the lopsided affair that saw the visitors roar to a 10-2 at halftime lead.

"It was a chilly night, but the girls worked hard on the field to stay warm," Tiger coach Dan Pickens said. "It was nice to get the win and work on some things that we know we have to, but nobody
likes games like these.

"It really shows how far we have come in five years of the program. It wasn’t long ago that we were on the other end of these lopsided games and we had to work hard to keep the sidelines positive. Now we can use them as learning experiences and work on getting better each game."

Shelby Klotz scored a hat trick and added an assist to lead the winners. Rachael Welzin, Becky Genzler and Kaitln Lacroix each added two goals and Jill Tollefson, Lindsay Benson, Christine Steffes, Ashley Hessler, Delaney Johnson and Kaeli Halverson had one apiece in the balanced attack.

Ashley Steffes dished out three assists and Nikki Colvard and Brooke Raske each had one.

The Tigers outshot the Raiders by a commanding 31-5 count with winning goalkeeper Maddie Kohlbeck finishing the night with three saves.

Thursday the Tigers continue the non-conference portion of their schedule with a road contest at Section 1AA rival Rochester Century.

Girls Lacrosse: Last minute goal sinks Tigers

Rachael Welzin moves the ball up-field (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Lakeville South scored with 10 seconds to play in regulation to beat the Tigers 8-7 in a non-conference game played Friday night at Tiger Stadium. The loss evened Farmington's early season record at 1-1.

"It''s not the outcome we wanted, but the girls played well," Tiger coach Dan Pickens said. "The positive we will take from this game is that Lakeville pointed out a few things that we
need to work on as a team in practice. It was nice to have a game like this so early in the
season."

Farmington led the Cougars 4-3 at the halftime break and matched the play of their future South Suburban Conference opponent until the closing seconds. South beat the Tigers twice last season by scores of 17-7 and 12-6.

Ashley Steffes and Shelby Klotz had two goals apiece to pace the Farmington offensive attack. Rachael Welzin, Kamryn Corraro and Ali Saby also scored in the losing effort.

Corraro, Amanda Davenport, Becky Genzler and Kelly Kornmann each added assists.

South finished the night with a slim 21-20 edge in shots on goal with Tiger goalkeeper Maddie Kohlbeck turning in another solid performance with 13 saves.

"We have a game Monday night and then we have a few days of practice to work on neutral zone control and to make some adjustments in our defensive zone play," Pickens said.

"I am optimistic that our younger girls will start to gain experience as we get deeper into the season. The future looks very bright for this team."

Monday the Tigers travel to Hastings for a non-conference game with the Raiders.

Girls Lacrosse: Tigers bury Irish in opener

Ashley Steffes had 3 goals and 2 assists in the season opener (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The Tigers finished last season by winning six of seven games and by the looks of their 17-2 non-conference rout of Rosemount Thursday night at Tiger Stadium, coach Dan Pickens' team is picking up right where it left off a year ago.

Eleven different players scored goals in the game against the Irish that was decided in the first minute when Nikki Colvard scored after the opening draw.

The Tigers went on to outscore their guests 11-1 in the first half and finished the night with a a whopping 49-12 advantage in shots on goal.

"What a start," Pickens said. "It looks like we are starting from where we left off last year...The depth and young talent definitely showed this game as we outworked and outhustled them (Rosemount) from the first draw."

Ashley Steffes led the scoring parade for the winners with three goals and two assists for a five-point night. Shelby Klotz added three scores and an assist for four points and Rachael Welzin (goal, 2 assists), Becky Genzler (2 goals, assist) and Kaeli Halverson (goal, 2 assists) each had three points.

Colvard, Amanda Davenport, Lindsay Benson, Christine Steffes, Kamryn Corraro and Ali Saby each had a goal and Davenport. Corraro and Kelly Kornmann all recorded assists.

Shelby Klotz 3 goals, assist (photo by Jim Lindquist)

While the offense was attacking, the defense and goalkeeper Maddie Kohlbeck were keeping the Irish off the scoreboard. Kohlbeck stopped 10 of 12 shots to start her senior season with a bang.

"Maddie was stellar in the nets," Pickens said.

The Tiger coach said he he and his team would like to savor the strong opening game perfromance but the schedule won't allow for it.

"The girls have worked hard preparing for this year and it is clear they are hungry for more," he said."But we have a tough opponent in Lakeville South tomorrow...We need to remember that expectations are nothing without hard work and humility."

Friday's game with South starts at 6:30 p.m. at Tiger Stadium.


NOTE: Free, downloadable high-resolution photos from this event are available at Jim Lindquist's Photography website at http://sidekick.smugmug.com/

Girls Lacrosse: Looking for a faster start

Rachael Welzin was an all-state midfielder last season (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Last spring the Tigers got off to a slower start than the spring weather, losing five of their first six games. They rallied from the rocky start, however, finishing 8-6 overall and advancing to the section semifinals for the second straight year.

With seven key contributors from that team back in the fold for the 2014 season, coach Dan Pickens is looking for a faster start and an overall improved product.

"On paper we should be the favorites to win the new Missota Conference," he said, "but we will need to prove it by working hard and producing consistently. Staying healthy will help us reach our goals...Overall we are looking for a very successful season."

Senior captains Rachael Welzin (midfielder) and goalkeeper Maddie Kohlbeck lead the list of returnees.

Welzin received all-state honors last spring for her stellar junior season that produced 42 goals and 14 assists. Kohlbeck posted all eight Farmington wins last year and finished the 2013 campaign with an 8.80 goals against average.

Maddie Kohlbeck posted eight wins in 2013 (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Welzin wasn't the only offensive threat for the Tigers last season. Junior attacker Shelby Klotz also lit up the scoreboard, netting 42 points on 35 goals and seven assists.

Other key returnees include senior defender Shaye Jenrich, senior midfielder Kaeli Halverson, junior defender Becky Genzler and ninth-grade attacker Ashley Steffes.

Also expected to see their share of playing time are senior defender Kelly Kornmann, senior defender Mikayla Todd, freshman attacker Amanda Davenport and freshman midfielder Kamryn Corraro.

Pickens said that the leadership of his six seniors will be a big plus with an on-the-field  focus on defense and goaltending.

"Our speed should also be a strength," he said. "We will look to move the ball quickly up the field....We had some good scoring games last year but we were not consistent. We will need to score 10-plus goals by getting secondary points from others besides Rachael and Shelby."

Attacker Shelby Klotz scored 35 goals as a sophomore (photo by Jim Lindquist)

This will be the first year lacrosse will be an official Missota Conference varsity sport and Pickens feels his program's longer history will give the Tigers a leg up in the chase for league honors. As for the section, Lakeville North and Lakeville South should provide the biggest obstacles to a state tournament bid.

"A key to our success will be to forget about expectations and work hard every day," he said. "We as coaches as well as the girls have high expectations but none of that matters if you don't stay humble and work."

Shawn Anderson and Abby Thell will serve as Pickens' varsity assistant coaches this spring.

The Tigers open their 2014 season next Tuesday, April 8, with a non-conference game at Hastings.

Two Tigers sign on with Division II teams

Josh Patterson (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Two athletes from the Tiger class of 2014 have cast their collegiate lots with out-of-state NCAA Division II schools.

Josh Patterson, who anchored the offensive line for the Tigers last season while earning all-Missota Conference honors, will play football next fall for the South Dakota School of Mines located in Rapid City.

Maddie Kohlbeck, a fixture in goal for the Tiger lacrosse team her entire high school career, is headed to Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois where she will join that school's highly successful lacrosse program.

Maddie Kohlbeck (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Girls Lacrosse: Another winning season

All-State performer Rachael Welzin: 56 points (photo by Jim Lindquist)

After a sluggish 1-5 start the young Tigers came on strong to post their second straight winning season, finishing with a final 8-6 record.

Coach Dan Pickens' team closed the regular season on a six-game winning streak and for the second year in a row won its opening round post-season contest.

Perhaps the brightest news for Pickens and his young program is that only one player, Rathminee Hach, will be lost through graduation.

Pickens awarded varsity letterwinners to Hach and 16 other players at the team's post-season awards banquet: juniors Shaye Jenrich, Kylee Glen, Lindsay Benson, Mikayla Todd, Delaney Johnson, Kaeli Halverson, Rachael Welzin and Maddie Kohlbeck; sophomores Jess Herrera. Michaela Tonsager, Becky Genzler and Shelby Klotz; freshmen Jill Tollefson and Brooke Genzler and eighth-graders Amanda Davenport and Ashley Steffes.

Welzin had an outstanding junior season, finishing with 56 points on 42 goals and 14 assists. Those exceptional numbers and her inspired play earned her all-state recognition.

Shelby Klotz: 35 goals, 7 assists (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Klotz also had a big offensive year for the Tigers, piling up 42 points on 35 goals and seven assists. Goaltender Maddie Kohlbeck posted all eight wins will compiling a goals-against average of 8.80.

Pickens reeled off several other season highlights, including the late-season winning streak, the playoff victory over Rochester John Marshall, the wintery season "snownaumi" game with Prior Lake and Hach scoring her first career goal on Senior Night.

"I also appreciated all of the time we had working as a team indoors when the weather wouldn't let us practice outside," he said.

Pickens said he is looking forward to next season when Northfield and Shakopee are expected to add teams to make lacrosse an official Missota Conference sport.

"We only lose one senior and will have some girls moving up from a seventh and eighth grade team that finished fourth in the state," he said. "And our junior varsity lost just its second game in two years.

"We have been getting better and better each year and hopefully next year we will have something to celebrate. Our focus will be on the state tournament."

Maddie Kohlbeck: 8.80 goals-against average (photo by Jim Lindquist)