A new champion will emerge in every class of the expanded four-class tournament.
Hermantown (Class AAA) leads all qualifiers with three previous championships.
Six teams are making their debut appearances this year: Pine River-Backus and
Kimball Area in Class A; Winona, Mahtomedi, and Benilde-St. Margaret’s of St.
Louis Park in Class AAA; and Spring Lake Park in Class AAAA.
All four classes of the tournament will be conducted at Caswell Park in North
Mankato on Thursday and Friday, June 9 and10. Detailed statistics provided by
qualified teams are available from the League website home page — www.MSHSL.org
— as a Media Guide link under Tournaments > Spring > Girls’ Softball.
Class A Quarterfinal Highlights (All games Thursday, June 9)
(Note: None of the Class A qualifiers played each other during the regular
season.)
(Section 1) Hayfield (18-7) vs. (Section 7) Cherry, Iron (20-4) @ 1:00 p.m. —
The Vikings of Hayfield return for their second consecutive appearance, and their
third overall. They fell in the consolation semifinals in 2015. The Tigers of
Cherry, who placed sixth last year, return in search of their second title.
They won their first in 2012. This is the Tigers’ fifth consecutive and overall
appearance under this name; they also appeared as a co-op with Cotton in 2010
and 2011.
(Section 3) Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian (17-7) vs. (Section 5) Pine
River-Backus (21-6) @ 1:00 p.m. —The co-op of Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota
Christian is making its third consecutive and overall appearance. The Flying
Dutchmen are looking to improve on last year’s fifth-place showing. The Tigers
of Pine River-Backus are making their debut appearance.
(Section 6) New York Mills (24-0) vs. (Section 8) Badger/Greenbush-Middle River
(20-4) @ 1:00 p.m. — The Eagles of New York Mills are making their fourth
consecutive and overall appearance. They placed fourth last year. The Gators of
Badger/Greenbush-Middle River return for their second consecutive appearance
and their seventh overall. They earned runner-up honors in 2015.
(Section 2) Mankato Loyola (18-5) vs. (Section 4) Kimball Area (21-1) @ 1:00
p.m. — The Crusaders of Mankato Loyola are looking to improve on last year’s
third-place showing. They are making their second consecutive appearance and
their fifth overall. They won one previous championship in 2001. The Cubs of
Kimball Area are making their first tournament appearance.
Class AA Quarterfinal Highlights (All games Thursday, June 9)
(Section 8) Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (22-3) vs. (Section 1) Zumbrota-Mazeppa
(23-1) @ 9:00 a.m. — The Rebels of Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton are making their
second consecutive appearance and fourth overall. They fell in the consolation
semifinals in 2015. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton fell to Pequot Lakes 5-1 during the
regular season. The Cougars of Zumbrota-Mazeppa are making their fourth
appearance, but first since 2011. They did not face any other qualifiers this
season.
(Section 2) LeSueur-Henderson (21-3) vs. (Section 7) Esko (16-5) @ 9:00 a.m. —
LeSueur-Henderson, which includes students from Minnesota New Country School of
Henderson, is making its third consecutive and overall appearance. The Giants
are looking to improve on last year’s fifth-place finish. During regular-season
play, LeSueur-Henderson dropped both games of a double-header to Pipestone
Area. The Arrows won 16-1 in five innings and 12-5. The Esko Eskomos return for
their first appearance since 2007. They won one previous championship in 1998
and are making their seventh appearance. Esko did not face any other qualifiers
during the regular season.
(Section 6) Pequot Lakes (23-2) vs. (Section 3) Pipestone Area (24-0) @ 11:00
a.m. — The Pequot Lakes Patriots return to the tournament after a two-year
absence to make their second appearance. The Patriots defeated
Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 5-1 in mid-April. The Arrows of Pipestone Area are
making their eighth appearance, but first since 2011. They are in the hunt for
their second title, having won previously in 2008. During the regular season,
Pipestone Area swept LeSueur-Henderson in a double-header. The Arrows won the
first game 16-1 in five innings and the second by a score of 12-5.
(Section 5) Rockford (21-3) vs. (Section 4) Concordia Academy-Roseville (13-11)
@ 11:00 a.m. — The Rockford Rockets return for their fifth appearance, but
first since 2014. Concordia Academy-Roseville is making its second appearance.
The Beacons made their first in 2004. Neither team faced any other qualifiers
this year.
Class AAA Quarterfinal Highlights (All games Thursday, June 9)
(Section 5) Becker (19-4) vs. (Section 1) Winona (20-4) @ 11:00 a.m. — The
Bulldogs of Becker return for their third consecutive appearance and their
fifth overall. They placed fourth last year. Becker did not face any other
Class AAA qualifiers this season. The Winona Winhawks are making their first
tournament appearance. During regular-season play, they lost to Mankato West
2-1.
(Section 7) Hermantown (20-5) vs. (Section 3) Simley, Inver Grove Heights
(13-11) @ 11:00 a.m. — The Hawks of Hermantown return for their fourth
consecutive and 22nd overall appearance. They claimed third-place honors in
Class AA last year, but won previous titles in 1991, 2002, and 2009. The
Spartans of Simley are making their second appearance, but first since 1982.
The Spartans faced Mahtomedi three times during the regular season; they won
8-7 and 4-3 and lost 14-6.
(Section 4) Mahtomedi (12-11) vs. (Section 6) Benilde-St. Margaret’s, St. Louis
Park (16-8) @ 11:00 a.m. — The Mahtomedi Zephyrs are making their debut
appearance. During the regular season, Mahtomedi played Simley three times. The
Zephyrs lost 8-7 and 4-3 and won 14-6. The Red Knights of Benilde-St.
Margaret’s are also making their first tournament appearance. They did not face
any other qualifiers this season.
(Section 2) Mankato West (23-1) vs. (Section 8) Alexandria Area (17-1) @ 11:00
a.m. — The Mankato West Scarlets are making their seventh appearance, but first
since 2009. They won one previous championship in 1990. During the regular
season, Mankato West defeated Winona 2-1. Alexandria Area, which includes
students from New Testament Christian School of Alexandria, is making its first
appearance as a co-op. Alexandria made three previous appearances, with the
last coming in 1995. The Cardinals did not play any other qualifiers during the
regular season.
Class AAAA Quarterfinal Highlights (All games Thursday, June 9)
(Section 6) Hopkins (13-11) vs. (Section 5) Spring Lake Park (16-9) @ 9:00 a.m.
— The Hopkins Royals return to tournament action after a four-year absence.
This is their ninth appearance overall. Hopkins did not play any other
Class AAAA qualifiers this year. The Spring Lake Panthers are making their
debut appearance. The Panthers lost to Buffalo 11-1 during the regular season.
(Section 7) Forest Lake (18-7) vs. (Section 2) Chanhassen (21-3) @ 9:00 a.m. —
These teams met during the regular season with Forest Lake winning 8-3 in six
innings. The Forest Lake Rangers are making their 11th appearance overall, but
first since 2011. In addition to facing Chanhassen, the Rangers also fell to
both Woodbury and Park twice this season. Forest Lake lost to the Royals 5-0
and 5-3 and to the Wolfpack 3-2 and 7-0. The Storm of Chanhassen are making
their second consecutive and overall appearance. They placed sixth in Class AAA
in 2015. Chanhassen defeated Buffalo 3-2 in eight innings in early May.
(Section 8) Buffalo (21-4) vs. (Section 3) Park, Cottage Grove (21-2) @ 9:00
a.m. — The Buffalo Bison return for their second consecutive and overall
appearance. They fell in the consolation semifinals of the Class AAA tournament
in 2015. During regular-season play, Buffalo defeated Spring Lake Park 11-1 and
lost to Chanhassen 3-2 in eight innings. The Wolfpack of Park are making their
14th appearance, but first since 2004. Park defeated two tournament qualifiers
twice during the regular season; the Wolfpack defeated Forest Lake 3-2 and 7-0
and Woodbury 2-1 and 5-4.
(Section 1) New Prague (19-7) vs. (Section 4) Woodbury (17-6) @ 9:00 a.m. — The
Trojans of New Prague return for their second appearance. They made their first
in 2014. New Prague did not face any other qualifiers during the regular
season. The Woodbury Royals are making their second consecutive appearance and
their third overall. They earned the Class AAA consolation crown in 2015.
During regular-season play, Woodbury defeated Forest Lake twice (5-0 and 5-3)
and lost to Park twice (2-1 and 5-4).
Schedule
Following Thursday’s quarterfinal games, the Class AAAA semifinals (both
championship and consolation) are scheduled for 3:00 p.m. The Class AAA
semifinals will be played at 5:00 p.m. and the Class AA semifinals will be
played at 5:00 p.m. (championship) and 7:00 p.m. (consolation). All Class A semifinals
are scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
The consolation championships for all four classes will be played at 9:00 a.m.
on Friday, followed by all third-place games at 11:00 a.m. Championship games
will start at 1 p.m. with Class AAAA. Class AAA will begin at 1:30 p.m.,
followed by Class AA at 2 p.m. and Class A at 2:30 p.m.
Championship Games to be Streamed Live
All four championship games will be streamed live at Prep45.com for a fee of
$6.97. After the tournament, games will be posted for on-delay viewing for
$2.97 per title (with 3-day access).
