Soccer Playoffs Begin Today

Dwight Cadwell – NSO

Boys and girls soccer playoffs begin today across the region as both boys and girls teams are looking to make it to the state soccer tournament. On the girls side defending section 7A champion Duluth Denfeld Hunters will open up with defense of their title t home when they will take on the Esko Eskomos. The winner of that contest will take on the winner of Chisago Lakes and Mesabi East who play in Lindstrom Thursday.

The Bluejackets of Hibbing-Chisholm will play at Duluth Marshall Thursday and the will will face the number two seed Hermantown Hawks on Saturday. The Hawks were the top seed a season ago but fell to the Hunters in the section championship match. The rest of the section 7A bracket includes the Two Harbors Agates in Cloquet against the Lumberjacks who are the number 5 seed. The fourth seeded Zimmerman Thunder host Grand Rapids, with the winners meeting Saturday at the High Seed.

Princeton is the top seed in section 7A and have a first round bye Thursday and they will host the winner of North Branch who will face the Rails Thursday night in Proctor. Tuesday October 14th will have the sectional semifinals, and the section champion will be crowned a week from today.

In section 7AA girls soccer action Duluth East earned the number 5 seed and will play at Andover, the defending section 7AA champions  tonight. The East – Andover winner will face the Cambridge versus Blaine winner who meet tonight in Blaine with the Blaine being the top seed in section 7AA. Forest Lake plays at St. Francis and it is Anoka and Coon Rapids meeting in the last 7AA quarterfinal in Anoka.

Last years boys section 7A champion Hermantown will be the third seed in the boys sectional playoffs tonight and the Hawks will host North Lakes Academy at Corey Veech Field in Hermantown. The winner of that match will face the winner of Proctor and Duluth Denfeld who square off at Public Schools Stadium.

Cloquet-Esko-Carlton is the fifth seed and the host North Branch today at Rol Bromberg Field, the Vikings & Lumberjacks victor will face either Mesabi East or Big Lake on Saturday.

Hibbing-Chisholm plays at Grand Rapids tonight with the winner facing the top seed Saturday afternoon in Lindstrom as Chisago Lakes holding the top seed.

Andover the top seed in the section 7AA boys playoffs host Coon Rapids and the winner will meet the winner of Duluth East and Forest Lake who meet today at Ordean Field.

Centennial hosts St. Francis, and Blaine the number two seed hosts Cambridge- Isanti with the winners meeting Saturday. The section 7AA boys champion will be crowned next Tuesday night.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com