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MN hs lacrosse state championship preview
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Eden Prairie To Clash With Rosemount In Minnesota Championship Game

Minnesota weather is by definition ‘unpredictable’ and that proved true on Saturday when the MSHSL Boys Lacrosse Championship game was postponed due to heavy rain and lightning. That meant the showdown between two of the top prep teams in the Midwest would have to wait. The game was then moved to Monday and again was postponed. Now the two teams are scheduled to meet on Tuesday.

Charlie Venable. Photo by Patrick Haley.
Charlie Venable. Photo by Patrick Haley.

WHO: Rosemount vs Eden Prairie

WHEN: Tuesday, June 17 at 11 AM

WHERE: Rosemount High School

Defending champion Eden Prairie (16-2) will attempt to win back-to-back titles, accomplished just once since the MSHSL began sanctioning the sport in 2007. Benilde-St. Margaret’s repeated in 2010 and 2011, the only two seasons the Eagles missed the state tournament. Last year Eden Prairie finished a perfect 18-0, defeating Eastview in the championship game.

This Eden Prairie squad is led by its three NCAA Division I commits, Charlie Venable (Holy Cross), Ronnie and JD Spielman (Ohio State). A three-year varsity player, Venable leads the offense scoring 51 goals while adding 23 assists.

The Spielman brothers, both midfielders, have committed to Ohio State. Ronnie (13 goals, 7 assists) will attend OSU in the fall while younger brother JD (48 goals, 10 assists) will join him in fall of 2016. Goalie Max Fahey, who will play at Indiana University (MCLA) in the fall, anchors the Eagles defense.

Conner Yepsen. Photo by Patrick Haley.
Conner Yepsen. Photo by Patrick Haley.

Rosemount (16-1) have been atop the polls all season long. Their lone defeat came at the hands of their South Suburban Conference rival Prior Lake, whom the Irish defeated in the section championship to advance. Leading the offensive machine for Rosemount are the Yepsen twins, Connor and Carter. The brothers have committed to play at Division I Robert Morris University in the fall, but one final game remains in their prep career.

Connor Yepsen, who was awarded Mr. Lacrosse as the top senior player in Minnesota, led the team in scoring with 52 goals and 27 assists. Carter Yepsen (43 goals, 22 assists) provided plenty of offense as well for the Irish, whose squad boasted seven players with 20+ points during the season. Luke VanOverbeke (33 goals, 22 assists), Mason Hille (28 goals, 23 assists), David Blanco (27 goals, 12 assists),  Trent Woodcock (20 goals, 9 assists) and Garrick Swanson (25 goals, 3 assists) all are large contributors to the Rosemount attack.

Past MSHSL State Champions

2007: Benilde-St. Margaret’s

2008: Blake

2009: Minnetonka

2010: Benilde-St. Margaret’s

2011: Benilde-St. Margaret’s

2012: Eastview

2013: Eden Prairie