The Prior Lake boys lacrosse team hasn’t been three games under the .500 mark since the 2012 season.
The Lakers are off to a 1-4 start this spring, including a 19-12 loss at No. 3-ranked Lakeville North May 9 in South Suburban Conference play, while also dropping out of the state rankings.
Prior Lake (0-3 in the SSC) went into the game off a 9-7 home win over Bloomington Jefferson May 4 and an 11-7 league setback at No. 5 Eastview-Apple Valley May 2.
The Lakers opened the 2012 season with a 2-7 record, finishing 5-10 overall that year. It was the last time the program had a losing record, before winning three state titles in the span of four years (2016, 2018 and 2019), while finishing runner-up the last two seasons.
It’s certainly not time to panic; three of the Lakers’ losses are to ranked teams, including 12-7 to No. 4 Shakopee and 15-9 to No. 1 Benilde-St. Margaret’s – winners of the last two state titles.
Prior Lake coach Casey Mithun is not about to change his team’s expectations. It’s now how you start, but how you finish, so that will be the team’s focus the rest of the way.
“After going to the state championship game five of the last six years, winning three times, the bar can’t be set much higher,” he said.
Prior Lake has won last six Section 6 championships. Winning No. 7 won’t be easy with a strong field that includes No. 5 Edina and No. 8 Rosemount, as well as Eastview-Apple Valley.
In the loss to Lakeville North, the 19 goals allowed were the most Prior Lake has given up in the last 13 seasons. Junior Max Anderson led the Lakers with four goals, while adding an assist.
Senior Ben Mickett and junior Jack Tocko each scored three times, while senior Domenico Salentre scored twice. Sophomore George Tocko finished with two assists, while juniors CJ Sheffield and Kayden Lervick both had one.
Senior Luke Bloomer and junior Braden Deboer split the goalie duties with each making four saves.
In beating Jefferson, Mickett finished with three goals to lead Prior Lake, while Salentre scored two. Anderson and junior Logan Allen each had a goal and an assist, while George Tocko also scored.
Jack Tocko finished with three assists, while Bloomer made four saves in goal.
Against Eastview-Apple Valley, Bloomer had eight saves, while Anderson finished with two goals and two assists. Jack Tocko had three goals and an assist, while Mickett and Salentre also scored.
Prior Lake will end the regular season May 25 at No. 10 Stillwater. The Section 6 playoffs will start May 30 with the first round, while the finals will be June 8.
This year’s state tournament will be June 13, 15 and 17 at two sites, Stillwater and White Bear Lake High Schools.
