EPHS athletics’ intense week of postseason action

With a two-month window and spotty spring weather, the Minnesota spring high school sports season is generally a race to the finish. Thanks to the pandemic the push to the end has been taken up a notch.

The spring sports seasons have been condensed, including the postseason. In a normal season, postseasons are a little more spread out. But not this year. Just about every spring sport has consequential action. To prepare for a wild week of sports involving EPHS squads, here’s where we are at in terms of postseason action.

Boys’ Golf

Monday is the second round of the Section 2 tournament for the Eagles at the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan. They finished second in the first round behind Minnetonka. The team was the Lake Conference champions a short while ago as Ethan Drummer, a senior, led the way for EP with a round score of 73. The Eagles are looking for their first state championship since 2013.

Girls’ Golf

For more than five years now, the EP girls’ golf team has not won the Section 2 crown. That is looking more and more likely to change. The Eagles stormed ahead to first place in the opening day of action and heads into Monday’s second round at the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan with a commanding 10-stroke lead over second-place Minnetonka. Katelyn Zick led the way for EP with an opening-round 75.

Boys’ Lacrosse

On Monday, June 7, the EP boys’ lacrosse season will be on the line as the Eagles face top-seeded Chanhassen at 5:30 pm at Chanhassen High in the Section 2 semifinals. EP enters as the No. 4 seed, knocking off Orono in the quarterfinals. The Eagles did not face the Storm during the regular season. The last time these two squads met was the 2019 Section 2 final where EP took down the Storm. The winner of this game will face the winner of Shakopee-Minnetonka in the section final.

Girls’ Lacrosse

As high school girls’ lacrosse in Minnesota has grown, Eden Prairie has been consistently one of the leaders. In 2021, it appears that the rest of the competition has caught up. The Eagles have never missed a state tournament but enter postseason play as the No. 3 seed in Section 2. EP fights for its postseason life on Monday against second-seeded Minnetonka on the road. The Eagles opened section play with a 20-5 win against Orono in the quarterfinals. They fell to Minnetonka, 7-6, during the regular season. The winner of this game moves on to play the winner of Chanhassen-Hutchinson in the section final.

Girls’ Track and Field

Following True Team competition, the EP girls’ track and field team sets its sights on the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) postseason. Tuesday marks the beginning of the Section 6AA preliminary tournament at Wayzata High School. On Thursday, the section action concludes with the finals back at Wayzata.

Boys’ Track and Field

The EP boys’ track and field team made its way to state before placing 10th. Now, the Eagles’ individuals have a chance to shine at this week’s Section 6AA preliminary and finals at Wayzata. Isaac Hartman took first place in the 800-meter dash at true team state, so prepare for his presence when it comes to announcing state tournament berths.

Softball

In 2019, EP stunned a talent-loaded section when the Eagles advanced to the Class 4A state tournament. EP appears poised to do it again as the sixth-seeded Eagles have rattled off wins against third-seeded Bloomington Jefferson and second-seeded Shakopee thus far. The unbeaten squad faces a tough test on Tuesday against Chanhassen. EP fell to the Storm during the regular season. If the Eagles can produce more magic and beat Chanhassen, they will wait until Chanhassen, Minnetonka or Prior Lake emerge with just one loss. If EP loses, the Eagles face a must-win game against the winner of Minnetonka-Prior Lake.