Before the state Quarterfinal game against the Blake Bears began, the natural assumption would have been that the North boys lacrosse team’s nerves would be at an all time high. That nervousness would be understandable because the matchup against state tournament mainstay Blake was the Panther’s first state game in school history.

If there were nerves, they weren’t made obvious to the spectators.

Lakeville North and state tournaments have gone hand-in-hand during the 2013-2014 school year, and for boys lacrosse it was no different. The 11-9 win over Blake was North’s first appearance and win on the state level. But for seven players on the team, this wasn’t their first.

Lakeville North had over 15 teams compete in state tournaments this school year, and the boys lacrosse team has athletes who competed in four of them. 

Junior Dakota Toedter and senior captain Ian Klotz were on the roster of the Panther football team that lost in the first round to Eden Prairie. Sophomore Luke Anderson also was a state participant, but on the boys cross-country team instead.

Even on the academic side, Calvin Hedberg played a big part in the mock-trial team finishing second at state.

But perhaps the most influential on calming the nerves of some of the key contributors on the lacrosse team was their experience at state with boys hockey. The hockey team hadn’t finished any better than consolation champs in the state tournament until the 2013-2014 season. But with the help of Ian Klotz, Luke Seper, Roman Rohrbach, and Max Johnson, the Panthers took second place at the state tournament.

For lacrosse captain Ian Klotz, his experience at state hockey made a difference heading into the game against Blake.

“Right away for hockey, I know I was nervous going into it,” Klotz said. “Now I just realize that you’ve got to calm down. It’s just another game and that really helps.”

Ultimately the experience at the state-level helps, but it’s the state mentality that the Lakeville North boys lacrosse team needed most in order to find success.

“It’s that state level where they know that everyone needs to be counted on to play their game,” North lacrosse coach Jeff Wright said.  “Everybody’s got a job to do.”