MONTICELLO β In the previous three seasons the Bemidji High ΝαΝαΒώ» boys soccer team qualified for the state tournament, the opposing programs were Class A schools.
There were only two classes back then, meaning the Lumberjacks represented one of the bigger schools in the field in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
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Six years later, the high school soccer landscape looks much different. The Minnesota State High ΝαΝαΒώ» League added a third class, and BHS fit the bill to compete among the largest schools in the state as a Class 3A team.
On Wednesday, the Jacks found out what itβs like to face an undefeated 3A team in the state tournament.
Top-seeded Minneapolis Washburn preserved its undefeated record with a 3-0 win over Bemidji at Monticello High ΝαΝαΒώ».
βThey were exactly what we expected β very clinical, very technical, no bad first touches,β Lumberjacks head coach Rick Toward said. βThey played the ball just like we expected β one side to the other.β
Facing one of the best teams in the state, Bemidji junior goalkeeper Kellen Heuer knew heβd be called on early and often.
Heuer made a diving save on Washburnβs Elliot Walthour in the seventh minute. It wouldβve been his most impressive save if it werenβt for Axel Linaresβ more dangerous chance in the ninth minute.
Linares found himself all alone five yards in front of Heuer with the ball and attempted a low-left shot. Again, Heuer made a save, this time with his right leg.
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βHe was outstanding tonight,β Toward said of Heuer. βHe played very well tonight. I donβt think thereβs anything we can say he did incorrectly tonight. β¦ I give Kellen a lot of credit for keeping us in the game. He had a terrific game.β
In the 19th minute, however, Minnesotaβs Mr. Soccer winner got off a shot Heuer couldnβt stop.
Ronan Selboβs header off of Nico Amayaβs corner kick was pointed, finding the top-left corner of the goal to give the Millers a 1-0 lead.
Bemidji had a grade-A chance to equalize before halftime, thanks to another highlight-reel save from Heuer. Linares was denied again by Heuerβs right leg to cap off a potpourri of chances on two Washburn corner kicks.
It led to a rush for BHS, which resulted in scoring chance for Isaac Stone β the Jacksβ leading goal getter β with the ball on his foot in front of Millers keeper Henry Johnson. Rushed by defenders closing in Stoneβs off-balanced shot was corralled by Johnson to preserve the 1-0 lead in the 34th minute.
With a minute left in the first half, Gabe Morin induced another close call with a heavy boot that sailed wide of the Millersβ goal.
The opening minutes of the second half played out much like the opening minutes in the first, except Bemidji controlled the pace offensively. Austin Riewer couldnβt get a clean shot after Washburnβs Johnson fumbled a cross in the 41st minute. Stone also missed wide on a shot he took just inside the box in the 45th minute.
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Johnson was called on to make his fourth save in the 53rd minute when Al Toward redirected a cross from Lincoln Schmitt on target.
βThe biggest thing was the pace of play,β Toward said. βThe difference between what we see on a regular basis and what we saw tonight is how quickly they were able to pressure us, get on the ball and deny us opportunities. We had a couple of chances.
βI wouldβve bet money Reed Johnson finishes that cross of Isaacβs ball (in the 76th minute). Isaac had a chance in the first half that didnβt get off the field quick enough. Thatβs what happens against teams like this.β
Washburnβs thwarted chances in the second half paid off when Lucas Neu doubled the Millersβ lead in the 54th minute. Toward called the goal βa back-breaker.β
Any hope of a Bemidji comeback was put to rest in the 72nd minute when Lineras finally beat Heuer on a seeing-eye shot in the top-left corner.
Washburn (15-0-3) sat on its 3-0 lead in the closing minutes to secure a spot in the 3A semifinal next Wednesday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Itβs a result that also ended Bemidjiβs (14-4-2) season.
βIt stings right now, but theyβre going to look back on this and say, βWe did something nobody else in Bemidji has ever done before,β Toward said. βOf course itβs disappointing to be in this moment and have that moment taken away from you, but they should be proud of themselves. They have nothing to hang their heads about.β
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Toward has coached most of the Lumberjacksβ seniors for over a decade. Levi Renn, Dash Hiller, Hunter Olson, Brady Riley, Al Toward, Charlie Zellmann, Johnson, Schmitt and Stone comprised the core group of veterans that clinched the programβs first Section 8-3A title, with the help of additional seniors Andrew Kavanagh and Sam Byrne, and a formidable group of underclassmen.
βUltimately, weβre trying to turn them into good human beings,β Toward said. βThey came together as a group this year and grew tremendously into young men. In terms of what they mean to me, theyβre an extended family. My kid is on this team, but Iβve known these kids since they were 4 years old. In a sense, itβs like youβre graduating your whole family.
Minneapolis Washburn 3, Bemidji 0
BHS 0 0 β 0
MW 1 2 β 3
Bemidji β No scoring.
Minneapolis Washburn β Selbo 19β (Amaya); Neu 54β; Lineras 72β.
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Saves β Heuer (BSU) 6; Johnson (MW) 4.
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