2025 MSHSL State Championship wrap up

Halloween, Championship Friday, and a ton of soccer all wrapped into one package. That was Friday from 8am to nearly 10pm in Minneapolis as the Minnesota State High School League put a bow on the 2025 soccer season. 80 minute matches, 20 minute extra time, that’s split in two, a countdown clock that stops, and unlimited subs are all some of the unique (weird?) parts of high school soccer. All six championships, three boys and three girls, were decided in one marathon day of soccer inside the cozy confines of US Bank Stadium. 

Girls Class AAA: Wayzata Trojans 2 – 3 Stillwater Area Ponies

The best match of the day opened up the championship finals at a not-so-bright, but still early 8am kickoff time. Wayzata from the western suburbs faced off with Stillwater from the northeast suburbs and the Trojans took an early lead with a goal from sophomore Ava Molde in the 10th minute. Junior Lauren Craig added a second for the Trojans in the 28th minute, with Molde getting the assist. Three minutes later the Ponies finally got their first tally with senior Alayna Muths (Illinois-Chicago commit) getting her first of the day. 11 minutes into the second half, Muths grabbed a brace, leveling the match with less than a half hour to play. Ultimately it was fellow senior Rylee Lawrence (North Dakota commit) who grabbed the match winner for the Ponies in the 66th minute and the Ponies fourth overall championship.

Boys Class AAA: Edina Hornets 1 – 0 Maple Grove Crimson

Second up on the day was the boys Class AAA title match between Edina from the southwest suburbs and Maple Grove from the northeast. The match started off extremely chippy and with very questionable officiating, both unlike the girls match before it. Haden Smith scored for the Hornets in the 51st minute putting Maple Grove in the same position they were in the previous two seasons. Ultimately the Crimson were unable to strike back, falling for the third consecutive time in the state final, with Edina winning their 5th title.

Girls Class AA: Mahtomedi Zephyrs 1 – 0 Blake Bears

Minnesota girls soccer juggernaut Mahtomedi matched up with The Blake School in the first match of the afternoon. Not only we’re the Zephyrs shooting for back to back titles, but also for the 12th title in Mahtomedi High School history. After a very good back and forth affair in the first half, the teams headed to the dressing room at halftime deadlocked at nil-nil. 26 minutes into the second half and when extra time came to everyone’s mind, junior Elise Aflakpi cut through Blake Bears back line, before chipping a shot in to score a late goal for the Zephyrs. Following the goal, Blake was just not able to get enough momentum going and the Zephyrs did take their 12th overall championship.

Boys Class AA: Blake Bears 3 – 0 Como Park Cougars

After the Blake girls fell the fans stayed in the stands as the Bears faced the Cinderella story of the tournament, the St. Paul Como Park Cougars. Como Park had a horrendous start to their 2025 season, but starting in late September the Cougars went on a tear, winning 9 of 10 matches to land themselves in the state final. The Cougars however, were out shined almost from the opening whistle. Blake’s Oliver Brown scored the opener in the 15th minute. Shortly after Brown was issued a yellow, Max Vezmar put Blake up 2-0 with a 49th minute goal. Three minutes after Vezmar’s goal, Brown tallied a brace on an easy tap in after a cheeky backheel pass from Landon Bell, guaranteeing the Bears their third ever state title.

Girls Class A: Providence Academy Lions 2 – 1 Watertown-Mayer Royals

The final girls championship of the day was also the first match to have a school representing the outstate (or Greater Minnesota) as Watertown-Mayer faced Providence Academy from Plymouth. Only three minutes into the showdown, the Royals put themselves on the board first with a goal from Ainsley Blair. As the the first half went on Providence Academy kicked into gear trying to come back from the early Watertown-Mayer goal. The Lions got their wish when Maddyn Greenway cut through Royals back line, stutter stepped past the keeper and placed a clean shot into the open goal to draw the match to 1-1 in the 32nd minute.

Once again as extra time started to come into everyone’s minds, Providence Academy’s Greenway put the Lions ahead in the 61st minute. The final 20 minutes of play saw Watertown-Mayer throw everything including the kitchen sink at Providence, with the Lions withstanding attacks until literally the final whistle, when they secured a back to back Girls State Championship.

Boys Class A: Holy Angels Stars 4 – 2 St. Cloud Cathedral Crusaders

Last up on the night was the single most dominating performance of Championship Friday. Last year’s Class AA boys soccer champion Academy of Holy Angels came out roaring, while St. Cloud Cathedral sat back to try and stave the tide of the Stars attack. A formula which did not work out for the Crusaders as the Stars went up 3-0 by the half after having scored just two minutes into the match. Holy Angels’ Leonardo Medrano-Ayala got the Stars fourth on the board in the 49th minute and from there Holy Angels just sat back. St. Cloud Cathedral finally got on the board in the 72nd minute before the Crusaders added a second late goal in the 78th. Though it was to little to late for Cathedral and Academy of Holy Angels won a second straight state title.