Eagan edges Eden Prairie for Class 2A girls' soccer title

ST. CLOUD – Eagan junior forward Jade King turned it up a notch for the title game.

King's goal with 14 minutes, 26 seconds left in the first half held up in a 1-0 victory over Eden Prairie in the Class 2A state championship at Husky Stadium. The Wildcats finished the year undefeated.

"It feels amazing," King said. "I'm so excited to come back next year and try to win another one."

King's goal came as Eden Prairie failed to clear the ball out of its defensive zone. King held the ball in, then sent a shot over the outstretched arm of Eden Prairie goalie Lindsay Eliasen for her ninth goal of the year.

Eagan coach Bulut Ozturk said he challenged King before the game against her Minnesota Thunder Academy teammate April Bockin, the Star Tribune's Metro Player of the Year and Minnesota's Ms. Soccer in Class 2A.

"In big games I expect big players to deliver," said Ozturk, in his first year with Eagan after coaching at Lakeville North the past three years. "I told Jade before this match I wanted her to be able to go up against Ms. Soccer, so she can show her stuff in a big game. She delivered."

Eagan's stingy defense stifled Eden Prairie (17-3-1) and neutralized Bockin enough to hold the Eagles scoreless. Eagan (21-0-1), which allowed only nine goals throughout the regular season and the playoffs, held the Eagles to just two shots on goal.

Ozturk said he augmented his defensive alignment to allow senior defender Rachel Wall, a team captain, to shadow Bockin, who scored eight of Eden Prairie's 11 goals in the postseason, the entire game.

"We didn't want to give April any space," Ozturk said. "Rachel did her job. She was nervous today, but she came through."

Eagan starting goalkeeper Jordyn Clark was knocked out of the game with 37:16 left after making a save on a tight-angle shot by Eden Prairie's Kellie Fuhs. Senior Ashley Patyk took over and secured the shutout.

"As soon as I saw Jordyn go down and they told me to warm up, all I was thinking was I had to do my job and not let my team down," said Patyk, who played two years of varsity for Eagan. "This was the state championship game, I had to come through."

Eagan's state title is its first in girls' soccer. The Wildcats' only other state final appearance was in 1996.

"This is an incredible feeling," Ozturk said.

PATRICK JOHNSON