Five things to know (and bonus time) as high school soccer hits the postseason

Pull on those boots and adjust your kits for some playoff soccer.

After beginning Monday with a smattering of section play-in games and quarterfinals, the soccer postseason kicks into overdrive midweek as semifinal action decides the last teams standing in all three classes.

Section games are played outdoors on neutral turf fields and culminate for a fortunate few with the state tournament semifinals Oct. 24-26 and finals Oct. 31-Nov. 3 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Here are five things to know:

5. A new state champion will emerge in Class 1A girls soccer. That is because St. Anthony moved up from the smallest class to 2A in both boys and girls soccer. The female Huskies were placed in Section 4 with traditional heavyweight Mahtomedi — the Class 2A state tournament runner-up in 2022. The Zephyrs, who feature Sophia Peer and Savanna Stockness, earned the No. 1 seed just ahead of St. Anthony.

4. Holy Angels boasts the lone unbeaten team in Class 2A boys soccer. But the Stars (13-0-2), anchored by senior defender Everett Hoeppner, will be fortunate to emerge from Section 3 with the likes of Hill-Murray, led by senior midfielder Jacob Dinzeo, and St. Thomas Academy lurking.

3. Southern voices should be the loudest in Class 3A, Section 1 boys soccer. Two-time defending section champion Rochester Mayo claimed the top seed with neighbors Century and John Marshall right behind. Senior Kymani Chitulangoma leads Mayo with 17 goals.

2. Spring Lake Park appears poised to make its debut in the girls soccer state tournament. The Panthers (10-2-4) earned the No. 1 seed in Class 3A, Section 5 and went 3-0-3 against section opponents this fall. And they are the only team in the section north of .500. Sophomore goalkeeper Brooke Goerish has conceded just 12 goals all season.

1. Cake By The Lake aptly describes the potential showdowns in Class 3A, Section 2 in both boys and girls soccer. The top-ranked Edina girls, runner-up a year ago, rides a 16-0 streak into the postseason. Senior Izzy Engle has put 30 goals away. Playoff nemesis Minnetonka (13-3) holds the No. 2 seed. Meanwhile, the Skippers boys (11-1-3) hold the No. 1 seed just ahead of Edina (13-3).

Defending Class 3A boys state tournament champion Wayzata (14-0-2) and the Trojans girls (15-1) hold the top seeds in Section 6. A year ago, the Wayzata girls were upset in the state quarterfinals.

In Class 2A, sophomore Maddyn Greenway (45 goals, six assists) leads the playoff charge for Providence Academy (14-1-1) while senior Berit Parten (29 goals, 21 assists) hopes to get Minnehaha Academy back into the title game — and claim victory.