Tuesday didn’t mark Stillwater’s best start to a game this season. The third-seeded Ponies trailed Maple Grove 4-3 early in the second quarter of the state lacrosse quarterfinals in Chaska.

The third frame was a goalfest between the two teams that left Stillwater leading 12-10 with one stanza to play.

But all was well that ended well, as Stillwater shut out the No. 6 seed in the final frame to secure a 16-10 victory.

“I think we’re pretty confident because we understand that you’re not always going to win every game by 10 goals,” senior attacker Madylyn Richert said. “It’s state. Every team here is good, it’s going to be close at certain points. One goal, one stop, everything around the field, that all builds up to a win.”

The Ponies meet Park in the semifinals at 3 p.m. Thursday in Eden Prairie.

It figures that a slow start wouldn’t linger for a perennial state participant such as Stillwater. But the response Tuesday was impressive given this is an unusually young Ponies team. Stillwater features just three seniors, but they step up in a big way.

Richert scored six goals, Gretchen Wenner scored twice and Rayna Malmberg had a goal and three assists. They led with the play, but also their voices, as they delivered prominent messages in the postgame pep talk.

“I think just coming in, we all realized everyone had to step up (this season),” said Richert, one of few returning starters from a 2024 team that graduated 11 seniors. “The younger girls were going to play, and (it was) teaching them the ropes of what works, what doesn’t and just building us as a team and a family.”

That family spent that postgame chat highlighting the contributions they witnessed players throughout the roster in the victory, big and small. Stillwater coach Carly Fedorowski said it’s been “fun to watch” her team’s evolution this spring.

“Everyone plays together, and that’s important,” she said. “Our senior class of three is awesome. They keep leading, and they’ve done a great job.”

Park 18, Elk River 10 >> Park made state history Monday, competing in the first-ever girls flag football state tournament. The Wolfpack finished the season 12-1, with their lone loss coming in the state semifinals to eventual champion Mahtomedi.

Roughly 18 hours later, a number of those same athletes – and their head coach – were at it again on another state tournament stage.

Led by many of those same faces, second-seeded Park downed Elk River/Zimmerman 18-10 in the girls lacrosse state quarterfinals in Chaska.

The Wolfpack (17-0) will next meet Stillwater, who they beat 7-6 last month.

But in between the quarterfinal and the semis was another major event for Park’s seniors – Tuesday evening’s graduation ceremony. What a whirlwind. And they don’t want it to end.

Madi Brinkman, Maleah McMorrow, Kyra Stofer and Josie Leonard were all members of Park’s flag football team, which played three games Monday at the Vikings’ practice facility.

Park led by just a goal late in the first half before building up some separation. Josie Leonard led Park with seven goals in the win.

Lakeville South 13, Orono 12 >> You knew the champs wouldn’t go down easy.

Trailing 11-9 in the final frame, the fifth-seeded Cougars (14-3) responded to score the game’s next four goals to get back to the state semifinals.

The first three of those scores came from Ella Mills. The senior is now up to 79 goals on the season, which ties the leading mark in the state. Charlotte Fannin scored three goals to go with a number of helpers.

The Cougars will meet top-seeded Prior Lake at 5 p.m. Thursday in Eden Prairie in a rematch of last year’s state title game. The Lakers beat Chisago Lakes 18-5 in Tuesday’s quarters.