Fargo South will be trying for its third state title in a row after the Bruins defeated Jamestown last year in the championship.
The field this year will include four teams out of Fargo to make up the East Region qualifiers and three teams from Bismarck in the West Region. Minot is the fourth team to qualify out of the West, edging out Jamestown by a point in the West Region standings.
Bismarck Century earned the No. 1 seed out of the West by compiling an 11-1-3 overall record and an 8-0-2 record against West Region foes.
Fargo North is the top seed out of the East after finishing the regular season 12-2-2 and 9-1-2 in the East.
The Spartans are 4-0-1 over their last five games and haven't lost a game since May 15th when North fell to Century 1-0 in the East/West Region Crossover.
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Bismarck has earned the No. 2 seed out of the West with a 9-3-2 overall record and 6-3-1 in the West. The Demons have fared well against East Region opponents, finishing the year 3-0-1, including a 2-0 win over first-round opponent Fargo Shanley.
The reigning state-champion Fargo South Bruins will be returning to the tournament as the No. 2 seed out of the East after an 8-2-2 year against East opponents. The Bruins went 10-2-4 overall after allowing just six goals the entire season.
St. Mary's enters the tournament as the No. 3 team from the West, but ended the regular season in a bit of a lull. The Saints finished the regular season 1-2-2 in their last five games, but they did tie with the Bruins -- their first-round opponent -- earlier in the season.
Fargo Shanley has qualified for five state tournaments, all coming in the last five years, and is coming off its best-ever finish -- third place. The Deacons are the No. 3 team out of the East.
Minot has the least state-tournament experience of any team in the field this season, qualifying for only four state tournaments, but the Majettes, who are the No. 4 seed in the West, are coming off their first match-victory at state.
West Fargo is the bottom seed out of the East and is making its ninth state-tournament appearance. The Packers have scored 31 goals this season, while allowing 12 as they make their first appearance at state since 2006.
The following is a capsules look at each team competing at this year's state tournament in Jamestown:
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No. 1 West
Bismarck Century Patriots
2010 record: 11-1-3, 8-0-2 in West (1st in region).
Coach: Sarah McNulty, fourth year, 43-9-8.
Highlights: The Patriots have qualified for every state tournament since the sport was sanctioned by the NDHSAA in 1996, making this their 15th straight appearance. Century has won five championships in the span (1998, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2007), the most of any school. The Patriots will be led by sophomore Sabra Bertsch, who headed the team with 12 goals and one assist. Quin Glaser scored four goals and had three assists. Goalkeeper Caja Snipes had 11 shutouts throughout the year, including five in a row late in the season.
Last year's finish at state: 1-2, fourth place.
First round match-up: Bismarck Century vs. West Fargo, 4 p.m., Hillcrest Soccer Complex, Field 1.
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No. 1 East
Fargo North Spartans
2010 record: 12-2-2, 9-1-2 in East (1st in region).
Coach: Cordell Sinding, 15th year.
Highlights: This is the Spartans' 14th state tournament appearance and sixth in a row. The Spartans won titles in 1996 and 2006 and finished fifth last year. Noel Scherer, the East Region's Player of the Year, is leading the team in scoring with 12 goals and five assists, while Angie Waller has been solid in nets, finishing the year with a 0.46 goals against average, 94 percent save percentage and eight shutouts. Alyssa Dehne has scored eight goals to go with her five assists this year, while Jamie St. Germain has six goals and seven assists.
Last year's state finish: 2-1, fifth place.
First round match-up: Fargo North vs. Minot, 6 p.m., Hillcrest Soccer Complex, Field 2.
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No. 2 West
Bismarck Demons
2010 record: 9-3-2, 6-3-1 in West (2nd in region).
Coach: Brandi Harty, second year, 12-6-6.
Highlights: The Demons have qualified for 14 state tournaments since 1996, but this will be their first since 2008. Bismarck has two state titles to its name (2000, 2005). The Demons will be led by McKayla Feeney, who scored seven goals in the regular season, while Kia Moch had four goals and four assists. Both players were named first-team all-West Region, while Mikayla Feeney, Kristin Goulet and Mikayla Schuette were named second-team all-West Region.
Last year's state finish: Didn't qualify.
First round match-up: Bismarck vs. Fargo Shanley, 6 p.m., Hillcrest Soccer Complex, Field 2.
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No. 2 East
Fargo South Bruins
2010 record: 10-2-4, 8-2-2 in East (2nd in region).
Coach: Mickael Breker, third year, 38-4-8.
Highlights: The Bruins will be making their 15 state tournament appearance, fresh off of back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009. South has won three overall state titles, with the third coming in 1999. The Bruins will be headed by junior Laura Olson, who finished with six goals and five assists, and Lexi Maucourt, who scored four goals and had six assists. South had seven players named to the East Region team, the most of any team in the region.
Last year's state finish: 3-0, first place.
First round match-up: Fargo South vs. Bismarck St. Mary's, 6 p.m., Hillcrest Soccer Complex, Field 1.
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No. 3 West
Bismarck St. Mary's Saints
2010 record: 5-5-4, 4-4-2 in West (3rd in region)
Coach: Tim Mueller, 15th year.
Highlights: The Saints are making their 15th state tournament appearance and will be looking to win their first-ever state title. St. Mary's has made it to the championship match four times, but has never been able to win. The Saints are led by Lily Obrigewitch, who has six goals this year, and Kaya Peterson, who has scored four times and had two assists this season. Brooke Christensen has scored four times and one assist.
Last year's state finish: 0-2, Didn't place.
First round match-up: Fargo South vs. Bismarck St. Mary's, 6 p.m., Hillcrest Soccer Complex, Field 1.
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No. 3 East
Fargo Shanley Deacons
2010 record: 9-7-1, 7-4-1 in East (3rd in region).
Coach: Kevin Roos.
Highlights: Fargo Shanley has made the state tournament five times and has improved its finish each year. The Deacons, who finished third last year, have five all-West Region selections. Shanley was led by Haley Greving with nine goals and three assists during the regular season, while Kelsey Kanwischer had eight goals to go along with her three assists. Goalkeeper Sammi Post recorded seven shutouts throughout the year.
Last year's state finish: 2-1, third place.
First round match-up: Bismarck vs. Fargo Shanley, 6 p.m., Hillcrest Soccer Complex, Field 2.
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No. 4 West
Minot Majettes
2010 record: 6-5-3, 4-4-2 in West (4th in region)
Coach: Matt Pfau, ninth year, 36-84-14.
Highlights: The Majettes are coming off a sixth-place finish last year at the state tournament, which included their first-ever victory at state. Minot has been led by Emily Christensen and Taylor Bachman-Williams this season. Christensen has scored seven and recorded two assists, while Bachman-Williams has six goals and three assists. Minot was scheduled to play North in the East/West Crossover in Jamestown but the contest was washed out by rain.
Last year's state finish: 1-2, sixth place.
First round match-up: Fargo North vs. Minot, 6 p.m., Hillcrest Soccer Complex, Field 2.
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No. 4 East
West Fargo Packers
2010 record: 7-4-6, 6-4-2 in East (4th in region)
Coach: Jon Melendez.
Highlights: West Fargo is making its ninth state tournament appearance and first since 2006, where the Packers matched their best finish of fourth place. West Fargo also finished fourth in 2003. The Packers have been led this season by Kelsey Kloos, who has scored 10 goals and assisted three. Andrea Mueller has seven goals and four assists. The Packers, who had four players named to the all-East Region team, have yet to lose to a West Region opponent this season -- finishing the year 1-0-4.
Last year's state finish: Didn't qualify.
First round match-up: Bismarck Century vs. West Fargo, 4 p.m., Hillcrest Soccer Complex, Field 1.
Sun sports writer David Griswold can be reached at (701) 952-8462 or by email at dgriswold@jamestownsun.com
