Stallman, Bruins edge St. Mary's

By Sun Staff

June 04, 2010 at 6:35 AM

Jillian Stallman was a playmaker for the Fargo Shanley girls soccer team the last few seasons.

Now she's filling the same role for Fargo South.

The first-year Bruin midfielder finished with a goal and an assist to help two-time defending champion South to a 2-1 victory against Bismarck-St. Mary's during the first round of the North Dakota state soccer tournament Thursday at Hillcrest Soccer Complex.

South will play Eastern Dakota Conference rival West Fargo at 4 p.m. today for a berth in the state finals for the fifth straight year.

"I'm really happy I switched," said Stallman, a junior who played for the Deacons the last three years.

So are the Bruins.

Stallman was all over the field on Thursday, harassing all Saints who entered the middle of the field.

She set up South's first goal with a nice pass to junior forward Andrea Rapp, who pounded the ball past St. Mary's keeper Nicole Moen at the 13th minute.

The Bruins (11-2-4) held a 1-0 halftime lead.

"She sees the field really well," South coach Michael Breker said. "She controls the game and does a lot for the defense and the offense."

St. Mary's knotted the game at 1-1 with an unassisted goal by Kalah Peterson.

South had several offensive chances in the second half before Stallman put the Bruins ahead with a goal in the 68th minute. The Bruins had six of their 11 shots on goal in the second half.

"That was nice," Stallman said. "I like scoring when it counts."

Minot 2, Fargo North 0

The Magicians scored the biggest win in school history with an upset of the top-seeded Spartans in the first round of the tournament.

"Gigantic," Minot coach Matt Pfau said. "We needed to win three games to get here so the girls came out with that mentality and had a great first half."

The Magicians (7-5-3), which advanced to state with three-consecutive wins to end the regular season, shocked North with an early goal by Taylor Bachman-Williams in the sixth minute to take a 1-0 advantage.

It was déjà vu for the Spartans, who entered last year's state tournament as the East Region's top seed before losing in the first round at state.

North (12-4-2) was uncharacteristically stagnant on defense against the Magicians, allowing several scoring opportunities within point blank rage of goalkeeper Angie Waller.

The Spartans allowed just four goals during the regular season.

"They came out aggressive and ready to play," North coach Cordell Sinding said. "We came out quite a bit passive in the first half. ... We tried to change it during the course of the game. We just couldn't pick it up."

Minot was took a 2-0 lead at the 21st minute when a Magicians corner kick was inadvertently redirected by a Spartans player into the net. North was credited with an own goal.

"It's just all the little things," Pfau said. "They listen to the formation and they stick with the plan. (North) had chances on the goal line, but the girls just cleared it at the last second. ... We'll let the kids get some sleep tonight and come back to work. We've still got two more to get -- hopefully."

State soccer tournament

At Hillcrest Soccer Complex

Fargo South 2, Bismarck St. Mary's 1

St. Mary's 0 1 -- 1

South 1 1 -- 2

First half

1, South, Andrea Rapp (Jillian Stallman), 13th minute.

Second half

2, St. Mary's, Kalah Peterson (unassisted), 8th minute; 3, South, Stallman (Lexi Maucort), 28th minute.

Saves: St. Mary's Nicole Moen 7. Fargo South, Alley Fisher 7.

Records: Fargo South 11-2-4; St. Mary's 5-6-4.

Minot 2, Fargo North 0