Tri-Metro Conference? Check.
#1 Seed for 4AA Tournament? Check.
Section playoff sweep? Check.
State Championship?
For the second year in a row the Visitation Blazers ran the table in the Tri-Metro Conference and have returned to take another crack at the state tournament. The Blazers are now 25-0 against conference foes over the past two seasons, and an incredible 75-3 in games in those matches. A win over St. Croix Lutheran on Thursday night capped a perfect 9 game sweep of the Section 4AA tournament to get Visitation back to the XCel Energy Center for the third time in five years.
In 2007 the Blazers were swept by both St. Cloud Cathedral and Jordan.
Last year, Visitation drew the #1 seed Hutchinson Tigers and were swept to the consolation round. They would beat Esko and then lose to Marshall to claim 6th at state.
This year, they hope to go even further. So far the Blazers are the only team to punch their ticket to state in Class AA. The rest of the field will be determined on Saturday. Depending how the other section finals play out, Visitation could end up being one of the four seeded teams. The Blazers will have their hands full though as all of the teams that reach the X are quality.
Working in the Blazers favor though is big game experience from a variety of classes: Seniors Katie Suplee and Samantha Dumler, Juniors Kayla Adducci and Anne Debertin, and Sophomores Elsa Ayotte and Mary Mullen. They all played big minutes in the state tournament last year and shouldn’t have to worry about the jitters this time around.
The brackets will be announced Sunday but the Blazers should be able to make a legitimate run at a state title. Town Square Television will be on hand for the quarterfinals for Game of the Week.
