Dakota United teams going for titles
State adapted floor hockey tournament is this weekend
Dakota United is one of two undefeated teams playing in the CI Division at this week’s state adapted floor hockey tournament.
The Hawks are 12-0 going into the state tournament, while defending champion Anoka-Hennepin is 13-0.
The teams are on opposite sides of the bracket for the state tournament Friday, March 16, and Saturday, March 17, at Bloomington Jefferson High School.
Dakota United plays Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville (7-6) in a quarterfinal game at 8 p.m. Friday. Semifinal games are noon Saturday, with the championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Dakota United, a cooperative that includes Apple Valley, Eagan, Eastview and Rosemount high schools, was regular-season champion in the South Conference and defeated Wayzata/Minnetonka 10-3 in a playoff game March 7 to reach the state tournament.
The Hawks won state championships in 2006 and 2009. Anoka-Hennepin beat Dakota United 13-6 in the 2011 CI Division title game.
Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville (8-4) plays Anoka-Hennepin in a quarterfinal game at 5 p.m. Friday.
The Blazing Cats, who are seeking their first state championship, beat Maple Grove 11-4 on March 7 to reach the tournament.
Dakota United also will compete in the PI Division tournament at state. The Hawks are 11-1-2 overall and won the South Conference with a 9-0-1 record.
The Hawks’ opening game at the state tournament is against Maple Grove (3-6-1) at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Semifinals are 10:30 a.m. Saturday, with the championship game scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
One of the Hawks’ top players is eighth-grade forward Grayson Nicolay, who has 50 goals this season.
The defending state PI Division champion is Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound Westonka, which goes into this year’s state tournament with a 12-0-1 record.
Dakota United has been in nine PI Division championship games since 1994 and won three in a row from 2004 to 2006.
– Mike Shaughnessy
