Northfield Baseball Team Gets Tough Draw at State

Section 1 typically doesn't get a lot of respect when seeds are made in any sport, and the same was true again Saturday. The Northfield Raiders did not get a top five seed and drew two-time defending champion and this year's top seed Moundsview for their first game.

The Northfield Raiders are 20-4 heading into the state tournament. They fell to three fellow Big Nine schools (John Marshall 8-5, Mankato West 10-6, Austin in the regular season's final game 12-5) and a South Suburban team (Farmington 11-8) that finished second in that prestigious conference.

The No. 1-rated Mustangs are 22-2. Their losses were to Woodbury (7-5) and Irondale (11-10). Irondale tallied just four wins during the regular season and Woodbury was 13-7 according top the team MSHSL website.

Raiders head coach Peter Maus told KDHL on the Northfield Coaches Show while revealing the seeds he was obviously hoping for a top five spot and thought his team might play Lakeville North in their opener, a team they are familiar with because they play each other during the VFW and Legion baseball seasons.

Here is how the opening day Thursday looks at CHS Stadium in St. Paul.

• 10AM: Northfield plays two-time defending champion, No. 1 Moundsview
• 12:30PM: No. 4 Anoka tangles with No. 5 Lakeville North
• 3PM: No. 2 Chanhassen faces St. Michael-Albertville
• 5:30PM: No. 3 Mahtomedi plays Robbinsdale Armstrong

If the Raiders pull off an upset, they would play Friday at noon at CHS, and if they drop the opener the consolation bracket game at Siebert Field on the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus would be at 10AM Friday. We do plan to broadcast and will let you know which station will air the contests during our Monday 7:40AM sports on KDHL and 7:50AM sports on POWER 96.