When Lakeville South absolutely, positively has to have a goal, it’s safe to assume that either Taylor Otremba or Claire Enright is going to score it. Heck, it’s a good bet any Lakeville South goal is going to come courtesy of either Otremba or Enright.
Burnsville, the Cougars’ Thursday opponent in a South Suburban Conference showdown, knows this golden rule all too well. Otremba scored twice and Enright once in Lakeville South’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Blaze on Feb. 9.
Lakeville South, ranked No. 7 in the Class 2A coaches' poll from March 3, and Burnsville (12-2-1) sit atop the South Suburban standings entering the final week of the regular season. The teams play out of different sections (Lakeville South is in Class 2A, Section 1A; Burnsville is in Class 2A, Section 3) and both also are jockeying for playoff seeding positioning.
As is the case in any game involving Lakeville South (11-3-1), the effectiveness — or not — of Otremba, a Minnesota State Mankato commit, and Enright, a Minnesota recruit, will likely determine the outcome. The Cougars’ junior forward duo has combined for 35 goals this season, almost two-thirds of the team’s total.
Burnsville gets much more balanced scoring, although its "Killer Bs" (Sami Bowlby and Hannah Benfer) have combined for 20 goals among their 38 points. Bowlby, a junior forward committed to Quinnipiac, has been held without a point in just three games this season. Benfer, one of seven Burnsville seniors, has been held off the scoresheet the past two games and is due for a breakout performance.