Elk River leads the Northwest Suburban Conference and looks to hang on to the top spot while playing at Totino-Grace on Tuesday. Photo by Mark Hvidsten
Elk River and Totino-Grace are up-and-coming Northwest Suburban Conference teams that have impressive performances against traditional league mainstays this season.
Elk River (7-2, 5-0) has rolled through conference play and defeated defending big-school state champion Anoka, the top-ranked team in the Class 4A coaches' poll, and No. 14-4A Maple Grove.
The No. 15-4A Elks hadn’t beaten the Crimson in five years and the Tornadoes in four, and they have a shot to continue rewriting history by claiming a conference crown, an achievement Elk River has missed on recently - even in the years it has advanced to the state tournament.
Armed with junior pitcher and East Carolina commit Erin Poepping, Totino-Grace has seen a dramatic turnaround in its second season in the Northwest Suburban.
The No. 8-3A Eagles, who finished 3-10 in league play a year ago, own a win over Maple Grove and played Anoka close in a 3-1 loss in the season's first month. They also are headed toward their first winning season since 2011, which was also the last time they reached the state tournament.
This Northwest Suburban contest between upstarts Elk River and Totino-Grace could be pivotal in determining the league title and is one reason it is our Top Game of the Week.
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