Action heats up quickly this week as the spring sports postseason moves into the fast lane with state tournaments a little more than a week away. ¶ Section golf tournaments and track and field meets take place this week, as do the finals in every sport other than baseball. ¶ Here's a quick look at notable happenings around the metro last week, along with some ideas about what to look for this week:

SOFTBALL

 

• Last week: Early-round single-elimination games took a toll on potential state tournament contenders. The most significant early departure came when Champlin Park, the No. 7 seed in Section 5, Class 3A, ousted Park Center 2-1 in the second round. The Pirates had, to that point, made a successful transition to Class 3A this season after winning the Class 2A championship in 2010 and 2011. Other highly regarded teams eliminated last week were Hill-Murray, the No. 1 seed in Section 4, 3A; Mankato West, the No. 1 seed in Section 2, 3A; and Lakeville North, a No. 2 seed that was a casualty in tough Section 3, 3A.

• Coming up: No. 1-ranked Maple Grove takes on giant-killer Champlin Park in the Section 5, 3A winners' bracket final at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Rice Creek Park in Shoreview. ... Bloomington Jefferson can win the Section 3, 3A championship with a victory over the winner of Tuesday's loser's bracket game between Burnsville and Eastview at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Eagan. The Blaze or Lightning needs to beat the Jaguars twice to win the section title. ... New Life Academy's shot at a fifth consecutive Class 1A state championship is intact. The Eagles play Minneapolis Washburn for the Section 4, 1A crown at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Hamline University.

 

BOYS' TENNIS

 

• Last week: Favorites came through in most section team tournaments, with a few -- most notably Section 7, 2A, home of No. 1-ranked Elk River -- to be determined. The biggest eye-opener? Maple Grove ended Mounds View's streak of 10 consecutive state tournament appearances in the Section 5, 2A final. ... An interesting name has shown up in the doubles lineup for Rochester Mayo. Ingrid Neel, the now-eighth-grade girl who played No. 3 singles for the defending Class 2A champion Spartans last year, has recovered from a back injury that sidelined her for much of the regular season.

• Coming up: Forest Lake's Dusty Boyer is expected to cruise through the Section 7, 2A singles tournament Tuesday and Wednesday at St. Francis. Boyer is seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive Class 2A singles state championship. ... Keep an eye on Wayzata eighth-grader Nick Beaty, who is seeded No. 3 in Section 6, 2A but beat top-seeded Max Olson of Edina at No. 1 singles in the team final last week.

 

BASEBALL

 

• Last week: Few upsets, as most of the top seeds advanced through the single-elimination rounds to this week's double-elimination brackets. No. 11-seeded Woodbury's 3-1 victory over Mahtomedi in first round of Section 4, 3A might have been the biggest surprise.

• Coming up: Can Minneapolis Washburn remain undefeated? At 22-0, the Millers are the last team without a loss in the state. The No. 1 seed in Section 4, Class 2A, Washburn has a path that might have gotten a little easier when St. Paul Highland Park eliminated perennial power St. Anthony last week. But with St. Paul Academy and Minnehaha Academy still alive, Washburn has little room for error.

JIM PAULSEN