Members of the Dakota United CI Division team raise their second-place trophy at the state tournament last weekend. (SCOTT THEISEN SUN NEWSPAPERS)

Dakota United gave up its state adapted soccer championship - but not willingly or easily.

The Hawks were stunned after allowing three goals in the first eight minutes of the CI (cognitive impairments) Division championship game against Park Center, but they fought back. A kick save by Park Center goalkeeper Joel Phelps just before the final buzzer preserved his team's 4-3 victory Saturday, Nov. 15, at Stillwater High School.

"I talked to the kids at halftime and told them they have only 20 minutes of soccer to play this season," said Dakota United coach Tom Grothe, whose team trailed 4-1 at halftime. "They went out in the second half and played like warriors."

The Hawks (12-2) got two goals from Joe Conway in the second half, but Park Center was able to run out the final 10 minutes without further damage.

Dakota United had chances, though, including John Conway's shot in the final seconds that Phelps directed away from the far goalpost with his left foot.

"We might have been a little scared in the first half," Grothe said, "but we were a little more relaxed in the second. The referees also called the game a little tighter, and we were able to get some free kicks out of that."

John Conway scored DU's first-half goals, with an assist from his twin brother.

Dakota United and Park Center did not meet in the regular season, but Grothe assumed it would be a battle if they faced each other in the state tournament.

"We played them in the state tournament last year [winning 7-6]," Grothe said. "We knew they were big, fast and physical, and we saw they had been smashing every team they played."

Park Center completed a 14-0 season with its victory in the championship game.

Joe Conway scored six goals in the second half of the Hawks' 8-6 victory over Anoka-Hennepin in the semifinals earlier Saturday. The game was a rematch of last year's state final, won by Dakota United 7-2.

Andrew Kinsella and Visal Meng also scored in the semifinal game.

The Hawks scored 10 goals in the second half of their 13-1 first-round victory over South Washington County. John Conway had five goals and an assist, with Joe Conway scoring three times with two assists.

The Conway brothers are among 10 seniors on the Dakota United roster. The Hawks had to rebuild their defense after last year's state championship; their challenge next year is to replace the offense supplied by players such as the Conways, Kinsella and Laura Maher.

For now, "they're disappointed," Grothe said. "Second place is a great accomplishment, but for the last two weeks all they've talked about is winning this tournament. They were really fired up.

"But, that's sports. Somebody has to lose. This year it was us."

The Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville Blazing Cats took sixth place in the state tournament after finishing 8-5-1.

Tim Juul scored five goals and Smair Hilgert four in the Blazing Cats' lone state tourney victory, 12-4 over South Washington County.

Dakota United's Conway brothers were named to the All-Tournament team, as was forward Isaac Urias of the Blazing Cats.

Dakota United won one of its three games in the PI (physical impairments) Division tournament to take fourth place.

The Hawks (9-3-1) opened the tourney with a 3-1 victory over Park Center. Junior forward Thomas Bowlin scored twice in the second half, and Lantz Estep also had a goal.

Dakota United lost to Anoka-Hennepin 9-1 in the semifinals and South Suburban 5-3 in the third-place game.

The Blazing Cats, whose cooperative includes Burnsville, Farmington, Lakeville and New Prague for PI Division play, lost to Anoka-Hennepin 9-1 in the quarterfinals, defeated Park Center 9-4 in the consolation semifinals and fell to Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville 10-6 in the consolation final. The team finished 9-4-1.

Jon Schmitz of the Blazing Cats and Bowlin of Dakota United were named to the All-Tournament team.

The Hawks scored 10 goals in the second half of their 13-1 first-round victory over South Washington County. John Conway had five goals and an assist, with Joe Conway scoring three times with two assists.

The Conway brothers are among 10 seniors on the Dakota United roster. The Hawks had to rebuild their defense after last year's state championship; their challenge next year is to replace the offense supplied by players such as the Conways, Kinsella and Laura Maher.

For now, "they're disappointed," Grothe said. "Second place is a great accomplishment, but for the last two weeks all they've talked about is winning this tournament. They were really fired up.

"But, that's sports. Somebody has to lose. This year it was us."

The Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville Blazing Cats took sixth place in the state tournament after finishing 8-5-1.

Tim Juul scored five goals and Smair Hilgert four in the Blazing Cats' lone state tourney victory, 12-4 over South Washington County.

Dakota United's Conway brothers were named to the All-Tournament team, as was forward Isaac Urias of the Blazing Cats.

Dakota United won one of its three games in the PI (physical impairments) Division tournament to take fourth place.

The Hawks (9-3-1) opened the tourney with a 3-1 victory over Park Center. Junior forward Thomas Bowlin scored twice in the second half, and Lantz Estep also had a goal.

Dakota United lost to Anoka-Hennepin 9-1 in the semifinals and South Suburban 5-3 in the third-place game.

The Blazing Cats, whose cooperative includes Burnsville, Farmington, Lakeville and New Prague for PI Division play, lost to Anoka-Hennepin 9-1 in the quarterfinals, defeated Park Center 9-4 in the consolation semifinals and fell to Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville 10-6 in the consolation final. The team finished 9-4-1.

Jon Schmitz of the Blazing Cats and Bowlin of Dakota United were named to the All-Tournament team.