White Bear Lake’s Cinderella run through the 2019 postseason has come to an end.

Third-seed Brainerd/Little Falls scored twice in the first period and once in the second and third respectively to earn a date with Andover in the Class 2A State Tournament semifinals, outshooting White Bear Lake 39-12 in the process.

“They kept us on the outside, and we did not do a good job of getting a good net presence,” White Bear Lake coach Jerry Kawpick said after the game. “That’s something we have to have.”

The Bears scrapped their way through the Section 4-2A playoffs, with their run culminating in a massive 2-0 upset of the section’s top seed and six-time defending champion Hill-Murray. Goaltender Calla Frank, a finalist for the Senior Goaltender of the Year Award, posted shutouts in all three section games and made 35 saves in Thursday’s loss to the Warriors. 

Frank said that even advancing to the state tournament, which the Bears (13-13-3) had not done since 2002, was memorable. 

“It was a pretty unreal feeling winning the section championship game and just getting to the tournament is amazing,” Frank said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more, and I bet all the other girls feel the same way.”

Cheyenne Abear and Ella Kalusche scored in the first period for the Warriors (24-4-1), with Gabbie Smith and Emma Both taking on insurance goals in the second and third periods respectively. 

The secondary scoring has come out a real need for the Warriors, with steadying presence and leading scorer Lindsey Booth lost to an injury late in the regular season. 

“That’s a credit to the kids and just to their work ethic. Every day they’re working hard,” Brainerd/Little Falls coach Jim Ernster said. “We continue to stress (scoring) goals like the last one that we got,” Ernster continued, referring to Emma Booth’s rebound goal in the third period.

Thursday’s victory was the first state tournament win for the Warriors after losing twice in last year’s tourney. The boys’ program has yet to make a trip to the Xcel Energy Center. 

“We were looking for this for a really long time. It’s a good feeling” senior goaltender and five-year varsity member Olivia King said, adding that the Warriors aren’t awash in overconfidence heading into a semifinal matchup with Andover. 

"We’re ready to go,” King said. “Don’t worry.”