Alex Eisen/MDN Minot High junior goalkeeper Braden Cochran (right) sets up for a free kick by Mandan senior Evan Arenz (left) in a West Region boys soccer game played Tuesday evening at the Optimist Soccer Complex.

On a misty and chilly Senior Night at the Optimist Soccer Complex, it was freshman forward Jordin Lennon who rose to the occasion.

“It was Senior Night and you would have thought he was playing his last game at home,” Minot High boys soccer coach Creighton Bachmeier said. “He had a cheeky goal and an absolute firecracker from I don’t even know how far out. It was good.”

Lennon scored twice and picked up an assist in a 5-1 victory for Minot High over Mandan in a West Region contest Tuesday evening that had postseason implications.

A win or a tie for Minot (7-4-1, 6-3-1 WDA) in the final game of the regular season against Mandan (5-7, 5-5 WDA) meant a third-place finish in the conference standings, while Mandan needed a win to bump the Magicians down a spot and overtake them for third.

Minot wasn’t going to give up its spot.

“You want to start playing your best soccer in October,” Bachmeier said. “Knowing that tonight meant a lot in terms of seeding, I’m incredibly proud of the way these boys came out and for these seniors. It’s exciting soccer right now for us in Minot.”

The Magi didn’t waste any time in finding the back of the net.

Lennon slipped through junior Noah Schmidt, who was sprinting up the middle of the pitch and being casually marked. All Schmidt had to do was get a foot on Lennon’s perfect pass to put Minot up 1-0 after just 57 seconds of action.

The buzz of taking an early lead at home wore off roughly 15 minutes later when Mandan forward Evan Arenz unloaded the equalizer from distance. It was back to square one.

However, with just under 15 minutes left in the first half, the Magi converted their own long-range blast. Lennon unleashed a driven strike from deep that nestled into the top half of the net. Mandan goalkeeper Colton Scheetz didn’t have enough time to react.

“All the games that I have scored, I scored from inside the six (yard box). So, it feels good to finally get a goal from outside the box,” Lennon said. “We were on a counter attack and Walter Markle was dribbling with the ball. He drew in two defenders and found me. I looked up and saw that the goalie was out like five yards out. I just knew I had the leg for it and I just hit it.”

Minot took the 2-1 lead into halftime. Three second-half goals put the game out of reach.

Playing in his final home game, Cody Burke scored eight and a half minutes into the second half off an assist by Schmidt. Less than two minutes later, Lennon curled a shot over and around Scheetz to make it 4-1 Minot.

“Ezra Hagerott just played me a beautiful ball,” Lennon said. “And I took it from there.”

The Magi had one last trick to reveal at home this season. Backup goalkeeper and former starter between the pipes last year, senior Jaden Francis, was given an opportunity to poach a goal in front of the Magi supporters for the final time.

Francis, off a pass from Burke, delivered in the 64th minute. He celebrated Minot’s fifth and final goal with the raucous MHS student section.

Both teams finished with nine shots on goal. Minot junior goalkeeper Braden Cochran made eight saves compared to the four by Scheetz.

“We are ready for the WDA (Tournament),” Lennon said.

The WDA Tournament is being held in Mandan on Saturday. No. 3-seeded Magi will take on No. 6-seeded Legacy in a state qualifier match at roughly 2:15 p.m. The other state qualifier game will feature No. 4 Mandan against No. 5 Jamestown at noon.

Century and Bismarck High will play in the WDA Championship later in the afternoon on Saturday.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.