Robert Brewer/MDN MaLiah Burke (11), pictured in a home game earlier this season, played a major role in Minot's undefeated season which resulted in the program's first ever state championship.

It has been a record setting season for the Minot girls soccer program.

In addition to a perfect 16-0 record and the program’s first ever state championship, the Majettes scored a school record 106 goals this year while holding their opponents to only four goals the whole season.

Minot set even more records during Saturday’s championship game in Grand Forks. By defeating Fargo Davies 6-0, the Magi set new marks for the most goals scored in a state championship game, as well as the largest margin of victory in a state title contest. As head soccer coach Matt Pfau states, even he could not have predicted the success his club would enjoy in 2021.

“Finishing runner-up at state in 2019, I knew we were going to be good this year, but I didn’t know we were going to be this good,” Pfau tells The Minot Daily News. “Scoring 106 goals this year was amazing, we have so many girls who can score on any given night, so it makes it really hard for defenses to game plan against us.”

Despite all the success Minot has had during the regular season, Pfau reveals the team took a very business-like approach during their state tournament trip to Grand Forks. He states having been so close to winning the tournament two years ago was a key motivating factor for the Magi soccer club.

“I think our kids were locked in all week and they really were hungry for a championship. Everybody brought their A-game and it was a total team effort to win the title this year.”

With a plethora of impact players for the Magi this year, senior forward Lainey Sandberg served as the team’s most potent offensive weapon. The future Minot State Beaver set a new Majettes record with 24 goals this season.

Meanwhile, junior forward MaLiah Burke was not far behind with 23 goals this year. Freshman midfielder Maicee Burke accounted for 13 goals and 12 assists for the Magi. Defensively, junior goalkeeper Emme Miller recorded 12 shutouts in 2021, including seven consecutive to close out Minot’s undefeated season.

Additionally, Miller logged 566 consecutive minutes without a goal allowed to end the year. Coach Pfau also credits senior Zoey Weishaar as being one of the club’s key defensive players throughout the year.

Eight of the team’s 11 starters are set to return to the Minot program for next season. That, along with an undefeated junior varsity squad who went 14-0, gives the Magi coach optimism that more success is on the horizon.

“I really believe the girls are hungry for this great run to continue. They are all about honing their soccer skills in the summer and continuing to get better. That kind of work ethic will give us a chance to win year in and year out,” Pfau adds.