Rathe & Jacks Make it to the Metrodome

The Cloquet Lumberjacks are in the semifinals of the Minnesota Girls Class A Soccer Tournament.  That success has a lot to do with the play of junior goalkeeper Kaitrin Rathe, who's this week's Northern Star.

She's been starting in the net for Cloquet since her freshman year, but this season Kaitrin Rathe's stepped it up ... allowing just 18 goals in 21 games.  Those kind of stats are music to first-year head coach Dustin Randall's ears.

"It's nice to know that she's back there. So when there's disorganization within your team, you know, you have to fall back on your keeper, getting you out of some jams," said Randall.

But like most goalies, Rathe's not willing to take all the credit.

"Well it's definitely cause I have a great defensive line, and my team good, that they've helped me out a lot. We talk well together, me and my defense, so we clear the ball out of there as fast as we can," said Rathe.

When you're a Rathe, playing soccer for Cloquet isn't really a decision, it's more like a pedigree.  And playing in the net, that kind of comes with a territory.

"My sister did play goal keeper, but I was just volunteered, I was one of the volunteers and I guess i was good at it, and coach wanted to keep me in," said Rathe.

But Kaitlin's not complaining. In fact, she can't imagine a better fit.

"I tend to like to have control of stuff, so it helps being a goalie I guess. To tell my players where to go and yeah," said Rathe.

As a junior, Kaitlin still has time to make college plans, but she knows they'll include the game she loves.

"I don't know exactly, where, what I want to do but I definitely want to play soccer in college either like a D-II or try to do a D-I, but I'm gonna have to work really hard to get there.

Kaitlin and the Lumberjacks have already worked hard to get where they are in the state tournament; they're just two wins away from a title.

Cloquet takes on the Blake School Monday morning at the Metrodome.