Tech/Apollo Rivalry Renewed in Boys Soccer Section Final

Tech will play Apollo in the Section 8AA Final at ROCORI High School tonight at 7 p.m.  The Tigers upset Willmar 1-0 while Apollo knocked off Alexandria 4-2 in the section semifinals last weekend.

Tech is seeded 4th in the section and is 7-7-3 on the season while Apollo is seeded 2nd with a record of 13-4-1.  The Eagles won the only regular season meeting between the two teams 3-0 on September 26.

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Tech head coach Dan Stoterau says there will be a lot of emotion and the team that handles it the best is the team that will come out on top.  He says many of the kids on both Tech and Apollo know each other, play together in the summer and in some cases are family.  Stoterau explains the players know who's right footed and left footed and he expects everyone to play at the best of their ability.

Stoterau says there is some St. Cloud pride here and expects that whoever doesn't win tonight's game will support the other in the State Tournament.

Apollo is the favorite but head coach Charlotte Albrecht says they cannot underestimate Tech.  She explains since they saw Tech last the Tigers beat an unbeaten Willmar team, twice.  Albrecht says many of the players for Tech and Apollo are friends and calls a matchup like this a "mind game".  She says when the game starts friendships will be put aside until after the game.

Albrecht says they have built a family atmosphere at Apollo and have come together as a group.  She feels they are playing their best right now.

If you'd like to listen to my conversations with Dan Stoterau and Charlotte Albrecht they are available below.