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Although everyone expected North Branch's Brian Grand to be named to the All-State team for soccer, not everyone knew Chisago Lakes midfielder David Rau would also be joining him on the squad.

Grand, who will graduate this year as the state's all-time leading goal scorer with 96 goals, put up 35 of those goals this year. The number led the state, but he was also second in the state in assists.

In Grand's varsity career, which started way back in seventh grade, the Vikings steadily improved their win total each year, and they went from a perennial one or two win team in Grand's younger years to a team that went 15-5-1 this year and missed out on the state tournament by one goal.

Rau has taken a different route, as he just arrived in America this year to begin a one-year foreign exchange stay at Chisago Lakes High School. The German import created a good amount of buzz around the team as they also had one of their better season's in a while.

Thanks to talented bunch of seniors and Rau, who was a junior, the Wildcats went 11-9-1 and earned a spot in the section semi-finals where they lost to eventual section champions Hermantown.

On the season, Rau scored 13 goals for the Wildcats and also added 15 assists. His 28 points left him tied for 16th in the state in total points, which is impressive coming from a midfielder.

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