Northfield coach Peter Maus knew that his Raiders might be experiencing some first-time jitters Friday morning before their Class 3A quarterfinal game against two-time defending champion Mounds View at CHS Field in St. Paul.

So he embraced them, let them be nervous. For about a half-hour. After that, Maus said, it was time to get down to business.

“We got here at about 9 a.m.,” Maus said. “I told them they had until 9:30 to walk around and be in awe. Then it was time to take batting practice.”

Their pregame butterflies soothed, Northfield players went out and played with calm efficiency, holding off Mounds View 3-2.

Sophomore pitcher Hunter Koep flummoxed the Mustangs for 6 1/3 innings, then gave way to reliever Colin Sheply when Mounds View caught on. Koep, who was a JV pitcher to start the season, gave up two earned runs, both in the bottom of the seventh, and scattered six hits to earn the victory.

Maus said he had no qualms about starting a sophomore in the first state tournament game in the program’s history. In fact, he may have faced bigger problems if he hadn’t.

“He’s been our guy since midway through the season,” Maus said. “I’d have had a mutiny on our hands if I started someone else. Hunter is a cool customer.”

Northfield broke out on a top with two runs in the top of the fourth off of Mounds View starter Henry DeCaster. Thomas Meland tripled and scored on a single by Caleb Melak. Melak scored a few batters later on a Mounds View error.

They added an important run one inning later when Melak doubled in Joe Eckhoff, who had walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice.

Mounds View finally solved Koep in the bottom of the seventh with two earned runs, but Shepley ended the threat.

Koep credited his older teammates for helping him navigate the stress of a state tournament start.

“I didn’t get much sleep last night,” he said. “We have a lot of senior leaders on this team who can make plays. My job was just to go out and throw strikes and let the defense do its job.”

A third consecutive Class 3A state championship will not happen for Mounds View.

The top-seeded Mustangs were handcuffed for six innings by Northfield starter Hunter Koep and a seventh-inning rally fell short as Northfield held on for a 3-2 victory in the first quarterfinal game at CHS Field in St. Paul.

Koep pitched six shutout innings, relying on a stout defense, as Northfield built a 3-0 lead.

Koep tired in the seventh as Mounds View rallied for two runs, but reliever Colin Shepley closed out the game and earned the save.

Check back later for more on the game.