Prep Athletes of the Week: Edina's Meyer Swinney spends a football Friday 'making plays all over the place'

MEYER SWINNEY

Edina • football

Swinney considers himself "calm, cool, and collected." It showed on a career night Friday.

A senior wide receiver, he caught eight passes for 197 yards and four touchdowns, leading Edina to a 35-14 victory over perennial Class 6A power Eden Prairie.

"Meyer had a terrific game," Edina coach Jason Potts said. "He ran great routes, made tough catches, broke a lot of tackles and was extremely physical in blocking. He really put a complete game together."

The 6-4, 215-pound Swinney was on the receiving end of 5-, 5-, 30- and 85-yard scoring passes from junior quarterback Mason West.

'He sparked our team with amazing effort and helped give us momentum and confidence in a big-time game," Potts said. "As a coach, he made it incredibly fun to call the game because he was making plays all over the place."

A three-year starter, Swinney takes as much pride in his run blocking as he does in his pass catching and route running.

"I bring physicality and aggression," Swinney said. "I try to embarrass the guy across from me on every play. I have a competitive edge that a lot of other players don't have."

Swinney will join his older brother, offensive lineman Bastian, at the University of California Berkeley. He would first like to take care of unfinished business with the Hornets. They would like to take that final step after finishing as the state tournament runner-up a year ago.

"Beating Eden Prairie was a step in the right direction," Swinney said. "This team has something special."

ANNIKA SWENSON

Lakeville North • volleyball

The senior hitter and her top-ranked Panthers (9-0) are playing at a high level, beating Class 4A, No. 2 Champlin Park for a second time to win the Minnesota Southwest Challenge in Marshall. The Panthers have defeated four other ranked teams this season. Swenson, a 5-11 team captain bound for Concordia (St. Paul), has 105 kills on 228 attempts for a hitting percentage of .360. "Annika has been a steady and dynamic attacker," Lakeville North coach Jackie Richter said. "Her exceptional work ethic, power and explosiveness is hard to defend."

SAM DEUTZ

Marshall • cross-country

Coming off an injury and feeling under the weather, Deutz turned in a school record-setting performance. The junior was the top Minnesota finisher at the Augustana Twilight meet with a time of 15 minutes, 14.99 seconds over a 5K course in Sioux Falls, S.D. It bested the time of 15:16.50 set by Yahya Iman in the state meet in 2003. "If you would have asked me prior to the race how it would go, I would not have imagined this outcome," Marshall coach Brian Leibfried said. "Sam was unable to race in our first meet due to an injury and on top of that, he was a bit sick just before the start of this race, so we were not quite sure how things would play out for him. Sam's race shattered the expectations."

SAM PEREZ

St. Charles/Lewiston-Altura • soccer

The senior forward had three consecutive hat tricks for the unbeaten Saints (6-0). She has12 goals and four assists this season. "Sam's speed and fiery attitude can be a problem for any defense that she goes against," St. Charles coach Taige Puetz said. "She has an incredible shot, and the will to win. She flies around the field and is tough as nails."

COOPER BRINKMAN

Albany • football

Brinkman, a senior linebacker/offensive lineman, recorded 13 tackles in the Huskies' season-opening victory and followed it up with nine tackles and four sacks in a 45-8 victory over Melrose Area. "Cooper is what you look for in a football player, smart, high-energy and a great teammate," Albany coach Mike Ellingson said. "He has a nose for the ball defensively and continues to improve each week. He consistently asks great questions throughout the week and implements that information into his play."

LOGAN HAVERMANN

East Ridge • swimming

The Raptors sophomore owns the state's fastest time in the 200-yard individual medley at 2 minutes, 7.32 seconds and is second fastest in the 100 breaststroke at 1:06.68, fifth in the 100 butterfly at 58.43 and 10th in the 100 freestyle at 54.26. The Raptors' 400 freestyle relay team also owns the best time, 3:39.30, with Havermann swimming the lead leg. "Logan has picked up exactly where she left off last year; tenacious training and high-performance swims," Raptors coach Jay Gillard said. "She carries herself as a champion every single day."

ELVIS HERNANDEZ PAZ

Simley • soccer

The junior midfielder is Simley's leading scorer, with nine goals and three assists in the first five games. "Elvis is probably the most complete high school player that I have coached in my long career," Spartans coach David Albornoz said. "He can do many things — pass, shooting, dribbling — consistently and really well, and it shows on his performances. His work ethic and discipline are top notch and match his talent. He's a difference-maker and a big-game player. His start of the season has been impressive."

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