Recent content from Ron Haggstrom
Prep Bowl by the numbers: Digits that detail state championship football
Zero losses is a common starting point, but only two teams, Staples-Motley and Fertile-Beltrami, have no state titles.
Prep Athletes of the Week: Monticello's Adalynn Biegler sets state records at Class 1A swim meet
Also, Yonis Noor and Griedin Corley lead their respective teams to adapted soccer state championships.
Dassel-Cokato makes last-minute push into Prep Bowl, where Stewartville awaits
A touchdown with 51 seconds left settled the first Class 3A semifinal. Stewartville receiver Parker Wangen, whose team won its 27th game in a row, settled the second.
Dassel-Cokato 300-pounder lives a lineman's dream: He's a fullback now
Coaches rescued Lars Salmen from a lifetime on the offensive line. "He even caught a touchdown pass this season," his dad said. "He loves it."
Basketball star Maddyn Greenway, daughter of ex-Vikings linebacker Chad, commits to Kentucky
Greenway, the state's highest-rated recruit and 18th-ranked recruit in the nation for the Class of 2026, picked the Wildcats over Duke, Clemson, Iowa, Stanford, and UCLA — her other five finalists pared down from 40 offers.
![Glass and metal siding outside US Bank Stadium create graphic shapes against the summer sky. ] JIM GEHRZïjames.gehrz@startribune.com (JIM GEHRZ/S](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/PI2OUIUAMXQV5Y646EPZ7G2XLA.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Jackson County Central and Staples-Motley reach Class 2A Prep Bowl
Jackson County Central won without injured QB Roman Voss. Staples-Motley benefitted from turnovers and penalties against Chatfield.
![U.S. Bank Stadium - Exterior and construction images. ] US Bank Stadium - Vikings brian.peterson@startribune.com Minneapolis, MN - 06/30/2016](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/VD64MQFZSLRSXX7V62MLGPDJWM.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Hills-Beaver Creek, Fertile-Beltrami set up a perfect Nine-Player Prep Bowl
Hills-Beaver Creek, the less-noticed undefeated team in the first semifinal, knocked off powerful Mountain Iron-Buhl. Isaiah Wright scored seven touchdowns for Fertile-Beltrami against LeRoy-Ostrander/Lyle-Pacelli.
Minnehaha Academy standout Mack commits to Maryland women's basketball
Addi Mack was considering several Big Ten offers and announced Tuesday that the Terrapins were the winner.
Swimming and diving: 15 individuals to watch at this weekend's girl's state meet
Several high school programs will be competing for a team trophy, but here are 15 swimmers and divers that will vie for individual medals.
Gophers women's basketball team lands four-star recruit Oehrlein
The Crosby-Ironton junior guard ranked by ESPN as the 43rd-best recruit in the nation for the Class of 2026 decided to stay in Minnesota for college.
Here are this weekend's best matchups in the Minnesota high school football quarterfinals
Head-to-head quarterback battles and sturdy defensive fronts against savvy rushing attacks highlight the playoff action happening Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Prep Athletes of the Week: After weeks of blocking and tackling, Monticello standout is celebrating
The Magic football team is headed to state. "We finally did it," two-way standout Eli Pietig said. "This is so special."
Alexandria turns it around, takes high school football playoff win over No. 1 Moorhead
The Spuds won the matchup during the regular season, and Friday's game was another touchdown-filled event.
Girls basketball: Providence Academy's Greenway narrows college list
The standout basketball recruit pared her list of 40 scholarship down to six schools on Wednesday.
Prep football section semifinal roundup: Apple Valley upsets Two Rivers 35-31
Two Rivers, previously unbeaten and ranked No. 6 in Class 5A by the Associated Press, was stopped by Apple Valley on its final possession.
Football: Blaine wins with last-second field goal; Rochester Mayo defeats Centennial with final minute TD
Senior Jared Killian kicked a 29-yard field goal with two seconds remaining, giving the No. 10 state-ranked Blaine Bengals a wild 38-36 victory over Rosemount in the opening round of the Class 6A football playoffs Friday night.
Minneapolis Washburn shuts out Bemidji in boys soccer state tournament quarterfinal
Millers advance in Class 3A; Edina girls rout Duluth East 5-0 to advance; St. Charles/Lewiston-Altura girls get a measure of revenge over St. Paul Academy in overtime.
Chisago Lakes roars past South St. Paul and into the football section semifinals
DeLaSalle and Minneapolis Roosevelt won close ones on the first day of the playoffs, and Mountain Iron-Buhl scored 91 points in a Nine-Player victory.
Prep Athletes of the Week: Erik Aasheim's determination lifts Orono boys soccer
Also, Highland Park runner Grace Lewis-Mosher clocks a personal-best to earn medalist honors and lead the Scots to the St. Paul City Conference championship.
Here's how the best teams performed in one of Minnesota's most loaded high school swim meets
The girls' swimming state meet is still a month away, but there was one last chance to catch most of the state's best at the True Team meet this past weekend.
Last-second TDs, and a field goal to match, highlight final week of regular-season high school football
In another feat, Mankato West senior Frank McAninch tied the state record for longest touchdown run during the Scarlets' 17-6 victory over Rogers.
Maple Grove, Moorhead among No. 1 seeds in high school football playoffs
Tour the brackets revealed Friday and prepare for Classes 5A through Nine-Player to begin the postseason Tuesday and for Class 6A to start Friday.
No. 2 Shakopee gets gritty, works its way past No. 8 Blaine
The Sabers, ranked second in Class 6A, scored on four runs and finished the regular season 7-1. Lakeville North also posted that record, routing Burnsville.
Crosby-Ironton basketball star's daily routine requires toughness, discipline and family
Tori Oehrlein isn't focused solely on basketball, even though she's ranked the 40th-best player in the nation in the Class of 2026. She's a four-sport athlete, also excelling in tennis, track and field and softball.
Wayzata holds on for victory over Anoka in high school football
In other games Wednesday, Class 4A's Princeton tops 3A's Dassel-Cokato 23-13 in matchup of two undefeated teams.
Football weekend recap: Armstrong, wielding both burst and brawn, maintains perfection
QB Dawson Franke and RB Kevon Johnson make good use of the room provided by linemen Luke Pappas and Lucas Nelson.
No. 2 Moorhead gets the best of No. 1 Alexandria in big Class 5A matchup
Touchdowns were the norm in the 36-34 game, but a missed field goal settled it after Moorhead took the lead over Alexandria with 1:13 left.
East Ridge routs No. 1 Lakeville North in high school football, lifted by quarterback Cedric Tomes and kicker Luke Ryerse
Gophers recruit Luke Ryerse kicked a 56-yard field goal, second-longest in state history, and Cedric Tomes scored on two runs and a pass. Chanhassen, Mankato West, Minnetonka and Totino-Grace also took big victories.
Hoops? Football? Or both? Hopkins two-sport star now has two Gophers offers, faces decisions
Jayden Moore now has basketball and football offers from the Gophers after visiting with P.J. Fleck.
Prep Athletes of the Week: Minnetonka's Eli Ryan is irreplaceable on the soccer field
Also, Champlin Park's Kathryn Adler is a big reason the Rebels' volleyball program is on top in Class 4A, while Leah Maddock of Osakis is 22-0 on the season on the tennis court.
A look ahead at a big week in prep football
There's plenty of intrigue in the week ahead with the high school football regular season winding down.
Eden Prairie defeats previously unbeaten Minnetonka in overtime thriller
Senior running back Jeremy Fredericks scores on a 2-yard run in overtime and Zachary Wisemann makes good on the extra point, giving the Eagles the win over Class 6A, No. 3-ranked Minnetonka.
Gophers baseball lands commitments from state's top-ranked players
Dual-sports athlete Luke Ryerse of East Ridge is committed to the Gophers for baseball and football as a punter.
Meet the Star Tribune Prep Athletes of the Week
Elk River tennis star Ava Nelson nears 200th victory; Bloomington's Marlon Seahorn Jr. is on the verge of a record-setting season.
Defense steals the show in multiple games across Minnesota preps
With multiple state-ranked matchups taking place on Friday, it was impressive defensive showings that earned teams some of their biggest wins of the year.
Wayzata football comes from behind to top Eden Prairie; North Branch topples Duluth Denfeld
Best Minnesota Friday football scores include Wayzata over Eden Prairie, North Branch defeats Duluth Denfeld
Here's who's competing at Minnesota's largest girls swim meet this weekend
A total of 46 schools, some of them top-ranked in the state, will participate in the Maroon and Gold Saturday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
Midseason Report: The most surprising high school football teams and players
Star Tribune sportswriters share which teams and players have had the most unexpected and surprising season so far.
From Twin Cities to Greater Minnesota, Prep Athletes of the Week include record holders and team leaders
At Moorhead, quarterback Jett Feeney completed 26 of 36 passes for 373 yards and six touchdowns to lead the Spuds over Brainerd on Friday.
Football Recap: Eagan's confidence grows; Stewartville's defense lives up to nickname
Eagan won a nail-biting 35-33 victory over Lakeville South Thursday, sealed by a last-minute interception by Grady Recer.
Rochester Mayo nips Rosemount; Shakopee remains unbeaten
In other games Friday, Edina and Maple Grove rolled, and Hopkins won again a week after ending a long losing streak.
Prep Athletes of the Week: Jenna Maloy drives White Bear Lake girls soccer to the peak
Propelled by Jenna Maloy's 22 goals, White Bear Lake is ranked first in girls soccer for the first time in school history.
Giant comeback and celebration years in the making spice prep football weekend
Minnetonka, trailing by 21, roared past No. 1 Edina, and Hopkins ended a 29-game skid with an overtime two-point conversion.
Becker zeroes in again, shutting out Holy Angels in matchup of top-10 4A teams
Becker has two shutouts already this season. Elsewhere, Hopkins won for the first time since 2020, Armstrong topped Cooper in a school district rivalry and Moorhead routed Bemidji in greater Minnesota.
![North basketball coach Ricky Davis, Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at Minneapolis North High School in Minneapolis, Minn. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ • carlos.g](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/5TMA2BI2HUSVHYMNZFBWE4FFSA.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Minneapolis North begins search for basketball coach to replace Davis
Ricky Davis, a former NBA player who had a stop with the Timberwolves, replaced legendary Larry McKenzie in 2022 and had two winning seasons in his first time coaching high school basketball.
Prep Athletes of the Week: Edina's Meyer Swinney spends a football Friday 'making plays all over the place'
Wide receiver Meyer Swinney made eight catches for 197 yards and four touchdowns in Edina's victory over Eden Prairie.
Sweet bounce and determined rally spice high school football weekend
A low snap that was handled by quarterback Seth Thompson made Northfield a winner. Andover triumphed on two fourth-quarter touchdowns by Wyatt Myers.
In Greater Minnesota, a legendary coach and senior setter enter elite company
Sauk Centre's Jim Klaphake surpassed 500 volleyball wins, and Aubreigh Rausch contributed her 1,000th assist to Lakeview's program.
Lakeville North storms back from two TDs down in victory over Rosemount
The Panthers rallied by scoring twice in the final two minutes of the first half. Also Friday, Robbinsdale Armstrong won in a rout and Blaine knocked off defending Class 6A champ Centennial.
Prep Athletes of the Week: Forest Lake runner stays well ahead of the pack
A senior who won a state title by a half-minute last season, Norah Hushagen took the St. Olaf Showcase by nine seconds, showing her strength in an early-season challenge.
A kicker and a coach add to their high school football legends
Alexandria's Daniel Jackson kicked a 54-yard field goal Thursday, a mark exceeded only twice in Minnesota history. Becker's Dwight Lundeen gained his 400th victory on alumni night.
St. Thomas Academy sinks Andover in final seconds
The Cadets scored twice in the final 1:10 and scored the winning touchdown with 12 seconds left.
Swim team with 10 titles in a row faces challenge in push for No. 11
Orono and Monticello both have more returning firepower than does perennial Class 1A champion Visitation. In Class 2A, Edina and Minnetonka stand out again.
Minnetonka star Crump will play her senior season in Florida
Ranked fourth nationally in her class, she is transferring to Montverde Academy, which will be her third high school program in five years.
Oehrlein settles on her final six colleges, and Gophers make the cut
The Crosby-Ironton guard who soared to 3,000 points faster than any Minnesotan in history said she also is still considering Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Utah and Virginia Tech.
Boys Team Coach of the Year led a rise from the ashes
Joe Hyser, whose Minneapolis South team lost eight transfers a season prior, coached the 2023-34 Tigers to state for the first time in his long tenure.
She'll stop you. You won't stop her. Meet the Female Athlete of the Year
Olivia Olson of Benilde-St. Margaret's got national attention, and a state title, with her basketball skills, and she played goalie on a soccer champion,
Two baseball state champions are known, two are awaited
Springfield won a fast-paced Class 1A final, and Rockford was just as quick in Class 2A. The 3A and 4A title games will be played Saturday at Target Field.
High school baseball state championship games now will be held over two days at Target Field
The two smaller classes are scheduled to play Friday, and the bigger classes will play Saturday — weather permitting.
Metro Player of the Year in girls golf savors her team's gleam most
Amelia Morton of Maple Grove finished second among Class 3A individuals and led Maple Grove to its second team championship in a row.
Prep Athletes of the Week: A pitcher who hits? A hitter who pitches? Yes.
Tyler Guerin of Mounds View hit a grand slam in the baseball state quarterfinals and won on the mound in the semifinals.
Metro ace holds undefeated top seed in check in 4A state baseball semifinal
Despite the nerves, Mounds View ace Tyler Guerin was dominant vs. undefeated Wayzata.
Farmington power shut down in state baseball Class 4A quarterfinal
Forest Lake's senior ace holds second-rated squad to one run in upset.
Owatonna's Jirele ekes out Class 3A girls golf championship
Amelia Morton, who finished second behind Carmen Jirele, won her second consecutive team title with Maple Grove.
Finding his groove pushes Edina golfer to 3A boys title
Feeling low after his Hornets missed the team tournament, Torger Ohe raises his play for individual title.
Baseball state championships: A pitcher's pain, a perfect team.
Minnetonka is ready with a closer who didn't make it out of the opener. Wayzata is unbeaten, with two strong pitchers. East Ridge and Esko are back to defend titles, and the Asuma family is busy.
Centennial golfer works his way in among boys Class 3A giants
Owatonna sophomore is surprise leader among 3A girls, with final rounds setting up well in other classes.
Decisive wins define boys lacrosse state quarterfinals
Benilde-St. Margaret's, Stillwater and Lakeville North show offensive authority in opening round victories.
Girls lacrosse power rolls in state quarterfinal
Stillwater, Prior Lake join Lakeville South with resounding victories to open state play.
Twice a champ, golfer wants one more trophy before heading to U
Simley's Reese McCauley could become the seventh girls player in history to win the state tournament three times.
Meet the baseball All-Metro players: Two teams of nine and 12 more we couldn't ignore
Nearly all have college plans, heavy on Division I, and one is making the Gophers program his next stop.
Meet the baseball Metro Player of the Year: 'Something extra special'
Tyler Guerin of Mounds View stands 6-7, whips in a 94-mph fastball and is a .400 career batter. His coach: "He has something unique and refuses to squander it."
Two state champs provide high points at state softball
Rosemount won in extra innings in the Class 4A quarterfinals, and Mankato East won by 14 runs, with a 10-run inning, in Class 3A.
Prep Athletes of the Week: Pitcher zeroes in on state berth
New Prague's Jordyn Marsh threw four section tournament shutouts, giving up a total of eight hits.
One baseball team is positioned perfectly in final Metro Top 10
Wayzata made it through the regular season undefeated. Section tournaments and state championships will settle the rest.
