Prep athletes of the week: Big scorer expected win over Hopkins' girls basketball

As a senior center and on-court leader for St. Michael-Albertville, Tracy had a few choice thoughts for those who looked at the Knights' 76-48 over Class 4A, No. 1-ranked Hopkins as an upset.

"It's a great accomplishment, but we expected to win," she said. "We went in knowing that if we outworked them, we could get the job done."

Tracy had 24 points in the victory over Hopkins and followed it up with 25 points in an 84-55 rout of Moorhead. Those performances came after she scored her 1,000th career point in a 66-60 loss to Park Center on Dec. 5.

"It was bittersweet, having that happen in a loss," she said.

Tracy, who has committed to South Dakota St., was more satisfied with another milestone. The victory over Hopkins was the 100th victory she's been a part of in her high school career.

"That was a great feeling," she said. "I think were underrated as a team [St. Michael-Albertville has played in five of the last six state tournaments]. People always look as us like we're on the cusp, but we've raised the bar here pretty high. We expect to beat every team we play."

CARMEN BACKES

The sophomore forward has scored 30 or more points in three consecutive games, two of them last week. She scored 35 in an 87-74 victory over St. Anthony and 37 in a 70-61 victory over Superior (Wis.).

The senior guard scored a total of 97 points in three games, all victories. He had 32 as the Stars defeated Trinity 76-54, 25 in a 87-55 victory over Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity and 40 — making 11 of 13 shots from the floor — as they defeated Class 1A, No. 2 Central Minnesota Christian 69-60.

Last week the UMD-committed senior goalie blanked Simley 8-0, stopped 12 of 13 shots in a 9-1 rout of Minneapolis and posted another shutout in an 8-0 victory over Minnehaha United. This season she has five shutouts, a 10-0 record and a .959 save percentage.

With Division I scouts watching every outing, the 6-foot-7 senior forward has been at the top of his game. He scored a combined 80 points in three victories last week, capped by a 28-point, six-rebound, three-assist effort in a 94-86 victory over Rochester John Marshall in Saturday's Breakdown Classic.

The senior left wing had two goals, including a short-handed game-tying goal in the third period, and three assists in a 6-5 overtime victory over Eden Prairie.He also had three assists as the Red Knights defeated Woodbury 4-2.

The senior forward, who spent parts of October and November with Team USA in Sweden, scored four goals in the Skippers' 5-0 victory over Wayzata. She added a goal in a 3-3 tie with Chaska/Chanhassen. Norby has 17 goals in 10 games this season.

JIM PAULSEN

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