Photo essay: High school sports moments to savor from 2016-17

June 30, 2017 at 1:18PM
Roddy MacDonald of Minnehaha Academy bites his gold medal after Class 2A baseball title game at Target Field.
Roddy MacDonald of Minnehaha Academy bites his gold medal after Class 2A baseball title game at Target Field. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Here's a look at some moments, memorable in big and small ways -- especially for those playing the games -- from the 2016-17 high school sports year.

Trivia question for years to come: Who ended the Edina girls' tennis 19-year streak of consecutive team titles? Mahtomedi, including doubles team members Emily Fraser and Lauren Splett (facing camera).

Caledonia had won a state football championship seven times before last fall. But that didn't make the celebration of No. 8 – the first in U.S. Bank Stadium -- any less fun.

Grand Meadow quarterback Brenn Olson scrambled into the end zone for the final touchdown in the Superlarks' 41-21 victory over Cleveland, clinching their fourth consecutive Nine-Man championship.

Hands up for Eagan, which came up a bit taller than Champlin Park to win the Class 3A volleyball championship match in four sets. The Rebels (right) had been the only team to defeat the consensus No. 1 Wildcats all season.

Who's No. 1? Simon Huyck and his Minnehaha Academy teammates, that's who, after they defeated Pierz 6-4 to win the Class 2A baseball championship at Target Field. Huyck scored what proved to be the winning run in the seventh inning.

St. Cloud Area's Brian Jones made plays all over the field, tagging out runners including Marcellus Dees of Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville, snaring ground balls, even making a shoestring catch to help lead his team to the cognitively impaired division adapted softball championship.

Members of the St. Cloud Tech gymnastics team stood and listened during the National Anthem at the state meet at the University of Minnesota. The team, after winning the Class 2A title in 2015, finished as runners-up to Lakeville North last fall.

Edina's Emily Oden, who has verbally committed to Minnesota, helped lead a powerful Hornets team to the Class 2A girls' hockey championship. Edina gave up just one goal in three state tournament games. Oden will be a senior next season.

To thine own selfie be true, especially when you're Apple Valley and you've just won the program's 12th consecutive wrestling team title. This year was different for the Eagles, however, who avenged a rare mid-season defeat to Shakopee to reach the state tournament.

Benilde-St. Margaret's Brian Arnold (19) was checked by Wayzata's Luke Goetz (17) and Brenton Reddrick (15) in the semifinals of the boys' lacrosse state tournament. The Red Knights won to reach the championship game where they fell to first-time champion Eagan.

Jack Dahlgren of Chanhassen emerged for air during the 100-yard backstroke event at the Class 2A state meet. Dahlgren, a junior, won with a meet record time of 48.28 seconds.

Farmington junior Emma Frost celebrated as she neared home plate after hitting the game-winning, walk-off home run to lift the Tigers to a 1-0 victory over Anoka in 10 innings in the Class 4A softball championship game.

Minneapolis North guard Marquis Holloman (5) scrambled to pass the ball from the floor in the second half of the Polars' semifinal game against Springfield. The Polars, after trouncing the competition en route to their second consecutive Class 1A championship, will compete in Class 2A next season.

Hermantown's Tyler Watkins scored a goal against Monticello/Annandale/Maple Lake goaltender Tyler Klatt to tie the game in the third period of the Class 1A championship. Hermantown went on to win 4-3 on a goal by Dylan Samberg near the end of the second overtime.

Apple Valley's Tre Jones celebrated as time expired against Champlin Park as the Eagles won the Class 4A championship at Target Center. Jones, a junior, scored 24 points, grabbed big rebounds and dished timely assists as the Eagles knocked off the previously undefeated Rebels.

Golden smile: Roddy MacDonald bites his first-place medal after his Minnehaha Academy baseball team won the Class 2A championship with a 6-4 victory over Pierz on June 19 at Target Field.

St. Cloud Area goaltender Tyler Everts makes one of 29 saves he recorded in the championship game of the cognitively impaired division adapted floor hockey championship. Opponent North Suburban defended its title with a 10-7 victory.

Elk River players celebrated after winning the Class 4A championship with a 64-60 victory over Hopkins at Target Center. The game featured a rare title game battle of unbeaten teams. The Elks finished 32-0, the Royals 31-1.

Wayzata's Bobby Isbell (right) celebrated his game-winning RBI with Tyler Young in a 7-6 victory over Hopkins at Siebert Field. The victory advanced the Trojans to the Class 4A state tournament for the second consecutive season. The 4A championship was won by Eden Prairie.

Enjoy the summer -- the fall sports season will be here before you know it.

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Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.

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