Prep athletes of the week: Blake golfer Reece Sanders responds to pressure, wins state title

On the first day of the Class 2A tournament at the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan, the sophomore burned up the course on the way to a 5-under-par 67.

The second day started much slower as Sanders shot a 1-over 37 on the front nine — "I was starting to feel the pressure," he said — but he rebounded nicely on the back nine with a 2-under 34, finishing with a 71. He finished with a two-day, 6-under score of 138, good enough to win the tournament by four strokes.

His strong second half also helped the Bears rally to tie Mankato East for the team title with a score of 602.

The junior kept the Class 3A girls' individual championship in New Prague for a third consecutive year, overcoming a one-stroke deficit to win the title Wednesday at Bunker Hills. She entered the final day trailing Edina junior Hannah Hankinson and shot a 76, giving her a two-day total of 149 to beat Hankinson and Winona senior Abbe Partington by four strokes.

Ledwein struggled with nerves and windy conditions in the latter stages of the final round. "I think I had an anxiety attack on the 17th tee box," Ledwein said. "When they finally posted the results, it was a relief."

The junior midfielder was a two-way standout for the Bears in their run to the boys' state championship. He scored seven goals and added four assists in three tournament games. He scored four goals in a 14-13 victory over two-time defending champion Eden Prairie in the semifinals, including the game-winner in overtime. "That moment right there is probably the moment of a lifetime," he said.

The junior midfielder had a team-high 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in leading Eden Prairie to its first state championship since 2009. She supplied the biggest goal of the tournament for the Eagles in the semifinals. Trailing by one goal with time running out, she stole the ball from the Stillwater goalkeeper and scoring the tying goal with one second left in regulation. Eden Prairie went on to beat the Ponies 15-14 in overtime.

JIM PAULSEN