Prep Athletes of the Week: Minnetonka’s Chase Conrad makes playoff football his best football

A senior tailback, Conrad has played a big role in each of the Skippers’ three victories in the Class 6A playoffs.

After rushing for 569 yards and six touchdowns in seven regular-season games, Conrad has averaged 137 yards rushing per game in the Skippers’ victories over Park of Cottage Grove, Rochester Mayo and Blaine while scoring six touchdowns. Conrad, who missed one game because of illness, rushed for 100 yards only once during the regular season.

Last Thursday, he gained 164 yards in 23 carries — 7.1 yards per carry — and scored two touchdowns in the Skippers’ 28-0 victory over Blaine in the Class 6A quarterfinals. He ran for 123 yards in each of the Skippers’ first two playoff victories. In three postseason games, he has averaged 8.9 yards on his 46 carries.

For the season, he has rushed for 979 yards and 12 touchdowns.

“He is a humble, quiet guy but a very confident leader,” said Tony Wixo, director of operations for Minnetonka football. “Always a smile and is always respectful. Great kid.”

Conrad and the Skippers (9-2) will face Anoka in the 6A semifinals Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The junior outside hitter had 45 kills in three state tournament matches as the Cougars won the Class 4A title. In the Cougars’ five-set victory over Champlin Park on Saturday in the championship match, she had 15 kills. She had 18 kills in the Cougars’ sweep of Roseville in the semifinals Thursday.

The senior rushed for 156 yards and two TDs in the Eagles’ 24-0 victory over Hill-Murray in the Class 4A quarterfinals Thursday. This season he has rushed for 1,524 yards — 9.5 yards per carry — and 21 touchdowns.

The junior broke meet records in the 100 butterfly and the 100 freestyle at the Class 2A, Section 1 meet on Friday. Ogren also swam a leg on the Rockets’ 200 medley relay team, which finished third while earning a berth in the state meet.

The senior safety/wide receiver contributed on both sides of the ball in the Bulldogs’ 35-15 victory over Holy Angels in the Class 4A quarterfinals Thursday. He caught three passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns, while contributing four tackles and knocking down two passes.

The junior forward began the season with a flourish as she had her first career hat trick and a career-best five points in the Tigers’ 6-1 season-opening victory over Waconia on Thursday. She also had two assists. She scored nine goals in 26 games last season.

The senior won two individual events and swam a leg on two winning relay teams to help the Skippers win the Class 2A, Section 2 meet. Wentzel won the 100 butterfly with a time of 53.76 seconds — breaking the meet record she set last year (54.03) — and the 200 freestyle and was a member of the 200 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay teams.

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