Prep athletes of the week: Mounds Park runner's kick, lean provided split-second 5K title

The pictures tell the story.

About 500 meters from the conclusion of the Class 1A boys' cross-country state championship on Saturday, nothing had been decided. In the lead pack, a half-dozen or so runners still had a legitimate shot at a state title.

Dahlberg, a junior, put on a finishing kick. He surged ahead, but not far enough to put a comfortable distance himself and his nearest challengers.

After nearly 5 kilometers, it would all come down to a meet-deciding sprint to the end.

Dahlberg leaned to barely beat Matt Steiger of La Crescent to the finish line. Both tumbled to the ground as they crossed the line, Dahlberg with a time of 15:56.9, just two-tenths of a second ahead of Steiger.

"My legs were killing me," Dahlberg told the Minnesota State High School League. "I kind of fell at the end. I didn't have anything left . It was unbelievable. I was fortunate to have enough left."

Dahlberg said he wasn't sure he had enough to hold off Steiger. "[Steiger] put down a really fast last 800, and it was really hard to match," he said. "He's a great runner."

The senior midfielder provided the offense for the undefeated Ponies in their run to the Class 2A state championship. He had three goals in a 6-1 rout of Andover in the semifinals and added another in a 2-0 victory over Wayzata in the finals.

The eighth-grader made the rest of the field in the Class 2A girls' cross-country meet look like novices. She ran away with the championship by finishing the 5K course in 17:41.5, more than 30 seconds ahead of runner-up and teammate Lauren Peterson.

RICKY FLOYD

The senior tailback put up nearly 400 yards of total offense in a 44-29 victory over Holy Angels in the Class 4A, Section 5 final. He rushed for 325 yards and three touchdowns, and caught a pass for a 60-yard gain and a fourth touchdown

The Raiders got a big night from Garbe to qualify for the Class 3A state tournament for the fifth consecutive year. The senior outside hitter had 33 kills as Roseville rallied from a two-set deficit to beat Stillwater 3-2 in the Class 3A, Section 4 finals.

The senior running back is only 5-7 and 130 pounds, but he loomed large in Fridley's 49-40 victory over St. Paul Highland Park in the Class 4A, Section 4 finals, rushing for 290 yards and four touchdowns,

The senior forward scored a goal in the first half and another in second to elevate Centennial to its first girls state championship in school history. The Cougars defeated Rosemount 2-1 in the Class 2A final.

JIM PAULSEN

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