Prep athletes of the week: State stage means big motivation for Panthers' Poehling

Lakeville North twin brothers Jack and Nick Poehling derive strength from playing hockey together. The seniors were the twin engines pumping talent and tenacity throughout the Panthers' 31-0 season.

Jack, however, edged out his brother on the tournament stage. He scored four goals and added three assists as Lakeville North finished its Class 2A championship run with a 4-1 victory over Duluth East in the championship game at Xcel Energy Center. He finished the season with single-season school records for goals (38) and total points (76).

Poehling set the tone for the Panthers' three-game sweep at state with a determined effort on his first goal in the quarterfinals against Hill-Murray. Upset about an offside call, Poehling took the ensuing neutral zone faceoff, charged around a defenseman and scored on the backhand, breaking a 1-1 tie on the way to a 4-1 victory.

The Spartans, the No. 5 seed in Class 3A, Section 6, pulled off a pair of upsets on the strength of the physical inside play of Adams, a senior forward. She had 18 points in a 67-52 victory over No. 4 Holy Angels and 29 points in a 71-62 victory over top seed Waconia.

The junior forward guided the Skippers to two playoff victories and into Wednesday's Section 6, 4A girls' final against Hopkins. Fredrickson scored 24 points in a 93-53 rout of Minneapolis Southwest and had 23 points in a 73-58 victory over Eden Prairie.

COLE HENNINGS

The senior guard put together one of his best games of the season at a most opportune time, making 11 of 22 shots and scoring 31 points as the Spartans defeated Rocori 82-59 in the Class 3A, Section 5 championship game at St. Cloud State's Halenbeck Hall to advance to the state tournament.

Raihle and Faribault's Austin Ferris dueled for 11 dives in Saturday's Class 1A state meet at the Jean Freeman Aquatic Center. Raihle, a junior, edged Ferris for the state championship by less than five points, 493.55 to 488.95.

The future University of Minnesota swimmer nearly set a state record in winning the signature event at the Class 2A state meet, completing the 50-yard freestyle in a time of 20.28, six-hundredths of a second off the record. Tidd also won the 100 freestyle in 45.00.

The 5-11 senior forward helped get the Islanders' postseason off to a strong start by personally outscoring the opponent in the Class 3A, Section 3 girls' quarterfinals. Toney recorded a career-high 37 points in a 76-28 victory over Spring Lake Park.

JIM PAULSEN