New Life Academy catcher Malorie Giere led the MCAA in hitting with a .639 batting average, pacing the Eagles to their 10th consecutive MCAA conference championship. They've won 41 consecutive conference games dating to April 2011. Pitcher Valerie Hohol, a University of Minnesota-Duluth recruit, led the league with a 16-2 record and 137 strikeouts. She also hit .516 and drove in 34 runs. New Life's 19-8 loss to Jordan in the finals of the Benilde-St. Margaret's tournament May 9 was the Eagles' first loss to a metro area team. The Eagles had lost previously to Hudson (Wis.) and Zumbrota-Mazeppa.
Washington County notebook: New Life Academy softball wins 10th title
Pleski to wrestle for St. Cloud St.
Forest Lake senior James Pleski is taking his state-championship wrestling résumé to a national championship program. Pleski, who won the Class 3A 145-pound title in February, committed to St. Cloud State, the current NCAA Division II champions. Pleski finished high school career with an overall record of 176-40. He is expected to wrestle at 149 pounds.
Synchronized swimming tie
Forest Lake and Stillwater shared the Suburban East synchronized swimming championship with 5-1 conference records. Stillwater hosted the East Section meet Friday and Saturday (after this issue went to press). The state meet is May 21-22 at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
Close softball race comes to head
The Suburban East Conference softball championship was undecided going into the last week of the regular season. Park of Cottage Grove finished with a 12-4 league record after an 18-5 victory over White Bear Lake on Monday. Forest Lake, 11-4, had a game left with East Ridge. Woodbury, a game back with an 11-5 conference record, finished with a loss against Roseville on Wednesday. If Forest Lake split its final two games while Woodbury won its conference finale, the SEC would have ended with a three-way tie at the top, each team with 12-4 records.
Jim Paulsen
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Darius Taylor, who led the Gophers in rushing last season, missed the Aug. 29 opener and was questionable this week leading up to Saturday’s game.