Griffen Dean

Lakeville South • football

Maple Grove had a 23-game winning streak and had looked unstoppable all season. Lakeville South knew it would take something special to beat the Crimson and advance to the Class 6A football state semifinals.

Enter Dean.

Hitting holes quickly and sprinting away from defensive backs, Dean rushed 22 times for 282 yards and six touchdowns last Friday, lifting the Cougars to a 49-31 triumph at Eastview High School.

“Griffen’s rise to that big moment was awesome for our team,” Lakeville South coach Ben Burk said. “It signified that we are taking great steps as a team on offense because we’re blocking things right and physically dominating the line of scrimmage against one of the best teams in the state.”

Lakeville South (9-2) will look to continue that momentum Friday against Moorhead at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Dean ranks ninth in the state with 1,502 rushing yards this season.

“Griffen is a junior, so he hasn’t made any college decisions,” Burk said. “After that performance, he should get a few opportunities to start coming his way.”

Keira Friedrich

St. Peter • girls cross-country

Friedrich is a soccer standout. She set a school record with 25 goals as a junior for St. Peter last year and earned all-state honors.

Trouble is, she’s also a standout cross-country runner, and those are both fall sports. This year, Friedrich decided to skip soccer and concentrate solely on running. That proved to be a great move when she won the Class 2A cross-country championship at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights.

“Keira’s season has been nothing short of impressive,” St. Peter coach Jeff Portugue said. “Her decision to step away from soccer and dedicate herself fully to cross-country has clearly paid off.

“The growth in her performance, focus and endurance this year really shows how commitment and passion can elevate an athlete to new levels.”

Friedrich is heading to the University of Minnesota, where she’ll run cross-country for the Gophers.

Maizee Storey

Lakeville North • girls hockey

The Panthers opened the season with two milestone moments. First Rylee Petterssen scored her first career goal — an overtime game-winner in a 5-4 thriller against Grand Rapids-Greenway.

In Game 2, Storey scored four goals in a 9-2 rout of Rock Ridge. With five goals and five assists through two games, she now has 100 points for her career.

“She’s a great player because it’s not just about the goals she scores, but her unselfishness and leadership both on and off the ice,” coach Buck Kochevar said. “She always puts the team first, and her positive attitude inspires everyone around her.

“Reaching 100 career points is an amazing achievement, but it’s her work ethic and commitment to making her teammates better that truly sets her apart and makes her the player she is.”

Izzy Keaveny

Mayer Lutheran • volleyball

The senior setter finished her high school career in grand style, with nine kills and 26 assists in the Class 1A state championship match against Russell-Tyler-Ruthton.

The Crusaders swept for their second state championship in a row.

“Izzy was on fire at the state tournament, leading the team in key stats and setting the pace with her smart playmaking,” Mayer Lutheran coach Joelle Grimsley said. “She kept the offense rolling, finding the hot hitters and creating perfect matchups.”

Next, Keaveny is heading to St. Cloud State.

“Izzy has meant so much to the Crusader program,” Grimsley said. “She is full of grit, determination and a genuine desire to make those around her better. … Her impact and leadership will be felt in the program for years to come.”

Keymoni Bent

Kasson-Mantorville • football

Hill-Murray had momentum right before halftime in the Class 4A state quarterfinals at Stillwater High School, trailing 14-6 with the ball at the Kasson-Mantorville 11-yard line.

The Pioneers had a chance to tie the score, but Bent made an interception and raced 100 yards for a touchdown. It tied for the 10th-longest pick-six in state history. Cleveland’s Marcus Manser holds the record with a 106-yarder against Alden-Conger in 2010.

“It was awesome to make that play and bring it all the way back and really give us the momentum going into the half and really the rest of the game,” said Bent, also an all-conference athlete in wrestling and track and field.

Kasson-Mantorville (10-1) went on to win 35-21 and will meet Grand Rapids (10-1) on Friday in the semifinals at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Evie Holmes

Wayzata • swimming

The swimming and diving state meet runs Thursday-Saturday, and Holmes seems to be peaking at just the right time.

The senior won the 100 freestyle and 200 individual medley and also swam a leg of the winning 400 freestyle relay, helping Wayzata win the team title with 605 points at the Class 2A, Section 5 meet.

Holmes was undefeated in the 200 IM during the dual meet season, and she placed ninth in that event at the True Team state meet.

“She comes to practice every day ready to work,” Wayzata coach Elizabeth Hansen said. “This year, we’ve seen a maturity develop in Evie. Her self-confidence behind the blocks and her focus during the race has allowed her to grow as an athlete.”

Elleora Utecht

Lakeville South • volleyball

The Cougars were so dominant in winning their second consecutive state title, it’s hard picking just one player to highlight. Senior Romi Chlebecek had 17 kills in the championship match against Prior Lake, and junior setter Kaelyn Bjorklund had 39 assists.

Utecht, a junior outside hitter, posted a 0.350 attack percentage for the tournament with 39 kills on 89 swings. She’s been decorated with national awards playing with her Northern Lights club team, as well.

“She anchors her team’s defense and passing and is an athletic, creative attacker who can score from multiple positions and shots along the net,” Lakeville South coach Steve Willingham said. “Her all-around performance over these past three tournament matches was a key to her team’s second straight big school state championship.”

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