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Jim Paulsen

Reporter | Sports
Phone: 612-673-7737

Jim Paulsen is a high school sports reporter for the Star Tribune. 

Recent content from Jim Paulsen
Minnetonka coach Brian Cosgriff worked the sideline Saturday night during the state championship game against Hopkins, the program he coached for 21 s

Hopkins? Minnetonka? We know, Coach. Change can be difficult.

A superstar's gentle reminder got Brian Cosgriff back on track about which team he's coaching these days. A look back at state reveals certainty on other matters.
Minnetonka senior guard Tori McKinney screams in joy while holding the Class 4A championship trophy Saturday after the Skippers beat Hopkins 64-56 for

Minnetonka holds off Hopkins' frantic comeback to win 4A title

A tidy Tonka victory seemed to be shaping up until it pivoted to a stress-inducing exercise in uncertainty that left the outcome in doubt until the final minute.
Mountain Iron-Buhl students cheer from the stands ahead of their team's Class 1A championship game..

Girls basketball reaches the peak: Among the best, who's better?

Moments of March: It's a high-powered day at state. The four championship games Saturday all involve the top two seeds, and three teams will play for consecutive titles.
Underwood band director TJ Pelanek leads fans in a chant before a Class 1A girls basketball state tournament semifinals Friday.

Girls basketball finals schedule is mostly set and fully loaded

Moments of March: The top two seeds in Class 4A, 3A and 1A all qualified for championship games, and Providence Academy got 2A halfway there.
Hopkins’ Tatum Woodson (right) battles Maple Grove’s Ava Cossette for the ball during the first half of a Class 4A girls basketball state semifina

Rivals to battle it out for Class 4A title in girls basketball; 3A championship also set

The finals are solidified in the top two classes while the top four seeds in Class 1A advanced to the semifinals. Tap here for coverage on all of Thursday's games.
Fans attending Day 2 of the Minnesota girls basketball state tournament will see which teams advance from the Class 1A quarterfinals and the Class 4A

Iron Range family starred for one basketball team; next generation stars for another

Moments of March: The Lamppa family was the foundation of a small school that no longer exists. This year, the Lamppas were key to another school's state tournament run.
Minneapolis Roosevelt coach Tyesha Wright points the way Wednesday during her team's Class 3A quarterfinal.

Big day for a first-time tournament team -- despite the final score

Moments of March: Roosevelt fans showed up in numbers for the Teddies' first state tournament game. Plus this from a coach with a unique angle: 'Caitlin [Clark] is good, but I still think Paige [Bueckers] is better.'
Benilde-St. Margaret’s Kate Kapsner goes up to the net defended by Roosevelt’s Olivia Wren, left, and Jaida Walker, right, during the first half o

Girls basketball state quarterfinals: Wednesday's news and notes

The day began with top seeds Hopkins and Benilde-St. Margaret's rolling, and it wound down with Providence Academy's Maddyn Greenway scoring 49 points. Tap here for stories, tournament details and more from Minneapolis.
Liv McGill, the girls basketball Metro Player of the Year, led Hopkins back to the state tournament.

Introducing the 'matured' girls basketball Metro Player of the Year

Hopkins' Liv McGill cast aside that "really bad attitude" — her words — but she's still L.A. Liv. When it's showtime, she shows the way.
Jackie Bergeron of St. Michael-Albertville, already the Class 2A all-around champion, is the first Miss Minnesota Gymnastics.

STMA's Bergeron is honored as the first Miss Minnesota Gymnastics

The Class 2A all-around champion, Jackie Bergeron won the award created for the 50th season of high school girls competition in the state.
Chanhassen got plenty of participation with its whiteout strategy for Friday's Class 2A semifinal.

State Tourney Insiders: Sights and sounds from the hockey semifinals

Edina and Grand Rapids revived a rivalry late in the day, giving credence to the notion that Friday is always the hottest spot in state tournament week.
Hopkins and guard Liv McGill (23) are back at the state tournament. Seedings will be revealed Saturday.

Qualifiers for girls basketball state tournament come with a tale or two

Hopkins is back again, as are all of the top section seeds in Class 4A. Coaches Wendy Kohler and Mike Dreier carry special marks to state, and Jim Lien's there for the first time in his 45 years of coaching.
The puck took flight in front of Mahtomedi forward Tommy Lewin, left, during the final game of Wednesday's Class 1A quarterfinals.

Minnesota boys hockey state tournament: Class 1A quarterfinals roundup

There were three one-sided games and a thriller in the nightcap of Class 1A. Tap here for all of our coverage from the X.
Bobby Sansone, flanked by other Orono supporters, celebrates a first-period goal against Mahtomedi on Wednesday. That was before matters deteriorated

Behind the scenes at the boys hockey state tournament

Sights and sounds from the Xcel Energy Center include Warroad honoring Henry Boucha and a player tip on how you can use pickles to keep the energy up in overtime.
Matt Lombardi, shown during the 2022 Class 6A semifinals, went 102-37 in 14 years at Maple Grove.

Maple Grove football coach leaving, takes job at another metro school

Matt Lombardi went 102-37 leading the Crimson and his team won a state 6A title. He said he's leaving Maple Grove because "a lot of little things that added up."
It's common to see wrestlers and their supporters share moments at the high school wrestling state championships.

A reporter pins down five gripping memories from state wrestling

Jim Paulsen saw more than competition when he spent most of three days at an event he recommends all sports fans see someday.
Wayzata’s Luke Koenen finishes his victory over New Prague’s Lawson Eller in Class 3A's 121-pound class.

Champ packs up one more wrestling title, heads to the Ivy League

Eden Prairie heavyweight Will Sather will play football and wrestle at Princeton, and he'll need to study, too. "I'm going to be really busy," he said.
Blood drips from the nose of Mound Westonka's Jack Nelson’s during his match against Becker’s Kaden Nicolas.

One wrestler becomes a four-time champ, another is stopped at three

Becker's Kaden Nicolas defeated Mound Westonka's Jack Nelson, but Jackson County Central's Nolan Ambrose knocked off No. 1 Gavin Johnson of Kenyon-Wanamingo.
Jackson County Central's Nolan Ambrose watches an official as he tries to pin Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa's Tanner Viessman in the second round.

Wrestlers seeking fourth state titles arrive at semifinals unsullied

Jackson County Central's Nolan Ambrose and Mound Westonka's Jack Nelson both indicated a high comfort level at the championship meet.
Northfield wrestler Caley Graber is declared the winner over Mounds View wrestler Owen LaRose in a 107-pound Class 3A match.

History made, remade: Northfield girl wins twice at boys wrestling state meet

Caley Graber became the first girl to win a match in the boys bracket, and then she won again. She'll wrestle in Saturday's semifinals.
The Xcel Energy Center was set up Thursday for the wrestling state championships. Next week it will be back to hockey.

Totino-Grace wrestler breaks state record for pins and runs it up

Senior Cy Kruse surged past the mark that Stillwater's Ryder Rogotzke set last season.
Simley coach Will Short, his team behind him, accepted his medal after the program's sixth state championship in a row.

Simley lands its sixth consecutive wrestling state championship

The Class 2A title was the 16th overall for Simley. Chatfield took the Class 1A crown.
St. Michael-Albertville's Jarrett Wadsen got a bear hug from Knights assistant coach Joe Grygelko after Wadsen pinned Mounds View's Colton Loween at 1

St. Michael-Albertville wrestlers keep their grip at state this time

The Knights rolled over Mounds View for the Class 3A team championship, a year after a lead vanished in the final.
Mounds View's Swenson brothers run three deep, clockwise from top: Brett, Ethan and Brady.

Grappling for goals: Meet the athletes, teams seeking state titles

The wrestling championship meet is always a family affair, especially at Mounds View this season. You'll find girls wrestling girls and some taking on boys. And you'll learn the numbers behind the dreams.
Westbrook-Walnut Grove's Devin Carter hollered his satisfaction after a victory in the 2023 state meet.

How to follow the wrestling state meet, from the stands or the couch

It's one of those events sports fans should attend at least once, to rock in the "Cradle of Chaos." But we'll help you keep up from home, too.
Jackie Bergeron of St. Michael-Albertville held a handstand on the uneven bars on her way to the Class 2A all-around title.

All around, St. Michael-Albertville's Bergeron is a Class 2A champion

The senior won every event but the uneven bars at the state championships.
North Branch's Dakota Esget competed on the floor exercise Saturday on her way to a state championship.

North Branch girl reigns at Class 1A gymnastics state meet

Junior Dakota Esget won the all-around title and repeated as No. 1 on the uneven bars.
Autumn Schmidt competed on the balance beam Friday, when she helped Lakeville South win a state championship.

Long a contender, Lakeville South breaks through for gymnastics title

The Cougars have competed well in the section for a decade, and once they won there they didn't stop.
Emma Hennessey of Becker competed Friday during the Class 1A gymnastics state meet.

Class 1A gymnastics state meet produces a surprise champion

Becker, fifth in the final rankings, won the title, the first for Hall of Fame coach Jen Harmoning.
Totino-Grace wrestler Cy Kruse is chasing both individual and team goals: a state record for pins and helping the Eagles to a state title.

Totino-Grace wrestler Kruse aims to turn losses into gains

The state record for pins and a team state championship are goals for Cy Kruse, and he has already learned his lessons.
Anna Lentz, left, and Kana Try worked out on the balance beam during practice.

Cretin-Derham Hall found a coach — and gymnastics success — in a hurry

After just one win in the two previous years, the program is headed to state with a staff and team pieced together as the season's start was bearing down.
Anna Gleason was a champion as a high school gymnast at Roseville; now she's part of a movement at Breck as a coach.

Gymnastics state tournament: What you need to know

A Roseville connection revived Breck, Lakeville South found its way back to state, plus team qualifiers and final state rankings.

Mounds View wrestlers get past Stillwater

The Mustangs broke a seven-year losing streak in the section finals to the Ponies, making the state tournament for the first time since 2007.
Santiago Lala hefted Apple Valley's e-sports trophy, flanked by his teammates

Video gaming calls national attention to Twin Cities high school

Apple Valley, winner of four Minnesota championships in a row, is honored as one of the nation's most successful programs.
Mound Westonka's Jack Nelson attempted to take down Grand Rapids wrestler Alex Lehman during the 2023 state championships, where he won his third stat

Wrestler headed to Gophers, but first he wants that 4th state title

Jack Nelson of Mound Westonka had reasons to choose basketball (Mom's suggestion) and hockey (Dad's background). He decided on a different path.
Brad Anderson, shown coaching Wayzata in 2016, is taking over the football program at Benilde-St. Margaret's.

Benilde-St. Margaret's finds a proven winner to take over football program

Brad Anderson, coach of three state champion teams at Wayzata, is replacing Sean McMenomy.
Colton Loween of Mounds View gained an advantage over Lincoln Gentry of Edina during a mid-January meet. Loween is 40-4 at 160 pounds this season.

Redemption is on wrestling minds as teams grapple for state berths

Mounds View and St. Michael-Albertville have memories of last season to excise. Also presented: the state rankings and final honor roll.
Rankings, final honor roll set scene as gymnasts compete for state spots

Rankings, final honor roll set scene as gymnasts compete for state spots

There's a new No. 1 in Class 2A, and you'll find more than 150 of the best individual scores in the metro.
Jed Wester of St. Michael-Albertville finished second twice before he won a wrestling state title.

What changed? Wrestler links his Christian baptism to his state title

STMA's Jed Wester, a Gophers recruit, finished second twice, then won as a junior after he was baptized at 16.
Gymnastics fact pack: The metro honor roll and state rankings

Gymnastics fact pack: The metro honor roll and state rankings

More than 150 of the top scores by Twin Cities athletes made the list.
Quin Morgan of Mounds View, left, and Sam Hultmann of Orono competed in the 2024 Mustang Duals in January.

200 big winners get their due on latest wrestling honor roll

Wrestlers with at least 28 reported victories made the cut this week, including a dozen who have already reached 40 wins. There are 39 girls on the latest list.
Cole Han-Lindemyer of Farmington is the reigning state champion in the 182-pound class and has a solid grasp on the No. 1 ranking at 189 pounds this y

Farmington wrestling champ's strategy: Think a good game

Cole Han-Lindemyer's approach shows in his interest in technique and in his grade-point average.

MSHSL tinkers with seeding for state volleyball and football

The league also approved the addition of a class in girls tennis at its regular meeting.
Wayzata High School wrestling coach Eric Swensen grew up in a wrestling environment that promoted unhealthy weight habits. He wants a different experi

Wrestling coaches say suffering to reduce weight is a thing of the past

Out: Starvation. Dehydration. Weakness. In: Nutrition. Water. Strength. The problem: "We didn't know what we were doing," one high school coach admitted.
Jackie Bergeron of St. Michael-Albertville has the second-best reported all-around score.

The top athletes, the best teams: Gymnastics honor roll and rankings

The No. 1 team in each class resides outside the metro, and the honor roll runs nearly 150 names deep.
Hastings' Blake Beissel, going low against Cambridge-Isanti's Leo Edblad during the state tournament last season, is 38-1 at 121 pounds.

Wrestling with the details: honor roll, state rankings and big moments

A new team resides atop Class 3A, and don't miss the 160-plus records of wrestlers from all over the metro.
To hear Marco Christiansen of Minnetonka tell it, he became a state champion by surprise.

Schooled in humility as a youngster, wrestler is a humble champ now

Marco Christiansen of Minnetonka, headed to Nebraska for college, still calls his championship day "surreal."
Brad LaCombe and his wife, Jennifer.

Providence Academy mourns death of assistant football coach

Brad LaCombe, who played for St. Cloud State and in two pro leagues, died during heart surgery. He was 53.
Laney Schwellenbach of East Ridge has the highest all-around score on this week's gymnastics metro honor roll.

Check out the gymnastics honor roll, more than 150 of the metro's best scores

The state rankings, with Owatonna atop the big class and Melrose first in 1A, are also included.
Austin Grzywinski of Simley, left in left photo, and Skylar Little Soldier of Hastings hold spots in the honor roll.

East side balance of wrestling power shifts, plus 200 wrestlers' records

Mounds View took out section rival Stillwater in a dual. Read on for the honor roll.
Alex Braun (left) is ranked first in Class 3A at 145 pounds.

Retribution is one driving force for wrestler who last lost nearly two years ago

Alex Braun, headed to Oklahoma for college, is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A at 145 pounds.
Quin Morgan of Mounds View, left, wrestles Sam Hultmann of Orono at the 2024 Mustang Duals at Mounds View High School in Arden Hills, Minn., on Saturd

The usual crushing loss? Mounds View wrestlers plan an unusual conclusion

The Mustangs, kept out of state annually by Stillwater, are undefeated and determined to stay that way.
Annabelle Speers of Hopkins stands fourth in the all-around in the metro gymnastics honor roll.

Presenting the best marks by Twin Cities gymnasts this season

The honor roll shows the top reported scores by metro athletes, and read on for the state team rankings.
Wayzata wrestler Logan Swensen brings down Prior Lake wrestler Alan Koehler in the Class 3A 126 weight class match during the MSHSL wrestling state to

State's best wrestlers: Metro honor roll and latest team rankings

The honor roll shows the best reported records of athletes from metro-area teams.

Three twists and turns in gymnastics: a big weekend, rankings, honor roll

Class 2A's No. 1 team shows prominently in every one of the gatherings.

Three packs of wrestling facts: Numbers, rankings and honor roll

The successes range from an athlete's school record for wins to a coach's 900th victory.
Adrian Onyiego and Wyatt Gilmoreon talk before they sign their letter of intent to play football at Wyoming and Oklahoma respectively on National Sign

Rogers sending three linemen off to play Division I football

With tousled hair and sleepy grins, a low-key signing ceremony started the school day at Rogers High School, even though one of the players wasn't part of the scene.
The tush push, the NFL play that sunk Vikings, is illegal in prep games

The tush push, the NFL play that sunk Vikings, is illegal in prep games

The play, in which a teammate pushes a runner ahead, cost one team a Prep Bowl TD when a player lifted a teammate who broke away for a score that was called back.

Why Wisconsin? Minnesota's No. 1-ranked offensive lineman explains.

Irondale's Emerson Mandell said the Wisconsin coaches were more concerned about him as a person than as a football player. "They never pressured me."

Coach of the Year loses football job at suburban private school

Benilde-St. Margaret's made the Class 4A state playoffs despite a 5-7 record. But coach Sean McMenomy has been told the school won't renew his coaching contract for 2024.

Top Gophers recruit Perich visits Ohio St., says 'nothing is a done deal'

Safety Koi Perich of Esko has an offer from Ohio State that he didn't have when he chose the Gophers. He also said that a visit to another top-tier college football team has been canceled.

Wrestling 2023-24: Class 3A powers are positioned for another big finish

Hastings and St. Michael-Albertville, teams that contributed to a dramatic conclusion to the 2022-23 season, are strong again.
Maxwell Woods (left) of Chanhassen, a shutdown cornerback on top of being a standout running back, put a hit on Jalen Smith of Mankato West.

Chanhassen two-way standout Maxwell Woods is Mr. Football

A running back and cornerback who also twice scored on kick returns is selected Minnesota's top senior.

Tennis champion became a winner even on the only day she ever lost

From her one high school loss, Metro Girls Player of the Year Isabelle Einess of Breck learned to deal with anxiety. Then she went on a 47-match winning streak and won two state titles.

Eight young QBs, including Edina's, already getting attention from colleges

Edina's Mason West nearly won a state championship, and several other sophomores are standouts. There's also a ninth-grader with family history at the position.
Clockwise from left: Kade Bush (center) and his Chanhassen teammates celebrated his winning play; Centennial kept Edina in its grips; Hutchinson’s L

'The sadness' at Edina tops seven classes of Prep Bowl moments

Thrilling victories for Centennial and Chanhassen in the state's largest classes and an 87-yard touchdown run nullified by a penalty that helped decide the smallest class are among our Prep Bowl memories.
Stewartville players celebrate with their trophy after defeating Annandale in the state Class 3A championship football game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Mi

With a no-doubt rout, Stewartville cruises to a Class 3A Prep Bowl title

Annandale had the score tied after one quarter, then gave up five touchdowns in a row.

One final defensive stand makes Centennial the Class 6A Prep Bowl champion

The Cougars stopped Edina's two-point conversion attempt in the last seconds.

Centennial stands strong, overcomes Edina in Class 6A Prep Bowl

The Cougars stopped Edina's two-point conversion attempt in the last seconds.

Eden Valley-Watkins pulls away from Barnesville in Class 2A Prep Bowl

The Eagles had four interceptions, and the three by senior Nolan Haag tied the Prep Bowl record.
Ayden Helder has thrown 40 touchdown passes this season for Class 3A Stewartville.

Three more games, three more guesses: Prep Bowl and prognosticators hit final day

David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen have made predictions all season, and they'll take it to the end.

Eden Valley-Watkins pulls away from Barnesville in Class 2A Prep Bowl

The Eagles had four interceptions, and the three by senior Nolan Haag tied the Prep Bowl record.
Hutchinson wide receiver Nathan Thode (5) scores a touchdown against North Branch in the second quarter of a Class 4A football semi-final game Friday,

Edina or Centennial? Prep Bowl pickers clash over who wins 6A title

David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen are in a tight competition to be the Star Tribune's top high school football predictor. Could Edina vs. Centennial decide more than just the 6A title?
Centennial's Marcus Whiting (14) celebrates a touchdown in the second half against Maple Grove Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023 at Maple Grove High School in

Centennial rejects flash, embraces force for its football identity

The Cougars bring a hard-hat persona into their Class 6A Prep Bowl title game with Edina. The Cougars also believe they're playing for more than just their school.
November 18, 1978 Edina-West Coach Stav Canakes enjoyed the traditional winning ride off the field after the Cougars defeated Fridley 21-0 Friday nigh

Edina's football run hearkens to 1978, when Edina West became a champion

The district had two high schools for eight years, and this year's Prep Bowl is reviving memories.