PRINCE KRUAH

Osseo • football

The Class 6A championship hung in the balance. Osseo trailed East Ridge by six points, 13-7, and was 71 yards from the opposing end zone with a little more than three minutes left. Not a time for trickery or risky plays. So, as they have all postseason, the Orioles put the ball in Kruah's hands let the 5-foot-7, 178-pound running do what he does best.

Kruah didn't let them down, carrying the ball eight times for 38 yards on Osseo's final drive. The last of those carries was a four-yard blast around right end for the game-tying touchdown with 24 seconds left. Kruah dropped to his knees in the end zone, in celebration and exhaustion, having completed a herculean effort by rushing 43 times for 189 yards. A successful extra point later, Osseo had won its first state title, 14-13.

"I wanted the ball so bad," said Kruah, who finished the postseason with 186 carries for 1,089 yards. "I was like 'Give me the ball, give me the ball.' Nothing was going to stop me."

GABE DERTINGER

Becker • football

The senior tailback was the most potent of the Bulldogs' many weapons in their 35-14 victory over South St. Paul in the Class 4A championshp game. He rushed 11 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns before halftime, finishing with 20 carries for 151 yards overall.

JESSICA HALVERSON

Armstrong/Cooper • hockey

The senior forward paced the Wings to three victories last week. She had a hat trick and an assist in a 5-3 victory over Henry Sibley and tallied back-to-back two goal games in victories over Rosemount (6-1) and Rochester Mayo (3-2).

MARIENA HAYDEN

Belle Plaine • volleyball

A junior outside hitter making her fourth consecutive state tournament appearance, she racked up 64 kills and 43 digs in three matches as Belle Plaine showed why it was ranked No. 1 in Class 2A for most of the season by winning its first Class 2A state championship.

Paul Klauda, Star Tribune

MITCHELL KARTES

St. Michael-Albertville • football

With backfield mate Eric Sjelin on the sidelines with a leg injury, the sophomore running back/safety picked up the slack. He rushed 25 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns and caught a pass for 31 yards as St. Michael-Albertville defeated St. Thomas Academy 28-21 in the Class 5A championship game.

SAMANTHA NORTON

Orono • swimming

The senior had four first-place finishes at the Class 1A, Section 3 meet. She won the 200 freestyle in a time of 1:54.66 and the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.43, and swam on the winning medley relay (1:48.13) and 200 free relay (1:39.62) teams.

BRIE ORR

Eagan • volleyball

The Wildcats have no seniors on their roster but Orr, a junior, provided veteran leadership as Eagan won its second Class 3A state title in three years. In three matches, the combination setter/hitter had 49 kills, 89 set assists and 43 digs.

JIM PAULSEN

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