JAMIL JACKSON JR.

Minneapolis North • basketball

Two years of living with the disappointment of missing potential game-winning shots in the final seconds of section championship games in back-to-back seasons for Jackson came to end Saturday as the Polars pulled away to defeat Goodhue 68-45 in the Class 1A state championship game.

Jackson, a 6-foot-6 senior forward, finished with 43 points, 18 rebounds and 6 blocked shots in three games. He punctuated a terrific tournament with a resounding coast-to-coast, highlight-reel dunk in the championship game.

"I think about those shots," Jackson had said before the tournament. "I think about what I could have done differently. I want to win a state championship more than anything. I think about it every day."

Having exorcised his demons from the two previous seasons, the low-key Jackson broke into a huge grin in the post-game press conference when asked about how it felt to finally get that state title

"It's unreal," he said. "It's so unreal. It's just ... I don't have any words for it. It's crazy."

BROOKE BOWLIN

Paul Klauda, Star Tribune

Holy Family • basketball

The junior guard scored 12 points in a 49-40 victory over Providence Academy in the Class 2A, Section 5 semifinals. She had a career-high 26 points and added 10 rebounds in a 69-60 overtime victory over Annandale in the finals.

XAVIER JOHNSON

Hopkins • basketball

The leading scorer and most pivotal player in the Royals' run to the Class 4A title, the senior guard sparked game-defining runs in victories over Apple Valley in the semifinals and Lakeville North in the finals. He finished with 54 points in three games.

GABE KALSCHEUR

DeLaSalle • basketball

The sophomore guard saved his best performance of the Class 3A state tournament for the biggest game, scoring 27 points to lead the Islanders to a 78-65 victory over Fergus Falls in the finals. He finished with 53 points overall.

SARAH KAMINSKI

Minnehaha Academy • basketball

The senior guard was the catalyst for the Redhawks in their 69-47 rout of St. Croix Lutheran in the Class 2A, Section 4 finals. Kaminski scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Minnehaha to its 8th state tournament appearance in nine years.

GRAYSON NICOLAY

Dakota United • adapted floor hockey

The senior defenseman scored two goals in the Hawks' 3-2 victory in the state PI Division finals over Anoka-Hennepin. It was the first championship for Nicolay, who owns the state record for career goals in adapted floor hockey with 251.

TORI WORTZ

Hutchinson • basketball

After losing eight consecutive times to Orono, the Tigers got a measure of revenge, rallying to defeat the No. 1-ranked Spartans 56-53 in the Class 3A, Section 6 championship game. Wortz, a junior guard, led Hutchinson with 22 points and added 5 rebounds.

JIM PAULSEN

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