DENIS BARDASHEVSKIY

Elk River, football

With a 40-yard-dash time around 4.6 seconds, the junior running back is the fastest player on the Elk River football team.

Funny thing is, he might not even be the fastest Bardashevskiy.

The advantage of being able to run really fast was in full view during Elk River's 53-42 victory over Rogers in the Class 5A, Section 6 semifinals. He rushed for a school-record 370 yards and scored five touchdowns on runs of 81, 22, 25, 69 and 90 yards.

"I can't believe I ran for that many yards," he said. "I still can't believe it. I keep thinking someone is lying to me."

Bardashevskiy admitted he was spent following the game, but also said he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I was pretty exhausted, but it's such a great feeling that I don't mind it," he said. "My line did such a great job. They kept giving me the holes I needed. I just slipped through them."

Star Tribune
Sonya Das, St. Paul Academy tennis

The one thing Bardashevskiy would change, he said, would be to have his older brother, Stanislav, in the backfield with him.

"He was -- or still is, actually -- faster than me, but he's not into sports," Denis said. "... It would be fun to play with him. The coaches kept telling me, 'Get your brother to come out,' and I kept saying, 'I'm trying, I'm trying.'"

SONYA DAS

St. Paul Academy, tennis

The hard-hitting junior avenged a loss to Patty Zhao of Breck in the Class 1, Section 4 final by handily beating Zhao 6-0, 6-3 to win the Class 1A singles championship. Das did not lose a set in four individual matches.

SUMMER BRILLS

Mounds View, tennis

The junior proved she deserved the No. 1 seed in the Class 2A singles field, beating Faith Lee of Andover in three sets in the semifinals and Sophia Reddy of Edina 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 for the singles championship.

BRICEON SCOTT-BURCH

Cooper, football

Coming in to start the second half, the senior quarterback sparked the Hawks to a 42-21 victory over St. Anthony. He rushed for touchdowns of 65 and 31 yards and threw a 66-yard touchdown pass.

ANNA FRENCH

Wayzata, cross-country

For the second year in a row, the sophomore swept the Lake Conference and Class 2A, Section 6 championships. Ranked No. 7 in the coaches poll, she won the section meet in a time of 14 minutes, 11 seconds.

TARAH HOBBS

White Bear Lake, soccer

The senior goalkeeper showed why she earned a scholarship to Minnesota when she made nine saves, highlighted by a stop on a breakaway, in the Bears' 1-0 victory over Eastview in the Class 2A quarterfinals.

JOE KLECKER

Hopkins, cross-country

Klecker, a sophomore, beat rival and friend Connor Olson of Wayzata to win the Class 2A, Section 6 race, covering the 5K course at Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista in a time of 15:27.8

JIM PAULSEN