Rosemount's fall sports are experiencing a remarkable run of success.

The football team won the East Metro White district title, defeating Lakeville North in the regular season finale 24-21. After receiving a No. 1 seed in the 6A state tournament, Rosemount defeated White Bear Lake 28-21 in the opening round to advance to the field of 16.

The girls' soccer team's trip to the state tournament was the program's first in 19 years. The Irish (17-2-2) finished second and won the South Suburban Conference.

The girls' swimming team won the conference title for the sixth consecutive season and qualified for the True Team state meet. The boys' cross-country team also ran in the state meet for its seventh consecutive year.

Athletic director Michael Manning said several fall coaches' long-term stays with their respective programs attributed to the Irish's historic season. He credited girls' soccer coach Gretchen Stramel as the anomaly, saying the second-year coach is doing a remarkable job with the program.

"This is probably the best fall we have ever had in my 22 years [as athletic director]," Manning aid. "We have a lot of coaches in place that have been doing a great job."

Basketball coach feted

Longtime Lakeville boys' basketball coach John Oxton was inducted Saturday into the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He coached Lakeville North to the 2014 Class 4A state championship and has earned 506 victories in his career.

ELLIS L. WILLIAMS