KATIE LARSON
Apple Valley • lacrosse

In three victories last week, the No. 3-ranked Eagles scored 50 goals, topping their season average of 15.8 goals per game. Leading the onslaught, as usual, was senior attacker Katie Larson. She scored 20 of those goals, moving into second place in the state with 57. She added 14 ground ball controls and won eight draws.

All of this is from a player who never had picked up a lacrosse stick until joining the team in her freshman year.

"I had no experience whatsoever," Larson said. "But I worked really hard and got better quickly."

Larson quickly discovered she had an innate ability to score. She led the Eagles with 70 goals in 2013 and likely will top that total this year.

"I think I take charge of the scoring [responsibilities]," she said. "My coach expects it of me. She tells me she needs this many goals from me, and she won't take anything less."

Larson has developed so quickly that she earned a scholarship to Saint Leo University in Florida.

"I think," she admitted, "that I'm kind of a natural."

JULIA CHANG

St. Paul Central badminton

The senior No. 1 singles player elevated her game in the postseason, leading the Minutemen to their first state championship, beating four-time champ St. Paul Johnson 4-3 in the final. Two days later Chang pulled off another upset, beating top-seeded Panyia Vue of Johnson 21-18, 21-14 in the singles final.

ERIN JUNGMANN

North St. Paul softball

Jungmann, a senior pitcher/infielder, led a Polars offense that scored 57 runs in four games. She went 9-for-14 with two home runs, three doubles, eight runs scored and 12 RBI, highlighted by a 4-for-4, six-RBI game in a 22-3 rout of South St. Paul. She also picked up two pitching victories, striking out 15.

CODY LEITNER

Red Wing baseball

The senior was dominant in two starts last week. Tuesday, he shut out Class 3A, No. 10 New Prague 10-0, scattering nine hits while striking out four. In his next outing Saturday, Leitner pitched a no-hitter with four strikeouts as the Wingers downed South St. Paul 5-0.

KATIE PARKER

Lakeville North softball

With five victories last week, the Panthers completed a 20-0 regular season. The senior outfielder led the team in hitting, going 10-for-14 with two doubles, a triple and a home run. She also drove in nine runs, scored nine runs and stole five bases.

KEATON STUDSRUD

Benilde-St. Margaret's baseball

The senior shortstop, a North Dakota football signee, helped the Red Knights bounce back from a three-game losing streak by hitting .667 (8-for-12) with six RBI in victories over Spring Lake Park, St. Louis Park and Cooper.

ERIC WINTER

Tartan • baseball

It might have been only one game, but what a one it was for the senior pitcher. In a 3-2 victory over Simley, Winter pitched a complete game, striking out 17. With the Titans trailing 2-1 with two out in the bottom of the seventh, Winter drilled a game-ending, two-run double, bumping his record to 3-1.

JIM PAULSEN