Athlete of the week

ALEX STERN

Chaska, diving

The greatest passion of Stern's life spends the entire winter propped up in his bedroom, unused but definitely not forgotten.

The senior has spent the winter establishing himself as the best diver in the metropolitan area, winning all 12 of the meets in which he's participated, including Saturday's Hopkins Invitational. He charted an 11-dive score of 450.15, his second-best score of the season, en route to a comfortable victory.

Stern's performance was highlighted by a perfect score of 10 - the first of his career - on a reverse straight dive.

Yet for all of his success, which is likely to include a career diving at the University of Minnesota, Stern is counting down the days until the diving season is over. That's when he can go back to riding his skateboard, something he has done since long before he took up diving and which he's forbidden to do during the season.

"I told my coach that, no matter what happens in the state meet, the first thing I'm doing that night is going out skateboarding," Stern said. "If I could make a living at it, I would."

NIKKI LARSON

Lakeville South, Alpine skiing

The 2007 state champion had an impressive performance in the Section 6 meet at Buck Hill. Her winning time of 44.07 was nearly a second ahead of the second-place finisher and helped the Cougars to the team title.

ANDERS BOWMAN

Wayzata, Nordic skiing

In the past two weeks, Bowman, a senior captain, has won the Classic Lake Conference championship at Elm Creek and won the Section 2 individual championship while leading the Trojans to the team title at Camp Ripley.

ANDREA RADKE

Benilde-St. Margaret's, Nordic skiing

The junior dominated the Section 5 meet at Afton Alps, winning by more than two seconds. Radke won five of the six high school races in which she competed this year, including the ultracompetitive Buck HIll Invite.

TYLER LAPIC

New Prague, hockey

The junior forward continued his torrid scoring streak with seven goals and three assists in three victories. Lapic now has 30 goals on the season and has at least one point in 20 of the Trojans' 23 games.

CASSIE ROCHEL

Lakeville North, basketball

The 6-4 sophomore center's offensive game is catching up to her already-stellar defensive play. She scored 54 points in three victories last week and helped the Panthers hold their opponents to less then 40 points per game.

ANDY RICHARDSON

Irondale, hockey

Quite a week for the senior captain. Tuesday he scored the winning goal with one second left in a victory over St. Francis; Wednesday, he signed a letter of intent to run cross-country at Minnesota, and Friday he scored the winner in OT against Chisago Lakes.

MARIA TINEBRA

Burnsville, Nordic skiing

Tinebra, a junior, beat No. 5-ranked Danielle Berndt of Bloomington Kennedy by four seconds to win the Section 3 individual championship. Her performance also helped the Blaze to the team title.

JIM PAULSEN