SAM ZENNER, Eagan • football
The senior quarterback has been invaluable to the Wildcats' 2-1 start. In Friday's 41-0 victory over Farmington, he rushed 11 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns and completed 10 of 11 passes — a school-record completion percentage of 90.9 — for 185 yards and two touchdowns. He has racked up more than 800 yards of total offense this season.
Zenner, whose older brother is South Dakota State standout running back Zach Zenner, gave two reasons for his success.
"I know this is going to sound like a cliché, but it's all because of the offensive line," he said. "They do their jobs so well that it makes it easy to do mine."
He also admitted to finding a peaceful way to calm his nerves and focus on the games before him: classical music.
"I can get pretty worked up, but I know that I don't perform my best when I'm nervous," he said. "So, before games, I'll try to take a nap and I listen to classical music. I found something with piano and cello that I liked and downloaded it. I'll listen to it and take deep breathes and remind myself that no matter what happens, it's not the end of the world."
TAITE DREWS JONES, St. Anthony • tennis
The senior improved her season record at No. 1 singles to 9-0 by winning all four of her matches, two of them in less than a half-hour. "She put in a lot of time in the offseason," assistant coach Mike Scholl said. "We expect her to do well."
KEZ FLOMO, Totino-Grace • football
The senior put the Eagles on his shoulders and refused to let them lose, rushing for 242 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-33 overtime victory at Spring Lake Park. His 3-yard TD run in overtime proved to be the game-winner.
AVA HOWARD, Stillwater • swimming
The sophomore won two individual events during a victory over Park of Cottage Grove. Her winning 100-yard backstroke time of 57.08 seconds set a Suburban East conference record. She also won the 100 butterfly at :58.09 and swam on the Ponies' winning 200 medley relay team.
JADE NEWMAN, Cambridge-Isanti • tennis
Playing No. 1 singles, the junior won all five of her matches — beating players from Annandale, Big Lake, Chisago Lakes, Anoka and St. Paul Harding — to guide the Bluejackets to a 5-0 week. She is 12-4 on the season.
COLTON MYLES, Bloomington Jefferson • football
At 3-0, the Jaguars are one of the early season's pleasant surprises. Myles, a senior running back, has had a big role in their success. In Friday's 55-20 rout of Bloomington Kennedy, he had 16 carries for 131 yards and four touchdowns and also caught a TD pass.
LEVONTE TAYLOR, Cooper • football
Standing just 5-5, the junior had a huge impact on the Hawks' 28-7 victory over Benilde-St. Margaret's. He ran 24 times for 209 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 542 yards and eight TDs in leading Cooper to a 3-0 start.
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