XAVIER MANSFIELD

Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony • Nordic skiing

Mansfield capped a season in which he was the state's No. 1-ranked Nordic skier all year by winning the individual championship at the state meet at Giants Ridge in Biwabik last week. He was third after the skate-style portion of the race but made up a 20-second deficit in the classic-style second leg. He finished with a combined pursuit time of 28:23.2, nine seconds ahead of runner-up Patrick Acton of Eagan. Minneapolis Southwest senior William Foss Kerker was third.

The three are close friends and teammates on the Loppet Nordic Ski team, which trains out of Minneapolis. The three even formed a relay team that won a national title last year.

"All year, I knew it was going to be the three of us fighting it out," Mansfield said.

They are so close that contact between Mansfield and Kerker midway through the race, which resulted in Kerker falling, was brushed off by Kerker as "just racing." Mansfield admitted he made a mistake, taking a wrong track. "I went to the middle track when I should have stayed left," he said. "But we all race hard. We're good friends, but we all want to win."

KENDALL COLEY

St. Louis Park • basketball

The eighth-grade guard had the best game of her high school career, scoring 27 points — making seven of 11 three-point shots — and blocking three shots in a 72-66 victory over Bloomington Jefferson. The performance came on what would have been her mom's 53rd birthday. Kelli Jo Behrens-Coley, a Gophers basketball player in the early 1980s, died Nov. 3, 2010, at age 46.

ALLISON EIDE

Christian Life • basketball

The junior point guard had 45 points (including her 1,000th career point), 17 assists and 12 steals in victories over Hope Academy and Nova Classical. She led the Hawks to another undefeated Twin Cities Athletic Conference season (14-0).

BRENNAN HAWKINS

Mpls. Southwest • basketball

The senior forward had 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, keeping the Lakers close for most of the game in a 72-58 loss to Class 1A, No. 1 Minneapolis North. He had 26 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists in an 84-67 victory over Minneapolis South.

DANNY MAGNUSON

Cretin-Derham Hall • hockey

After scoring only three goals through the first 23 games of the season, the sophomore defenseman scored five in a two-game stretch last week . He had two and an assist in a 7-3 victory over Forest Lake and a hat trick in a 6-5 victory over Holy Angels.

SEBAS SWIGGUM

Apple Valley • wrestling

The Eagles fought off Shakopee and extended their streak of state tournament appearances to 35 with a 28-19 victory in the Class 3A, Section 2 final. The sophomore 132-pounder had the match's key victory, upsetting three-time defending state champ Brent Jones 7-5 in overtime.

MALLORY TIDONA

Northfield • hockey

Tidona, a junior, could not have been better in helping the Raiders to the Class 1A, Section 1 title. She shut out all three opponents she faced, including a 27-save effort in a 2-0 victory over Red Wing in the final.

JIM PAULSEN

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