4 TDs? Check out Osseo star in practice

Amy Lamker's husband, Derrin, coaches football at Osseo. But she knows a little something about the game, too.

Watching from the bleachers last Friday as running back Bridge Tusler plowed straight ahead for a few minimal gains, Amy turned to her father-in-law and opined that Tusler should be running outside.

One play later, Tusler took off around end and scored, leaving Amy to remark, "It's not that tough to coach."

Tusler, who scored touchdowns running, throwing, catching and on defense Friday, made a lot of people look smart. His four touchdowns helped fuel a 35-14 victory over Blaine and moved the Orioles to 3-0. They play at Robbinsdale Armstrong on Friday.

"When push comes to shove, the playbook gets smaller and we just look for ways to get the ball to No. 34," Derrin Lamker said.

Tusler began his remarkable evening with a 30-yard touchdown reception. He took an interception 32 yards for a score as Osseo built a 21-7 halftime lead.

In the second half, Tusler threw a 12-yard touchdown pass before adding a 15-yard rushing touchdown.

Tusler finished with 111 yards rushing.

Sophomore soccer surgeIrondale sophomore forward Rachael Norton entered the week with 19 goals in her continued assault on the team's record books. She tallied a hat trick Sept. 11 against Columbia Heights and pumped in four goals two days later against Robbinsdale Cooper.

"She has already far surpassed any previous school record for goals in a season," Knights coach Meghan Tripp wrote in an e-mail.

Ewen reaches milestoneRemember that girl who smashed the state's discus throw record last spring? She's pretty handy with a volleyball, too. Maggie Ewen, St. Francis senior outside hitter, spurred her Saints to a 6-0 record last week, including the North Branch Invitational title. Her statistical line: 59 kills, 45 digs, 12 aces and 11 blocks. She recorded her 1,000th career dig on Sept. 15. She surpassed 1,000 kills last season.

Ewen threw the discus 172 feet, 7 inches in May to break her own state record for a second time, then swept the shot put and discus titles at the state meet.

"This is the first time she has beat her in her high school career," Elk coach LeRoyce Chapman wrote in an e-mail. "[It was] a huge win that she has worked very hard for."