They were the lost sports of 2020, forever denoted by an asterisk meaning "did not play.'' The pandemic shut down Minnesota high school baseball, softball, lacrosse, track and field, golf and tennis seasons last spring before they ever got started.
Fueled by the absence, all are well into this season already, though lacrosse bears scars of losing some "casual players.''
Top players in baseball and softball are back after spending offseasons honing skills in and out of their sport.
Wayzata's Berkland seeks baseball jewel of state title triple crown
By Ron Haggstrom, Star Tribune
Junior Drew Berkland stood on the Target Center floor nearly two weeks ago with a huge smile on his face, his index finger raised indicating "We're No. 1." Wayzata had just won its first boys' basketball state championship since 1959.
More than 16 months earlier, Berkland did likewise at U.S. Bank Stadium, celebrating the Trojans' Class 6A football state championship. It was the program's fourth state title and first since 2010.
"I have been fortunate enough to do it twice now," Berkland said. "It's a surreal feeling, seeing all the hard work my teammates and I have put forward pay off. We put in a lot of hard hours to reach those goals."
The three-sport athlete is one title from a triple crown of state championships. The one he seeks happens to be his No. 1 passion — baseball.
