Prep athletes of the week: Apple Valley's Steveson pins another title to impressive résumé

The senior heavyweight capped an unparalleled high school career with his fourth state championship, pinning Anoka's Brandon Frankfurth in just 17 seconds in the Class 3A final.

Steveson, who last lost in high school in eighth grade, has a 212-3 career record, 173 consecutive victories and three world championships. He just completed a state tournament in which he dispatched all four of the state's best heavyweights while barely breaking a sweat, pinning all four in a combined time of 2 minutes, 11 seconds.

What Steveson did after the match may have been just as impressive. After celebrating with a back-handspring, backflip combination and while waiting for the awards ceremony, he was approached by a young boy barely 3 years old.

Steveson stopped, looked down and started talking to the youngster. He set down his backpack and reached in to pull out an Apple Valley long-sleeve T-shirt. He handed it to the awestruck fan, who was unsure if he should take it. Steveson waited, then bent down and handed it over again. The kid and his father beamed while holding up the shirt as Steveson walked away.

"I want people to remember me as someone who talks to kids, to parents and is nice to them," he had said before his championship match. "I've had a great time."

Consecutive big games by the senior guard helped the Pirates to a pair of victories in the Class 4A, Section 5 playoffs. She scored 27 points in a 71-65 victory over Mounds View, and had 19 points and made a key steal in overtime in an 81-76 victory over Centennial.

At the Class 2A state meet, the senior swam on the winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams and set meet records in winning the 200 freestyle (1:35.39) and 100 backstroke (47.52). Dahlgren will swim at the University of Missouri next year.

In one of the marquee matchups of the wrestling state meet, Lloyd defeated previously unbeaten Tyler Eischens 6-4 to win the Class 3A 152-pound championship. It was Lloyd's third individual high school championship.

The sophomore post had her two best statistical games of the season in the Class 4A, Section 2 playoffs. She had 23 points and 17 rebounds in a 63-60 victory over Chanhassen and 22 points and eight rebounds in a 64-49 loss to Prior Lake.

The junior forward scored twice in a 6-0 victory over Owatonna and had a pair of goals and an assist in a 4-3 victory over rival Lakeville South, helping the Panthers to the Class 2A, Section 1 championship and a state tournament berth.

JIM PAULSEN

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