Prep athletes of the week: Blake golfer's best round ever was perfectly timed

It was a record-setting Class 2A state meet for Hitchner at the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.

The sophomore ran away from the rest of the field in the first round, shooting a meet-record 7-under-par 65. He came back on the second day of the meet and was nearly as dominant, shooting a 3-under 69. His two-day, 10-under-par combined score of 134 is the best in the history of the tournament and topped the next best finish by 11 strokes.

"That was my best round ever, and first round with no bogeys," said Hitchner of his opening round. "Every aspect of my game clicked."

No surprise that Hitchner's brilliance led Blake to the Class 2A team championship.

While the big lacrosse scorers get the glory, it's often the player who wins the draws that determines a team's fate. No player was more important to Prior Lake's state championship run than Dessler. In three games, he won 60.3 percent of faceoffs (38 of 63). "He's our MVP," coach Chris Fleck said.

Ledwein concluded a highly successful high school career with her second consecutive Class 3A championship and the fourth in a row for a New Prague girls' golfer. Ledwein shot a 1-under-par, two-day score of 143 at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids, defeating Hannah Hankinson of Edina and Megan Welch of Lakeville North by six strokes.

The junior midfielder was the leading scorer for the Eagles in their run to their second consecutive state championship. In three games, Rogge scored 15 goals, including seven in a 15-14 come-from-behind victory over Stillwater in the semifinals. She added six assists, picked up 10 ground balls and won 16 draws.

JIM PAULSEN