Prep Athletes of the week: Decision to return to Park pays off

Hajovy and fellow junior Peyton Boich had a plan. Best friends since elementary school, the two had not played soccer together since middle school. Hajovy went to play for the Minnesota Thunder Development Academy, missing all of the 2013 high school season. That, the duo thought, was unacceptable.

"We decided we wanted to do something big with soccer," Hajovy said. "We wanted to play together for the high school team."

So far, more than good. The Wolfpack is one victory away from a first state tournament berth since 1994, having beaten Hastings 8-0 and Apple Valley 3-1 in the first two rounds of the Class 2A, Section 3 tournament. Park plays sixth-seeded Rosemount for the section title Tuesday.

"This season has been even better than I hoped,'' said Hajovy, who had four goals and an assist in the two playoff games last week. "I feel so much closer to my school. To get to the state tournament would be unreal."

LENCHO AHMED, Anoka • soccer

The junior midfielder led the Tornadoes in scoring en route to Tuesday's Class 2A, Section 8 championship game vs. St. Cloud Tech. Ahmed scored two goals in an 8-0 rout of Brainerd and added two more as Anoka downed Buffalo 4-1 in the section semifinals.

The 5-11 sophomore, who has already committed to Wisconsin, led the Rebels to a 6-1 record last week and a third-place finish in the St. Michael-Albertville Classic. She had 112 kills (with a .351 hitting percentage), 84 set assists, 57 digs, 16 blocks and 13 ace serves.

The sophomore won three consecutive singles matches, losing only one game in six sets, to pace the Mustangs to the Class 2A, Section 5 team championship. Monday, she began play in the section individual tournament as the No. 1 seed in the singles bracket.

The junior, who plays No. 1 singles for the Mustangs, is riding an eight-match winning streak. She paced top-ranked Breck to its second consecutive Class 1A tournament berth in a 6-1 victory over Mounds Park Academy, then paired with Grace Zumwinkle to win a pair of doubles matches in Saturday's individual tournament.

The Trojans are on the verge of their first Class 2A tournament berth since 2009 after beating Cooper and Roseville in the first two rounds of the Section 6 playoffs. Parens, a senior midfielder, scored three of Wayzata's four goals, including the only goal in the semifinals vs. Roseville.