Prep athletes of the week: DeLaSalle's Battle picks up scoring slack as team aims at title run

Last year was Battle's first at DeLaSalle, so he never experienced the highs associated with the Islanders' six consecutive state titles. But he suffered through the end of their streak last year when they lost to Columbia Heights in the Class 3A semifinals. The 6-7 wing vowed to do everything in his power to return DeLaSalle to the top of the class.

So far this season, so good.

With star guard Tyrell Terry sidelined Saturday because of a shoulder injury, he scored a career-high 40 points as DeLaSalle routed Wayzata 70-49. He's averaging 30.7 points through three victories, including a 76-66 win over Class 4A, No. 4 Eden Prairie.

"Coming back from how last season ended, that's all the motivation," Battle said. "We all have the same goal."

Against Wayzata, Battle noticed early that he was on the verge of a strong game. "In the first half, I hit a few threes and made some easy buckets and I was feeling good," he recalled. "I looked at the score and we were up 20 on a really good Wayzata team. It wasn't only me feeling it, it was the whole team."

With the graduation of Gabe Kalscheur, Battle has picked up the scoring slack and leadership role.

"It's especially on me, as a senior, to show the younger guys how to do things the DeLaSalle way," he said.

Last week the junior point guard scored 36 points, hitting eight of 10 three-pointers, and had five rebounds and five assists in an 87-82 victory over Sauk Rapids-Rice. He had 32 points, 10 rebounds and six steals as the Wildcats beat Minneapolis Henry 94-67.

The 5-10 sophomore forward has been a dynamic offensive force in the season's early stages. In three games in seven days, she scored 87 points as the Pirates defeated Prior Lake and St. Louis Park and lost by a point to St. Michael-Albertville.

OLIVIA MOBLEY

The strong, skilled junior forward continued her high-scoring ways with consecutive six-point games. She had a hat trick, along with three assists, in a 9-4 rout of Cretin-Derham Hall and did the same two days later in a 10-3 romp over Orono.

The junior forward averaged a double-double in three games last week. She had 27 points and 18 rebounds in an 80-41 victory over Chanhassen, 14 points and nine rebounds in a 61-53 loss to Lakeville South, and 18 points and nine rebounds in a 76-71 victory over Chaska.