Prep athletes of the week: Eden Prairie's Isaac Hartman runs to second victory of season

Step after step, mile after mile, throughout a 12-week summer running regimen that covered at least 60 miles per week, Hartman, a senior, had just one thought in his head.

"What can I do to help my team win a state title," Hartman said. "That's what I would think about. That's what motivated me."

In 2019, the Eagles finished runner-up to Mounds View by a single point for the Class 2A team championship. Getting so close but falling short stuck with Hartman and his teammates. Not having a track season last spring added to the disappointment.

Hartman's dedication paid dividends last week. He won a Lake Conference meet at St. Michael-Albertville, taking first place in the 5K race in a time of 16:15.0. It was his second victory in three meets this season.

"It does feel good," he said. "There's so much talent in the Lake, and it's so deep, there are always five, 10 guys who can win."

But in this pandemic-altered season, the Eagles won't get a chance to win that elusive state title because no state meet is being planned.

"What I want to do is prepare myself to compete in college," he said. "And if we can win the section [meet] again, that's a good way to finish."

The senior midfielder's focus on defense helped hold undefeated Breck, ranked No. 1 in Class 1A, to just one goal in a 1-1 draw. On Friday he scored two goals and assisted on a third in a 4-2 victory over archrival Minneapolis South.

The junior midfielder entered last week with one goal in the season's first six games. But she scored four times last week with two goals in a 6-0 shutout of St. Paul Academy and two more in a 9-0 drubbing of Providence Academy.

JIM PAULSEN