CHAZZ JOHNSON, Holy Family • football
As a sophomore, Johnson established himself as one of the metro's most dangerous running backs, a threat to go the distance any time he touched the ball.
A high ankle sprain hindered his junior season, but Johnson has been healthy this season and it's showed on the field.
Friday, he rushed 33 times for a season-high 240 yards and scored four touchdowns in a 33-14 victory over New Prague.
"I don't worry about my ankle anymore," said Johnson, who ran a hand-timed 4.42-second 40-yard dash this summer. "I can do everything I used to do."
Friday, the Fire play host to Hutchinson, the top-ranked team in Class 4A. Johnson and Hutchinson star Robbie Grimsley have a long history between them, both in football and track and field. Johnson said he's looking forward to playing his rival sprinter.
"We always have good competition between each other," Johnson said. "In track he usually beats me in the 100 meters and I beat him in the 200. I'm not sure what's going to happen on the football field, but I know it will be good."
CHASE CAYO, St. Michael-Albertville • cross-country
The senior has shown himself to be tough to beat when the weather conditions are poor. Saturday, he slogged through sloppy conditions to win the 54th Annual Swain Invitational in Duluth in a time of 16 minutes, 12.8 seconds, his second consecutive victory at the meet.
BAILEY HESSE-WITHBROE, Stillwater • cross-country
The senior won Saturday's Alexandria Lions Invitational, covering the 5K course at Arrowwood Resort in 15:55.9, the only runner to finish in under 16 minutes. That finish and a second-place finish by Eli Krahn helped the Ponies to a comfortable victory.
JOHN SANTIAGO, St. Francis • football
Swift and shifty and much stronger between the tackles than his 5-foot-9 frame would suggest, the University of North Dakota recruit left footprints all over Princeton's field, rushing for a career-high 334 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-32 victory.
LARA SCHULTZ, Prior Lake • volleyball
The junior outside hitter has been vital to the Lakers' rise to No. 1 in the Class 3A state rankings. She had 75 kills in seven victories last week, giving her a team-leading 271 for the season. Prior Lake beat Burnsville and Eastview and went 5-0 in winning the Lakeville North Bachman Invitational.
