Prep athletes of the week: Hopkins working 'crazy-hard' as Martin taps immense volleyball potential

At 6-3 yet possessing the grace and skill of a player a half-foot shorter, the talk around Martin has always been about potential and her remarkably high ceiling as a volleyball player.

Martin, whose full first name is Jasmyn, appears to be reaching that potential. She led the Class 3A, No. 5 Royals to a pair of impressive road victories over Lake Conference opponents, knocking down 34 kills and 14 digs, with a .492 kill efficiency, in a five-set victory at Wayzata and collecting 15 kills on a .466 kill efficiency in a 3-0 sweep of Edina.

"She has been unbelieveable," Hopkins coach Vicki Seliger Swenson said. "Teams are putting up their best block on her and she hits over and around them."

Martin plans to graduate early and get on to her career at the University of Minnesota in January. But there's a little matter of unfinished business to take care of first. Hopkins is 7-0 on the season. After getting a taste of state tournament action last year, Martin feels the Royals are primed to make a run at a state championship.

"This team is working crazy-hard to get better this season," she said. "We're a lot more determined than we were last year. We're just going to get better and better."

The junior helped the Hornets to the Gold Division title at the Maroon and Gold Invite, winning the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly and swimming on the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams. She also swam a state-best 57.76 in the 100 butterfly in a victory over Minnetonka on Thursday.

The Zephyrs improved to 3-0 with a 63-28 rout of Henry Sibley. Frye, a 5-7, 160-pound running back, squirted through the Henry Sibley defense for 236 yards rushing and scored on runs of 10, 21 and 58 yards.

The senior outside hitter paced the Tigers to four victories in five matches and a runner-up finish at the Farmington Invite. She had 76 kills, including the 1,000th of the career, along with 83 digs and 10 ace serves.

The senior setter and defending IMAC Conference player of the year had 146 set assists, 54 digs, 15 ace serves and five blocks in seven matches last week, in the process collecting her 2,000th career set assist.

The senior forward scored four goals and added three assists as the Tri-Hawks had a 3-0 week. He scored twice in a 6-0 victory over Spectrum, added a goal in a 5-2 victory over St. Criox Prep and scored the only goal in a 1-0 upset victory over Hastings.

JIM PAULSEN