Prep athletes of the week: Mahtomedi soccer's Sexson adjusts her game to playoff level

Mahtomedi • soccer

According to Mahtomedi coach Dave Wald, Sexson, a sophomore forward, is the Zephyrs' most skilled player. But until recently, that skill wasn't showing through in her play.

"She had some trouble adjusting from club soccer to high school soccer," Wald said.

"It takes awhile to adjust to high school. You're playing with different girls with different tendencies," said Sexson, who committed as a freshman last April to the University of Colorado. "Club soccer and high school soccer are played at different speeds. Club is quicker; high school is more physical and not as fast."

Her play in the Class 1A, Section 4 playoffs proves that adjustment has been made. She showed off her prodigious playmaking skills with four assists, and added a goal for good measure, in the Zephyrs' 6-0 dismantling of Hill-Murray in the championship game.

"I love feeding the ball to my forwards, of setting everything up. At the same time, I have moments where I'll take my opportunities to shoot," she said. "Everyone in the locker room really wanted it bad."

KALI FISCHER

The Blazers won the Class 1A girls True Team title last week. Fischer, a sophomore, set the pace with victories in the 200 IM (2:07.69) and 100 backstroke (58.56) and swam on the second-place 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Big Lake • football

The sophomore running back put up the best single-game numbers of his high school career, rushing 26 times for 238 yards and four touchdowns as the Hornets broke a five-game losing streak with a 38-20 victory over Princeton.

Minnetonka • football

The senior running back has been the workhorse in the backfield all season for the Class 6A, No. 2 Skippers. He finished the regular season with career bests in rushing yards (156) and touchdowns (five) in a 42-8 romp over Burnsville.

Kiros, a senior, was the only runner in the recent St. Paul City Conference meet to cover the 5K course at Como Park in less than 17 minutes, finishing with a time of 16:59 and leading the Minutemen to the team championship.

Chanhassen • cross-country

The sophomore ran from the field in a dominating performance at the Metro West Conference meet. He won the 5K race at Hyland Greens in 16:32.3, more than 24 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. The Storm won the team championship.

Champlin Park • volleyball

The junior outside hitter/setter paced the Rebels to a 4-1 week, the Northwest Suburban Conference title and a runner-up finish to Eagan at the Chaska Invitational. She totaled 76 kills (.372 pct.), 41 set assists and 25 digs.

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