(11/18/2024) With the fall sports and activities season wrapping up, here’s a look at who’s heading to state, and how they fared when they performed and played. Also included is information about postseason awards gathered by student-athletes and coaches.

Girls Swimming and Diving

The Minnesota State High School League Girls Swimming and Diving Championships was held Nov. 14-16 at Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on the University of Minnesota campus. 

Andover High School

• Ali Oswell - 50-yard freestyle (22nd place)
• LeeAnna Seward - 100-yard butterfly (20th place)

Anoka High School

• Nora Sloth - 200-yard freestyle (23rd place)
• Ally Diehl - 50-yard freestyle (10th place), 100-yard butterfly (6th place)
• Kirsten Bailey - 1-meter diving (12th place)
• Abi Johnson - 500-yard freestyle (26th place)
• Ally Diehl, Sydney DeRung, Nora Sloth, Abi Johnson - 200-yard freestyle relay (12th place)
• Ally Diehl, Abi Johnson, Sydney DeRung, Nora Sloth - 400-yard freestyle relay (13th place)

Blaine High School

• Gabby Busch - 200-yard IM (24th place), 100-yard backstroke (26th place)
• Sydney Edwards - 500-yard freestyle (25th place), 100-yard breaststroke
• Gabby Busch, Sydney Edwards, Sydney Hernandez, Reese Forrest - 200-yard medley relay (16th place)

Champlin Park High School

• Sophie Norsted - 200-yard IM (8th place), 100-yard backstroke (11th place)
• Olivia Knox - 100-yard breaststroke (19th place)
• Sierra Emery - 100-yard breaststroke (16th place)
• Sophie Norsted, Sierra Emery, Lilia Helmrick, Lara Deschene - 200-yard medley relay (8th place)

Coon Rapids High School

• Delilah Smith-Ginnette - 1-meter diving (25th place)

Adapted Soccer, PI

The Minnesota State High School League Adapted Soccer, Physical Impairment State Tournament was held Nov. 15-16 at White Bear Lake High School. 

The Anoka-Hennepin Mustangs qualified for the state tournament as the No. 6 overall seed. The Mustangs opened the state tournament with an 8-3 loss to the Rochester Raiders. 

In the consolation bracket, Anoka-Hennepin defeated St. Paul Humboldt 5-4 to earn a spot in the consolation final. The Mustangs closed out the seas with a 6-5 loss to Robbinsdale/Hopkins/MoundWest. 

Anoka-Hennepin finished the season with a record of 3-7, making the 20th state tournament appearance in program history.

Football

The Minnesota State High School League Class AAAAAA Football Tournament began Nov. 8 with quarterfinal games being played at neutral sites. The semifinals were held Nov. 14 and 15 at U.S. Bank Stadium with the Prep Bowl set for Nov. 22.

Anoka-Hennepin was represented by two teams in this year’s football state tournament. 

Anoka and Blaine high schools both qualified for the state tournament winning section championships on Nov. 1. Anoka defeated Lakeville South 35-34 and Blaine defeated Forest Lake 53-21.

The Tornadoes made the school’s sixth state tournament appearance, its first since 2011. Anoka has won two state championships in school history, winning Class AA titles in 1990 and 1994.

Anoka finished the season 8-4, advancing to the state semifinals.

Anoka defeated Lakeville North 14-10 in the state tournament quarterfinals on Nov. 8 to earn a spot in the semifinals. The Tornadoes season came to an end in a 48-27 loss to Minnetonka High School on Nov. 14. 

Blaine made the program’s 14th state tournament appearance in 2024, its first since 2018. The Bengals won the state championship in 1988 and finished as the runner-up four times (1996, 1997, 2001 and 2008)

The Bengals’ season came to an end in the state quarterfinals following a 28-0 loss to Minnetonka High School on Nov. 7.

Blaine ended the season winning five of its last six games and concluded the season with an overall record of 7-4.

Volleyball

The Minnesota State High School League Girls Class AAAA Volleyball Tournament was held Nov. 6-9 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. 

Anoka-Hennepin was represented by two teams in this year’s girls’ volleyball state tournament. 

The Champlin Park High School volleyball team was the No. 2 seed and finished the state tournament as the runner-up. The Rebels finished the season 30-4, making the seventh state tournament appearance in program history, and appearing in the state championship match for the third time.

CPHS opened the state tournament with a sweep of Anoka to earn a spot in the semifinals against East Ridge High School. CPHS won the first set 25-16 before dropping the second and third sets. Facing elimination, the Rebels took sets four and five to earn the 3-2 win (25-16, 20-25, 18-25, 25-23, 15-12) and a match-up with Lakeville South in the championship match on Saturday.

After falling behind 2-0 in the state title match, CPHS stormed back to win the second and third to set up a decisive fifth set. Lakeville South won the final set 15-10 to win the state title and take the match 3-2 (25-16, 25-17, 14-25, 20-25, 15-10).

Awards

• CPHS senior Carly Gilk was named the Star Tribune All-Minnesota Volleyball Player of the Year. Read more.
• CPHS student-athletes Kathryn Adler, Reese Axness and Carly Gilk were named to the Class AAAA All-Tournament Team.

Anoka won the Section 7AAAA Championship on Oct. 31 to earn the program’s sixth overall and second straight state tournament berth. 

The Tornadoes won a five-set thriller (25-17, 26-28, 21-25, 25-17, 15-13) over top-seeded Centennial to earn a spot at state for the second season in a row.

Anoka went 0-2 in the state tournament, falling in three sets to Champlin Park and 3-1 against Minnetonka in the consolation bracet. 

The Tornadoes finished the 2024 season with a record of 22-9.

Visit the MSHSL website for girls' volleyball tournament information.

Boys Cross Country

The Minnesota State High School League Boys Cross Country State Meet was held Nov. 2 at the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course.

Blaine High School (BHS) was the runner-up at the Section 7AAA race and qualified as a team for the 2024 state meet.

BHS team members (individual finish): Alaric Burroughs (85th), Alexander Jund (141st), Austin Matrious (151st), David Meberg (18th place), Henry Meberg (128th), Israel Sulungaine (62nd), Jack Zellmer (144th).

The Bengals finished with 293 team points and 14th out of 16 teams.   

Individual Results:

• Anoka High School - Aaron Peterson (placed 157th with a time of 18:21.4)
• Champlin Park High School - Zakariya Mohamed (placed 37th with a time of 16:24.4), Blake Frazer (placed 75th with a time of 16:43.2), Caleb Osterberg (placed 82nd with a time of 16:46.0).
• Coon Rapids High School - Lachlan Demmer (placed 19th with a time of 16:01.6), Owen James (placed 142nd with a time of 17:42.8)

Girls Cross Country

The Minnesota State High School League Girls Cross Country State Meet was held Nov. 2 at the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course.

Individual Results:

• Blaine - Audrey Schwen (placed 17th with a time of 18:43.8), Bryn Wegener (placed 24th with a time of 18:54.4).
• Champlin Park High School - Abigail Hibbs (placed 32nd with a time of 19:06.6).
• Coon Rapids High School - Ruby Demmer (placed 61st with a time of 19:39.4).

Boys Soccer

The Minnesota State High School League Boys State Soccer Tournament was held Oct. 22 through Nov. 1. The quarterfinals were held at selected sites and the semifinals and championship rounds were at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Andover High School won the Section 7AAA Championship to earn the program’s third straight and sixth overall state tournament appearance. The Huskies ended the 2024 campaign with a fourth-place finish, closing out the season with a record of 11-5-3. 

Andover opened the state tournament with a big win over No. 3 seed Minnetonka in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at Kuhlman Stadium in Edina. The Huskies used a strong first half and held off the Skippers in the second half to advance to the semifinals.

A familiar foe awaited the Huskies in the semifinals in fellow Northwest Suburban Conference,  foe Maple Grove. The Crimson defeated Andover 3-1 to avenge a scoreless tie between the two schools during the regular season. The Huskies were then faced with the Class AAA No. 1 overall seed in the third-place game in Minneapolis Washburn. Washburn earned a 4-2 victory over the Huskies.

Visit the MSHSL website for boys' soccer tournament information.

Awards

• Blaine High School head coach Berry Arrowsmith was named the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Class AAA Coach of the Year.
• BHS assistant coach Andrew Burkart was named the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Class AAA Assistant Coach of the Year.