Mounds View pitcher Ty Koehn and Totino-Grace player Jack Kocon, his longtime pal, received an honorary ESPY for sportsmanship on Wednesday morning during the Good Morning America show in New York City.

In a section final last spring, Koehn struck Kocon out for the final out and then consoled him before joining his teammates to celebrate their state tournament berth.

Koehn will be a defensive back at Bethel this coming football season and also plans to pitch for the Royals in the spring.

Aiming for three-peat

The 101st Minnesota State Open Championship starts Friday at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids.

Ben Greve, a former Gophers golfer and the husband of Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen, is the two-time defending champion. He is the first player to win back-to-back titles in 22 years. Only one has won three in a row — Jack Burke in 1921.

Last year he won by five shots at StoneRidge Golf Club in Stillwater. In 2016, when it was also held at Bunker Hills, he won State Open by two shots. It was shortened to 36 holes that year by rain.

Etc.

• Gavin Cronkhite, who will be a junior at Lakeville South High School, shot a 27-hole total of 105 to win the MPGA Junior Public Links Championship by four shots at Heritage Links Golf Club in Lakeville. He had an opening-round 68 and then a 37 on Wednesday.

• Former Gophers forward Kate Schipper signed with the Minnesota Whitecaps, the NWHL team announced.

• Brad McClure, a former forward for Minnesota State Mankato, signed with the Texas Stars of the AHL.