CAITLYN MERZBACHER, Edina • tennis
Her style is unconventional, but it has been very successful.
Hitting from her heels like a baseball slugger, Merzbacher put on a commanding display in the Class 2A state tournament. She won three matches in leading the Hornets to their 18th consecutive team championship, then four more en route to her second individual singles championship in a row. She was at her best against the toughest competition, beating No. 4-seeded Isabella Lambert in the semifinals and No. 2-seeded Hayley Haakenstad in the finals in straight sets, losing just five total games.
The daughter of U of M women's tennis coach Chuck Merzbacher, Caitlyn said many have tried to change her style, but she has relied more on the advice of two people who have told her to not change a thing.
"People have told me I need to change, but it's come naturally to me," she said. "I trust in my dad's coaching, and if there was something wrong, he would tell me."
Her style was cemented when she traveled to Florida as a 10-year-old for a lesson with tennis' most famous mentor, Nick Bollettieri.
"He said don't touch anything," Merzbacher said. "We haven't from there."
EPHRAIM BIRD, Minnehaha Academy • cross-country
Three years ago, Bird was a newcomer to the world of distance running. Now, the senior is one of the state's top cross-country runners. He won the Section 4, 1A individual championship in a breeze, covering the 5K course at Battle Creek in a time of 16 minutes, 15.3 seconds, more than 11 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
ZACH ERNST, Elk River • football
It's a sight members of Rogers' defense will be glad they never have to see again: No. 23 in red, pulling away from them on another long run. The senior running back had a career-best outing in a 42-34 win over Rogers Saturday, rushing 23 times for 298 yards and three touchdowns.
ANNA FRENCH, Wayzata • cross-country
In the next-to-last high school race of her career, the senior won her fourth straight Section 6, 2A championship at Gale Woods Farm in a record-setting 4K time of 14:04.4. One week earlier, she won her fourth consecutive Lake Conference title, making her undefeated at Gale Woods.
DANIELLE GANNON, Holy Family • tennis
An unparalleled season for Holy Family concluded with Gannon, a senior, winning the Class 1A singles title with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Brylee Seitz of Virginia in the finals. Gannon, ranked No. 1 in Class 1A all season, had led the Fire to its first team championship two days earlier.
TYLER JOHNSON, Minneapolis North • football
There is no bigger reason why the Polars are undefeated (10-0) and seeded No. 1 in Section 4, Class 1A than the junior quarterback. In playoff victories over Kimball and Mayer Lutheran last week, he rushed 22 times for 383 yards and six touchdowns and passed for 257 yards and three TDs.
CALLYN LOUGHREY, Hill-Murray • soccer
One of a high-scoring trio, along with midfielders Maddie Connors and Emily Heslin, the senior defender scored one goal to end the first half and added two more after halftime in a 5-0 rout of Princeton in the Class 1A state tournament quarterfinals. Loughrey leads the team with 15 goals.