PREP SCENE By Mitch McDonald—North Tartan captures Nationals

The North Tartan 14-and-under AAU ninth-grade girls’ basketball team recently captured the National Championship held in Orlando, Florida during the first week of July. North Tartan, under the direction of RICO ALEXANDER (head coach), CHRIS McMORRIS (assistant coach) and JOHN NOGA (assistant coach), compiled a 30-4 record while remaining undefeated in ninth-grade competition.

According to the roster submitted by Alexander, the players who led North Tartan were: MADISON LEE (Marinatha Christian Academy), ALEXIS ALEXANDER (Champlin Park), TONOIA WADE (Bloomington Kennedy), AYO PORTE (Osseo), MICAELA NOGA (Parkers Prairie), KENISHA BELL (Bloomington Kennedy), TIA ELBERT (Tartan), CLAIRE LUNDBERG (Anoka), CAYLA McMORRIS (Park Center), and DARON MAINVILLE (Barnum).

Alexander, Elbert and McMorris were All-Conference as ninth graders at their respective schools. Wade and Bell were All-Conference Honorable Mention, and Lee helped her school capture the Class 1A state title while making the All-Tournament team.

Track teams ‘Breezes’ in Nationals
The I.C.A.A/Breeze Track Clubs recently returned from USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in Wichita, Kansas where they represented the state of Minnesota.

According to Breeze Coach JAMES BANKS, the results were as follows: JIANNA CAGER (Bantam Girls age 9-10) placed second in the 100- and 200-meter runs, and fifth in the 400 meters. SAMANTHIA NIELSEN (Intermediate Girls age 15-16) placed third in the 800- and 1500-meter runs. JAKOBI JACKSON (Youth Boys 13-14) placed sixth in the 400 and 12th in the 100. TYLAN BROOKS (Bantam Boys) placed eighth in the 400, 13th in the 100, and 11th in the 200.

TRINITY BELMARES (Sub-Bantam) placed in the 100 (37th), 200 (24th), and 400 (15th). KEYLON JACKSON (Midget Boys) placed in the 400 (17th). CALVIN CLARK (Young Men) placed in the 100 (35th) and 400 (14th). SHAKEELA WELLS (Intermediate Girls) placed in the 100-meter hurdles (31st), DAKARI SAUNDERS (Bantam Boys) in the 800 (41st), and TRAYTON BROOKS (Youth Boys) in the 800 (41st).

For Cager, it was her third trip to the Nationals, where she has earned a total of nine medals.

Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.