I had to make a choice last Thursday with the prep football season set to begin and the Gophers’ season opener. The Gophers won out, and I witnessed a breakout performance by a former metro prep athlete.
But I also missed an opportunity to witness one of four quarterback-led victories at the high school level. The following day I missed an outstanding performance by a former metro area prep volleyball star at the University of Minnesota.
However, I did take time out to include the missed opportunities in this column, along with an update of a former soccer phenom now playing at the collegiate level and a former girls’ basketball prep star who took Facebook live to another level after a Minnesota Lynx game.
Tyler Johnson
The sophomore receiver, who starred in football and basketball at Minneapolis North, caught six passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in the University of Minnesota’s 14-7 season-opening victory over Buffalo last week.
He led North to the Class 1A runner-up finish in football and the 1A boys’ basketball championship during his senior year.
Jasmyn Martin
The freshman outside hitter from Hopkins recently had nine kills in helping the number two-ranked University of Minnesota women’s volleyball team to a win over Tennessee in the Diet Coke Classic last week.
The Gophers won their home tournament.
Armon Dalton
The junior quarterback passed for four touchdowns — two to junior Nasir El-Amin, another to Tayler Johnson (brother of Tyler) and one to Kehyan Porter — leading Minneapolis North to a 54-6 season-opening victory over crosstown rival South.
He completed 11 of 15 pass attempts for 180 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.
Cameron King
The senior quarterback completed four touchdowns, each to different receiver, in leading Robbinsdale Cooper to a 39-12 win over Park Center last week.
He established the paydirt quadruple with completions to Phoenix Sproles, Dkyzian Clay,
Adrian Adams and Pedro Amoussou.
Trenton Funches
The junior quarterback scored on two touchdown runs to lead St. Paul Central to a 16-12 victory over city rival Johnson. He scored on runs of 14 and three yards.
Adrienne Richardson
The former Tartan High School student, now a freshmen forward for Florida State University’s women’s soccer team, started at forward in helping the Seminoles score a 2-1 victory over South Alabama last month.
Richardson was one of the country’s top players during her prep career as member of Minnesota Thunder Academy.
Onika Nicole Craven
The former Minneapolis Washburn girls’ basketball standout used Facebook Live to interview Minnesota Lynx greats Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles moments after clinching the number-one seed and home court advantage through the WNBA playoffs.
One of her segments is entitled Onika’s Korner Live: WNBA Playoff Locker room chat with Mya Moore #MyaMoore Playoffs2017.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
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