Minneapolis North’s football team is picking up where it left off last year, currently sporting a 3-0 record as a member of the Twin City District’s Red Division.
The Polars, who are the defending Class 1A champs coached by Charles Adams, have moved up to Class 2A and sport a number-four ranking after victories over Minneapolis South (54-6), St. Anthony (46-15) and St. Paul Harding (56-8).
Quarterback Armon Dalton, running back Kehyan Porter, and receivers Nasir El-Amin and Tayler Johnson lead a balanced offense averaging 52 points per game.
Linebacker Kiareion Bellfield; defensive linemen Farlanders Ross, Quentrail Travis and Da’Koi Hines; and defensive backs Trejuan Holloman and Phaizon Scott head a North defense allowing nine points per contest.
Holloman, who is an eighth grader, has passed for 89 yards at quarterback and has an interception on defense.
The Polars were 13-0 last season and are currently on a 16-game winning streak.
Suggs, Jones to compete on ESPN
Jalen Suggs (Minnehaha Academy) and Tre Jones (Apple Valley), two of the state’s top boys’ basketball players — as well as in the nation — will battle it out before a nationwide audience December 7 when their respective teams will take the court on ESPN.
Suggs, a 6’3” sophomore guard, led his team to the Class 2A title last season and is currently the third-overall recruit in the Class of 2020 according to ESPN.
The 6’2” Jones, the top point guard recruit in the Class of 2018 and a Duke University commit, led his team to the Class 4A championship last March.
Suggs also starring on gridiron
Speaking of Suggs, he is also one of state’s top football prospects as the quarterback for St. Paul-Minnehaha Academy-Blake (SMB) football team.
He has led SMB, a member of the Twin City District Gold Division, to a 2-1 record with victories over Academy Force (41-13) and Fridley (35-17) and a loss to St. Croix Lutheran (50-14).
Suggs is averaging close to 92 yards per game while scoring three times on the run and completing seven touchdowns.
McKamie to enter Hall of Fame
Former St. Paul Central baseball standout Sean McKamie is being inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame this month. After graduating in 1988, McKamie was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and played in the minor leagues from 1989-97.
McKamie teaches physical education at Valley View Elementary in Bloomington.
Starr finishing up at Hampton
Former DeLaSalle girls’ basketball standout and three-time state champion Allina Starr will play her final collegiate season at Hampton University, a Division I HBCU school.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald is a contributing columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.