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All-state selections unveiled

By Trevor Squire, SportsEngine, 07/25/17, 4:15PM CDT

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Four Chanhassen players made the all-state squads, with Jessica Bren and Marybeth Olson making the first team.

Marybeth Olson, this year's Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year, headlines a group of four Storm players who received all-state honors. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Marybeth Olson, this year's Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year, headlines a group of four Storm players who received all-state honors. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Class 4A

Chanhassen returned all but one player from its starting lineup that won the Class 4A state title in 2016.

As a preseason favorite, the Storm maintained the No. 1 ranking by the Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches' Association through the regular season, compiling a 19-1 record. Arguably one of the most talented lineups, four players were selected for the all-state list organized by the coaches' association this spring, the most of any Class 4A program. Connecticut commit, Marybeth Olson, and University of Minnesota-Duluth prospect, Jessica Bren, earned first-team selections.

Olson, the winner of the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year award, went 13-0 in the circle this season, tallying 147 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings pitched with a 0.85 ERA. She was also dominant at the plate, hitting for .500 and led her team with 41 hits.

Bren led the Storm with 34 RBI and was a key component in the Storm's deep postseason run to the third place title this year.

Farmington, a dark horse in the state tournament, didn't garner a single first-team selection, but managed to upset Chanhassen and Anoka en route to the program's first state crown. The Tigers' ace, Maddie Muelken, earned second-team honors.

View the first, second and honorable mention lists below.


Class 3A

Winona's return the Class 3A title game was no coincidence with a wealth of returning talent from last year's state runner-up roster.

This spring, senior leadership in pitcher Ashton Hoeppner, catcher Justine Schultz and shortstop Katie Block, helped the Winhawks claim the program's first state title. The trio of collegiate-bound players all-earned first-team honors.

Hoeppner, who is headed to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, went 19-3 on the season, compiled a 1.28 ERA and struck out 231 batters.

Block hit 7-for-8 during the state tournament and led her team with six RBI. She'll play at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse next year. Schultz hit .455 during the tournament and is bound for St. Mary's University.

View the first, second and honorable mention lists below.


Class 2A

Tara Matuska earned all-state honors as a junior in 2016 and proved this year her selection was no fluke. Matuska's double-RBI single in the state title game helped Zumbrota-Mazeppa claim its second-straight crown against a then unbeaten Maple Lake team.

Matuska again was selected on the Class 2A first-team roster, while teammate Brianna Albers made the second-team roster.

Maple Lake's Calli Maki and Amber Klug both made the first-team as juniors. Klug was an integral part of an Irish lineup that averaged nearly 10 runs a game this spring, while Maki served as Maple Lake's ace. She didn't allow an earned run during the state tournament.

View the first, second and honorable mention lists below. 


Class 1A

New York Mills may have only one first-team all-state selection in Rhiana Roberts this spring, but balanced hitting led the Eagles to its first state title after five consecutive tournament appearances.

Roberts led her team with six hits during the tournament as the Eagles averaged eight runs per game and picked up back-to-back wins on the mound in the state semifinals against Sleepy Eye St. Mary's and Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian in the title game.

The Knights led the Class 1A field with three selections on the first-team roster in Anna Lux, Ali Beltz and Jody Hanson.

Hanson batted 4-for-4 in the third-place game, scored three runs and drove in another three. Beltz went 2-for-4 and scored twice, while Lux scattered four hits, allowed two earned runs and struck out three.

View the first, second and honorable mention lists below.

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