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Athletes of the week

By Star Tribune, 11/21/11, 10:31PM CST

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Matt Olson isn't concerned about getting noticed or standing in the spotlight. The St. Croix Lutheran quarterback exudes an aw-shucks attitude with his play, generally content to assume a supporting role behind his star teammates Wesley Tucker and Jackson Goplen.


Matt Olson, St. Croix Lutheran football

MATT OLSON

St. Croix Lutheran, football

Matt Olson isn't concerned about getting noticed or standing in the spotlight. The St. Croix Lutheran quarterback exudes an aw-shucks attitude with his play, generally content to assume a supporting role behind his star teammates Wesley Tucker and Jackson Goplen.

But Olson took center stage in the Crusaders' 58-29 victory over Providence Academy. Olson accounted for 331 yards of total offense and six touchdowns. He rushed for 90 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries and completed six of nine passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns.

"Matt looked pretty good, didn't he?" asked Crusaders coach Carl Lemke.

Olson's rushing stats were not the teams' best; both Tucker (179 yards) and Goplen (153 yards) outgained him. But his yards-per-carry average of 8.2 was right in line with that of his more heralded backfield mates. His 17-yard touchdown run on the final play of the first half was significant, increasing the Crusaders' lead to 17 points heading into the locker room.

Olson averaged more than 40 yard per completion.

"Did I really?" Olson asked, unaware of his high-quality numbers. "Wow. It just helps to have two great backs like Jackson and Wesley. I'm not nearly as good as they are. It opens things up for me so much."

SAMANTHA DONOVAN

Irondale, hockey

Next in a recent line of high-scoring Knights forwards, Donovan had 10 goals and two assists as Irondale opened the season with road victories over Henry Sibley, Hibbing and Grand Rapids.

NICK MARTIN

Wayzata, football

Martin, who played soccer until 10th grade, was a poised and accurate passer in the Trojans' 42-0 route of Cretin-Derham Hall in the Class 5A semifinals. He completed 14 of 22 passes for 199 yards and three TDs.

NIKKI LARSON

Edina, swimming

Edina won the Class 2A team championship with Larson, a senior, taking four individual championships. She won the 100 butterfly and the 200 freestyle and swam on the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams.

ZACH THEROUX

Anoka-Hennepin, adapted soccer

Theroux was the leading scorer for Anoka-Hennepin, which won the CI Division state championship for the second consecutive year. Theroux had 10 goals and two assists in three games for the Mustangs, including six goals in a quarterfinals victory over Burnsville.

KATHRYN OSTROM

St. Louis Park, swimming

For the third consecutive year, an Ostrom won the Class 1A 100 breaststroke championship. Kathryn, a junior, won it for the second consecutive year, finishing in a time of 1:04.65. Her older sister, Megan, won in 2009.

JESSIE RAMBERG

Forest Lake, diving

Ramberg topped defending champion and longtime friend Jenna Karrow of East Ridge to win the Class 2A one-meter diving championship. Ramberg posted an 11-dive total of 472.05, her best of the season.

JIM PAULSEN

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