Adapted sports competitions wrap up

The Minnesota State High School League’s spring adapted sports tournaments wrapped up June 8-9 with the track and field competition […]

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The Minnesota State High School League’s spring adapted sports tournaments wrapped up June 8-9 with the track and field competition at Hamline University. Adapted soccer takes place in the fall, adapted floor hockey in the winter and adapted softball, bowling and track in the spring. Two divisions are offered in all but track and field, with the CI division for athletes with cognitive impairments and PI for athletes with physical or health impairments. Each sport has its own set of specific rules, covering everything from uniforms to equipment.

Athletes from the northeastern Twin Cities suburbs vied for titles in 2A boys’ track and field competition. Mark Braun of Irondale High School and Jackson Larson of Cambridge-Isanti High School went one-two in the 800 and 1,000 meters wheelchair races, and in the wheelchair shot put and discus throws. The crowd went wild as the two competed. Braun won the 800 wheelchair in a time of 1:55.85; Larson was second in 2:28.7. Braun won the 1,600 wheelchair in a time of 4:02.4, with Larson clocking 5:03.86.

Braun won the wheelchair shot put with a throw of 20’0”.75, with Larson second with a throw of 15’6.5”. Braun also won the wheelchair discus with a throw of 58’8”; Larson threw the discus 33’8”. Braun is a senior so there will be new champions in the events in 2013. In Class 1A girls’ competition, Kathryn Lubahn of Pine Island High School won the wheelchair shot put and the discus throws. Her shot put throw of 14’6.25” is an all-time state record. She won the discus with a throw of 35’1”.

Standout athlete Rose Hollerman of Waterville- Elysian-Morristown didn’t compete as she was trying out for the Paralympics basketball team this spring. Her recent settlement with the Minnesota State High

School League made many changes in track and field events for young athletes with disabilities. Other titles decided this spring were in adapted softball and bowling. In softball, Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound-Westonka made it four in a row as the Robins snagged the PI Division adapted softball state champion trophy, downing Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville 9-2 in the championship game. The Robins are a force to be reckoned with as they have won 11 of the past 12 titles in PI softball, soccer and floor hockey. Robins junior Charlie Wittmer’s three RBI led the team in the title match. The team outscored its tournament opponents 31-5 in three games.

Anoka-Hennepin defeated Wayzata/Minnetonka to claim third place. Dakota United’s PI won the consolation bracket with a victory over South Suburban. In the CI Division, another adapted sports powerhouse won the title. Anoka-Hennepin Mustangs won its third consecutive CI title with a 7-2 victory over the Dakota United Hawks. This marked the Mustangs’ eighth consecutive championship, including titles won in adapted soccer and adapted floor hockey. Dakota United is a cooperative that includes Apple Valley, Eagan, Eastview and Rosemount high schools. The team was undefeated this season until reaching the state finals. But the Hawks had a powerful foe. No Anoka-Hennepin CI team has lost a match since November 2009.

Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville wound up taking third, defeating South Washington County 14-11. Mounds View/Irondale/ Roseville defeated Osseo in the consolation championship, 16-15. Softball teams are co-ed and followed adapted sports rules.

The state bowling tournament was held at Brunswick Zone in Eden Prairie, with new team champions crowned. Twenty-seven schools had teams in the competition.

In the PI divisions, St. Paul Humboldt captured both the team and boys’ singles titles.  Humboldt junior Tony Campanaro dominated the field, rolling a two-game series of 513, to win the PI Division boys’ singles championship. Campanaro entered the tournament with the lowest handicap (45) in the field, and contributed solid scores to help the Hawks win the team crown.

Austin High School’s Rachel Cook won the PI girls’ singles championship with scores of 224 and 251 for a 475 series. Minneapolis South’s duo of Tyler Spratt and Hassan Upsher won the doubles title with a combined score of 871.

In the CI Division, a strong bowler led her team to the title and won the girls’ singles title as well. North St. Paul/Tartan won the team championship with a one-pin victory over Albany, 1,627 to 1,626. Ashleigh Miller of North/Tartan won the girls’ singles crown rolling a 228 in her second game and series score of 475. Mankato East’s Colby Tolzmann won the boys’ singles title with a 450 series, Minneapolis North’s Jerick Sands and Ronnie Kennedy took first place in doubles with a score of 889 pins.

Boys’ or girls’ singles, doubles and team competitions are offered for athletes in each of the two divisions. Doubles pairs and teams may be co-ed. There is no limit on the number of bowlers who can compete in the various categories of competition. However, one individual athlete cannotAustralia, New Zealand, Japan and South Africa. Many IAAIS members in the United States are associated with public radio stations, colleges, universities or libraries.

The first president of the organization was C. Stanley Potter, who was the Director of the State Services for the Blind in Minnesota when the Radio Talking Book began. Holland is the only other Minnesotan to hold that post. Participate in all three categories.

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