Talking Preps

The Star Tribune's David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen delve into new guidance that makes mask-wearing optional during games and practices, provide insight into Chet Holmgren's move out west and call out a couple of coaching changes of note in boys' hockey.

After a jam-packed run of championships, the Star Tribune's David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen disclose what stood out for them, including under-appreciated moments, from a just-completed stretch of high school state tournaments.

The Star Tribune's Ron Haggstrom and Jim Paulsen analyze all four classes of boys' and girls' basketball matchups starting Tuesday and wonder if the Bulldogs, shut down by the pandemic on the eve of their title game last year, can make it this time around.

Out of basketball coaching this year but probably not for good, Brian Cosgriff tells the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen that he misses the game but not the COVID disruptions. And that it will take "the perfect game'' to keep his former team from another Class 4A title.

Always loquacious Ted Cheesebrough, veteran high school hockey coach, dishes to the Star Tribune's David La Vaque what he learned when he quizzed his peers who will behind the bench starting Tuesday at Xcel Energy Center.

Wayzata coach Taylor Williamson shares state tournament insights, who could surprise in quarterfinal games this weekend and what it will take to win it all in a conversation with the Star Tribune's David La Vaque.

The Star Tribune's David La Vaque handicaps the boys' and girls' tournaments as teams navigate through COVID concerns and colleague Jim Paulsen discloses a "pied piper'' of sorts who he thinks could help a new Gophers coach win over local players.

The Star Tribune's David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen talk Gopher in-state football recruiting success, No. 1 Maple Grove falls in boys' hockey, a busted winning streak in girls' basketball and whether attendance restrictions will be loosened at hockey and basketball state tournaments.

The Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque talk basketball players to root for in Tre Holloman and Will Tschetter, COVID still rippling through winter sports and a girls' basketball battle of teams with long winning streaks.

Staff writers Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque serve up a slightly past midseason snapshot at who they would tap, based on performance to date, for first teams in boys' and girls' basketball and hockey.

The Star Tribune's David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen offer up the best two boys' teams, three girls' teams in the hunt and a nationally televised boys' basketball game that produced a surprise player not named Holmgren or Tschetter.

The football coach talks with the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque about community pride in the school alum and Super Bowl champion Johnson, and how the team learned from his one-man 2015 Prep bowl performance to win it all without him the next year.

The Star Tribune's David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen talk through newly approved and highly anticipated plans to hold high school state championships again, some basketball news and offer their take on origins of "nothing to sneeze at.''

Amid the return of Minnesota high school winter sports, the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque are seeing an important new meaning being brought to the court, rink and mats that doesn't show up in the box scores.

A 50-point drubbing of a top foe has the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque wondering if the Royals, with a 64-game winning streak, will lose a game this year, Plus the latest on state tournaments coming into view,

As high school sports resume Jan. 14 with masks required, Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque get the hockey season started and mix in basketball, wrestling and gymnastics as well.

"Everyone wants the kids to play,'' says the Star Tribune's David La Vaque, who with colleague Jim Paulsen delve into the mask controversy and more with games set to begin Jan. 14.

The Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque look past the Jan. 4 start date for high school sports practices to when basketball, hockey and other sports will start to compete, and maybe even get to state tournaments.

The Star Tribune's David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen talk all-metro volleyball, look ahead to the college football early signing period starting Wednesday and offer predictions on when high school winter sports will get going again.

The Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque critique their work picking their All-Metro football teams and the Minnesota State High School League's plan for getting sports back in action.

The Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen and David La Vaque make the case for their favorites in a season that offered no clear answers, call out some personal football highlights and, with the winter season on pause, walk through recent high school league budget news.

In the latest Talking Preps, David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen lament football and volleyball seasons cut short, discuss why it's a four-week break and speculate on what happens after that.

In the latest Talking Preps, David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen celebrate Sam Smith of St. Paul Humboldt and friends Nyle Dickel of Minneapolis Washburn and Nick Flaskamp of Minneapolis Southwest. And look ahead to section brackets unfortunately riddled by COVID absences.

The Star Tribune's David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen talk with Aaron Berndt, a key organizer of races held last weekend to give many of the state's top high school runners, in the absence of a traditional state meet, a chance to compete as teams and individuals.

In the latest Talking Preps, Prep Redzone recruiting analyst Oliver West joins the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen for a midseason assessment of teams and players making news, including a surprising number leading potent passing attacks in a state best known for running the ball.