Cougar spring sports highlights

The high school sports season that began with practices in early March concluded with state tournaments in mid-June. For hundreds of student athletes who wore a Como Park Cougar uniform, their spring sport brought opportunities to be part of a team, grow as a person, and enjoy physical activity. 

Many committed and competitive athletes achieved new personal bests during the season. And for some, conference championships and state tournament appearances were direct results of their hard work and talent. 

 

With a 12-3 regular season record in Minnesota’s club volleyball association, the Cougars qualified for their second consecutive state tournament. After losing their first-round match in five sets to Eden Prairie, the Como boys won three consecutive matches to earn the 5th place trophy. Along the way, the Cougars earned the respect of their opponents and officials who selected Como as the tournament team with the best sportsmanship.

Boys’ volleyball has gained great momentum across the state during the last five years with a peak number of 72 clubs playing this past season. In May, the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) approved it as an officially sanctioned sport starting in 2024. 

The move to the MSHSL may change the administration of competition, but the spirit and energy of Como boys’ volleyball is already high. Beyond the varsity, the Cougars also have a junior varsity and a c-team. 

The class of 2023 has played a key role in the development of the program. The graduating seniors include Rin Htoo, Hla Kay, Peyton Lee, Ku Reh, Pray Reh, Taw Reh, and Ian Garcia. The coaching staff is led by Como alumni Koob Lee and Areya Khue who are excited to keep propelling the program forward.

 

The St. Paul City Conference Meet concluded with four Como girls earning medals for top-three individual finishes. Junior Ellery Tennison was the city champ in the 100M hurdles, and took second in both the triple jump and the 300M hurdles. Junior Sahara Hinton won the city championship in the high jump. Freshman Aletha Keizer placed third in the 200 meters while freshman Olga Tetevi placed third in the shot put.

Five boys earned medals at the city meet. Senior Charlie Power-Theisen repeated as the city champion for both the 1600 and 3200 meters. Junior Mason Aarness achieved second place in both the 1600 and 3200. Senior Liam Schwie earned third place in the 3200 while junior Garrett Seppanen took third in the 1600. Senior Emerson Spencer placed third in the 400 meters.

Power-Theisen qualified for state in the 1600M and Tennison qualified for state in the 100M hurdles. Power-Theisen concluded his career on the podium with an 8th place state medal.

 

Seniors Betty Hebble and Kaya Soheid teamed up to become a formidable doubles combination, advancing to the quarterfinals of the state tournament.