Minnesota

Meet your Class 3A, 2A and 1A dance high kick state champions | Strib Varsity

Published

2 weeks ago

February 15, 2026

Meet your Class 3A, 2A and 1A dance high kick state champions | Strib Varsity

Minnesota’s 36 high school high kick dance teams took a trip around the world within the confines of Target Center during the state tournament on Saturday, Feb. 14.

From reigning 2A state champ Totino-Grace’s “Mambo Italiano” routine and Westonka’s “Mr. Worldwide” kick line, to Rogers’ French-inspired turn series and Orono’s “Welcome to Miami” neon sequence, the theme of the day was glitter and globetrotting.

But Brainerd proved that sometimes the best inspiration is close to home.

The team’s jazzy “A Tribute to Fosse” landed the Kixters their third state high kick title in a row and their second 3A title of 2026 after Friday’s victory in the jazz competition. The school had never previously won both titles in the same year. Brainerd’s last state title before its current run began in 2024 came in 1999.

Head coach Cindy Clough credits the latest victory to how close-knit the team is, growing up dancing at the same studio in Brainerd.

“They are like a family,” Clough said. “For me as a coach, this has been one of my favorite years because there’s been no drama.”

“There’s so much love,” senior captain Louie Korhonen said. “We all grew up dancing at the same studio, so we really knew each other from the age of 6 to now.”

Eastview’s air, earth, water and fire “Elements” routine kicked it into second for the second year in a row.

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Minnesota

How ICE’s presence is affecting child care in Minnesota

Published

56 minutes ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

How ICE’s presence is affecting child care in Minnesota

What happens to day care providers when families decide to stay home? Coming up at 9 a.m. on Monday, MPR News host Angela Davis is joined by early childhood education reporter Kyra Miles to talk about how the the increase of federal immigration agents is affecting the child care industry and children, families and child care workers.

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Minnesota

Utah Mammoth take down Minnesota 5-2 to end the Wild’s winning streak at 6

Published

13 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Utah Mammoth take down Minnesota 5-2 to end the Wild’s winning streak at 6

February 27, 2026 / 11:13 PM CST
/ AP

The Wild were taken down by the Utah Mammoth 5-2 on Friday night to end Minnesota’s winning streak at six games.

Lawson Crouse scored twice and U.S. Olympian Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists for Utah.

Logan Cooley and Barrett Hayton also scored and Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves to help the Mammoth rebound from a 4-2 home loss to NHL-leading Colorado on Wednesday night in their return from the Olympic break. Utah began the night in the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

U.S. Olympian Matt Boldy scored and assisted on Kirill Kaprizov’s goal for Minnesota. Second behind Central Division-rival Colorado in the West, the Wild are 9-2-1 in their last 12. They beat the Avalanche 5-2 on Thursday night in Denver.

Cooley opened the scoring with a short-handed goal with 6:37 left in the first period. The former University of Minnesota star got the puck on the right side off a deflection and put a shot between Wallstedt’s legs for his 15th goal.

Keller scored his 18th at 4:26 of the second. Nick Schmaltz forced a turnover on a forecheck and fed Keller on the right side.

Crouse made it 3-0 at 7:49 of the second. He came down the middle, took a pass from Keller and beat Wallstedt with a backhander.

Kaprizov countered for Minnesota on a power play with 5:57 left in the second. He has 33 goals this season.

Hayton made it 4-1 on a power play at 1:19 of the third, and Crouse added his 16th of the season on a tip with 7:12 to go.

Boldy got his 35th of the season with 5:57 remaining.

Up next

Wild: Host St. Louis on Sunday.

Mammoth: Host Chicago on Sunday.

In:

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Minnesota

Shorthanded Clippers can’t keep pace with Anthony Edwards and Minnesota

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Shorthanded Clippers can’t keep pace with Anthony Edwards and Minnesota

Feb. 26, 2026 10:01 PM PT

Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 18 and the surging Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Clippers 94-88 on Thursday night.

Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves improve to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 3-1 since the All-Star break.

Edwards, returning to the site of the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP, was 12 for 24 from the floor and sealed the victory with a step-back three-pointer over two defenders for a 92-88 lead with 42.9 seconds left.

Minnesota improved to 2-0 on a three-game trip.

Derrick Jones Jr. scored 18 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 for the Clippers, who struggled from the outset with a season-low 38 points in the first half. Kris Dunn had 11 points for the Clippers (27-31), who have lost three consecutive games for the first time since December.

The Clippers struggled on offense without star Kawhi Leonard, out because of ankle soreness. The Clippers shot 40.5% from the floor, including 18.2% (four for 22) in the second quarter. Minnesota shot 43.4% in the game.

The Timberwolves (37-23) scored just 15 points in the second quarter and still topped the Clippers, who had 11. Minnesota led 44-38 at halftime behind 12 points from DiVincenzo and 11 from Edwards.

The Clippers led by six in the third quarter and were up 68-63 heading into the fourth. Edwards’ drive and reverse layup put the Timberwolves up for good at 76-74 with 7:40 remaining.

The Clippers pulled within one three times in the last 2½ minutes, but Edwards answered each time. He scored the Timberwolves’ last nine points.

Up next for Clippers: vs. New Orleans on Sunday night.

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