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Ornes' Skills Shine Through

By Tom Schardin, 03/16/15, 3:15PM CDT

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Whether it was on the soccer field or the Nordic ski trails, Kaiji Ornes always found a way to excel.

The Prior Lake senior was a two-time state qualifier in Nordic skiing and a two-time selection to the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association's all-state soccer team.

And now, she's the Athena Award winner at Prior Lake. The award is given annually to the most outstanding female athlete in each metro area high school. Ornes will receive her award at the 43rd annual banquet, which is in May at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

"Kaija has been a great leader for our team and is one of the hardest workers I have seen throughout my 20 years of coaching," said Laker girls soccer coach David Graham. "Kaija was also recognized this past season with the Most Dedicated Player Award. This type of award sums up who Kaija happens to be.

"She is not only dedicated to her teammates and our program, but she is dedicated to everything she does in life - her school work, her sports, her family, her volunteerism, her leadership and her involvement in other extra-curricular activities," added Graham.

Ornes was a four-year letterwinner on the soccer field. She finished her career with 29 career goals and 30 assists. This past fall, she was one of five finalists for the Ms. Soccer Award.

Ornes will play Division I soccer next fall at Colorado State University, where she plans to pursue a degree in environmental engineering.

"Her motivation and persistence will pay off both in her studies and on the soccer field, despite the sometimes grueling demands that come with being a Division I student-athlete," said Graham.

Last fall, Ornes led the Lakers in assists with 14, adding seven goals. Prior Lake lost 1-0 to Eden Prairie in the Section 2AA title game for a second straight year, finishing with a 13-5-1 overall mark (5-3-1 in the SSC).

On the Nordic ski trails, Ornes finished 59th in pursuit at the state meet back in February at Giants Ridge in Biwabik with a time of 39:50.4. Pursuit is a combination of the 5,000-meter freestyle and classical times. Ornes skied in the freestyle in 19:57 and the classical in 19:53.4.

As a junior, Ornes finished 86th in pursuit.

"Kaija is a coach’s dream," said Graham. "She is a tireless worker. She has a passion for the game. She leads by example and is an all-around great person.

"She had a huge role (among others) in helping to put our program on the map," said Graham. "We had some great success over the course of Kaija’s career and she was a big part of that success. When it comes to her statistics and the awards she has won, she is one of the top players in our program’s history."