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Area notebook: Transgender policy a hot button topic for CHS AD [St. Cloud Times, Minn.](St. Cloud Times (MN) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 07--It was an interesting week for Emmett Keenan, the St. Cloud Cathedral activities director and a member of the Minnesota State High School League's board of directors. Discussing a policy for transgender athletes has a way of doing that. "Anytime you have sexuality as part of the topic, it's going to be a hot-button issue," Keenan said.The board decided to table a policy on the issue last Thursday until more work could be done.Keenan said he isn't ready to disclose his vote on the issue, which attempted to out-line how school districts handle transgender athletes in terms of eligibility and accommodations.Keenan wouldn't say how he would have voted."I don't think it's fair to say at this time," Keenan said. "That policy is no longer on the table."I think it would be fair to let the issue go through the process and then decide."A committee is being formed to clarify issues. The committee will discuss the policy with school officials throughout the state, including ADs, principals, superintendents and school board members.The process should conclude with a policy to be voted on Dec. 4 at the state high school league offices in Brooklyn Center."There was enough ambiguity in the policy and enough people who felt they didn't get enough voice in the matter to give it some more time to be heard and cleared up and for their issues to be addressed," Keenan said. "And I'm not saying that those people hadn't necessarily been properly heard."A transgender policy is currently in place in 32 states, state high school league executive director Dave Stead said in last week's meeting, which was packed.Stead said that the high school league received 10,000 emails on the matter."We know that there are current cases in the state of Minnesota," said Keenan, who isn't aware of any cases in the area.The point of the transgender policy was to help school districts in dealing with it consistently. The board includes 19 members from across the state and from a wide variety of communities and schools, large and small, public and private."For many people, based on their beliefs, it is hard to or maybe impossible to separate their beliefs and values from the subject matter," Keenan said. "And maybe they shouldn't have to."It's all part of the same equation."4 classes for baseball One action the board did vote on last week going to four classes in baseball. It was approved. Softball already had been approved to go to four classes. Baseball and softball will be divided into four classes and four state tournaments in 2016. There will be 64 Class 4A programs and 64 in Class 3A. The rest of the teams will be split equally into 2A and A. Under enrollments used for 2013-14, Brainerd, which ranked 34th, and St. Cloud Tech (63rd) would be the only Class 4A schools for baseball and softball. Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud Apollo, Sartell, Little Falls and Rocori would be Class 3A. Everyone else in the area would be Class 2A or A. Sartell record Darek Stachowski became Sartell's all-time leading rusher Friday night in the Sabres' 15-8 win at Rocori. He broke the record held by Tom Stark, a 1995 graduate who rushed 452 times for 2,865 yards in his career. After Friday, Stachowski has 3,009 yards on 519 carries with three regular-season games to go and at least one more in the post-season. "I think it's pretty cool," Stachowski said. "It's nice to have your name in the school's record book, I guess." Stachowski is quick to pass the credit on to his teammates. "I've got to give last year's line and this year's line a lot of credit," Stachowski said. "And I give a lot of credit to (fullback) Nick Jensen. "He's been the fullback my entire career and he's led me to a lot of yards .... He's definitely a guy you want on your football team." Look who's No. 1 Emily Donnay of the Eden Valley-Watkins/Kimball girls' cross country team, moved into first place in the state Class A coaches association rankings this week. Donnay, a senior at Kimball, had been ranked second in the last rankings, her best. Donnay's sister, sophomore Anna Donnay, is ranked ninth this week. It's the first time she has been ranked. Also ranked is Annandale's Elizabeth Schlafke, who is 11th. The Annandale girls are second and the Holdingford girls are 10th. In first place is Trinity of River Ridge. In the boys' Class A rankings, Holdingford is seventh and St. Cloud Cathedral is eighth. Holdingford's Andrew Zachman is ranked fourth in the state. Cathedral's Tyler Johnson is ranked seventh and Royalton's Zach Carson is 10th. Waseca's Shane Streich isNo. 1. Martin County West is No. 1 in Class A boys. Keeping the faith It was one of the noteworthy scores of Friday night. New London-Spicer (5-1), ranked fourth in the state in Class 3A, barely beat winless Annandale (0-6), 18-14. Annandale head coach Mike Walter said it was a continuation of the Cardinals' top rivalry in the Wright County Conference. "We had our chances," Walter said. "We just couldn't get ahead of them." The teams played a wild Section 6-3A final last season. New London-Spicer prevailed 66-46. Walter noted that Friday's game was the first Annandale had played against a Class 3A opponent this season. It's other five games were all against Class 4A schools. He also said he had 13 players on the sidelines with injuries. "I feel bad for the kids right now," he said. "I'm hoping they don't lose their confidence. "We can compete against 3A teams." Annandale is host to Litchfield on Friday. The winner, Walter said, likely avoids the last seed in the section. Follow Tom Elliott on Twitter @sctimestom or call 259-3661. Prep volleyball (Through Sunday) Central Lakes standings ...............................................Conf.....All Team..(Pts).............................W-L....W-L Rocori (13)...............................9-0......16-3 Willmar (12).............................9-1......15-4 Sartell (12)................................9-2......17-2 Alexandria (8)..........................6-3......11-9 Sauk Rapids (6)........................4-6.....13-12 Brainerd (4)..............................3-6.....10-10 Fergus Falls (3).........................2-7.......4-14 Apollo (3).................................2-9.......2-11 Tech (0)....................................0-10.....3-14 Granite Ridge standings ..............................................Conf.....All Team......................................W-L....W-L Mora........................................6-1......20-4 Albany.....................................6-1....14-11 St. Cloud Cathedral..................5-2.....16-3 Becker......................................5-2.......9-8 Foley.........................................4-4......8-8 Little Falls.................................2-5....7-11 Milaca......................................1-7......5-12 Zimmerman..............................0-7.....5-14 West Central standings North Division....................Conf......All Team.....................................W-L....W-L Melrose..................................10-0....14-3 Sauk Centre...........................10-1....16-4 Montevideo..............................7-3.....9-7 Morris......................................6-4....11-5 Minnewaska.............................3-8....9-10 South Division...................Conf.....All Paynesville...............................6-4....11-9 BOLD.......................................4-6.....7-9 Yellow Medicine E...................3-9...8-12 Benson.....................................1-9....4-15 ACGC......................................0-9....0-12 Central Minnesota standings .............................................Conf....All Team....................................W-L....W-L Maple Lake.............................5-0.....17-4 Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa........4-0.....12-7 Kimball....................................3-2...13-10 Holdingford.............................3-2.....9-10 Eden Valley-Watkins...............2-3.....6-12 HL-Wav-Win...........................2-3.....4-10 Rockford...................................0-4.....1-16 Pierz.........................................0-5......4-16 Wright County standings Team...................................W-L......W-L Delano....................................6-0........16-3 Waconia.................................4-0........13-7 Hutchinson..............................5-1.......13-7 N. London-Spicer....................2-1.......18-5 Litchfield.................................2-1.......11-6 Orono......................................3-2.......16-4 Glencoe-S. Lake......................2-3.......15-8 Holy Family.............................2-3.......12-9 New Prague..............................1-2......9-16 Annandale............... .................1-4......8-10 Dassel-Cokato...........................1-6......8-12 Mound-Westonka......................0-6......6-13 Prairie standings North Division......................Conf....All Team......................................W-L....W-L Osakis.......................................8-0.....16-6 Royalton...................................3-5.......7-9 West Central.............................3-5.......6-9 Long Prairie-G.E.......................1-7.....2-18 South Division......................Conf....All Team......................................W-L....W-L Browerville..............................6-2.....16-4 Upsala......................................6-2.....13-4 Swanville.................................5-3......12-8 Eagle Valley.............................0-8.....1-17 Boys soccer (Through Sunday) Central Lakes standings ...............................................Conf.....All Team..(Pts)......................W-L-T....W-L-T Tech (12.5).........................8-0-2......12-1-4 Apollo (11.5)......................8-0-2......13-0-2 Willmar (9).........................6-3-2......10-4-2 Sartell (8.5).........................7-4-1........8-5-2 Alexandria (6.5)..................5-5-1........8-7-1 Brainerd (3)........................3-9-0......3-13-0 Sauk Rapids (3)..................2-9-0......5-11-0 Fergus Falls (0)...................0-9-0......0-14-1 Rocori (0)...........................0-0-0......1-10-0 Granite Ridge standings Team.............................W-L-T....W-L-T ........................................Conf.............All St. Cloud Cathedral..........5-0-1......11-3-1 Little Falls.........................3-1-2.......8-4-2 Becker...............................1-4-1.......4-8-3 St. John's Prep...................1-5-0.....4-11-0 Girls soccer (Through Sunday) Central Lakes standings ................................................Conf.....All Team..(Pts)........................W-L-T....W-L-T Brainerd (12.5)...................10-1-1......12-3-1 Sartell (11)............................8-2-2.......8-3-4 Sauk Rapids (10)...................6-2-3.......8-3-5 Alexandria (7).......................5-4-2.......7-6-3 Apollo (5)..............................3-6-1.......6-8-1 Fergus Falls (4)......................1-5-3.......3-8-3 Tech (3.5)..............................2-7-1.....3-12-2 Willmar (1.5).........................1-9-1.....5-10-1 Rocori (0)...............................0-0-0....0-13-0 Granite Ridge standings Team.................................W-L-T....W-L-T ...........................................Conf.............All Little Falls...........................5-0-2......10-1-3 Zimmerman.........................5-1-2......10-3-2 St. Cloud Cathedral.............4-3-1........7-6-2 Becker.................................2-8-0......5-10-0 St. John's Prep.....................0-7-1.....4-10-2 Girls tennis (Through Sunday) Central Lakes standings .............................Conf.....All Team..(Pts)..........W-L....W-L Tech (14).................9-0....15-1 Alexandria (11).......8-3.....15-6 Brainerd (11)...........8-3.....12-4 Rocori (8)................6-5.....8-12 Willmar (6)..............4-6.....9-11 Fergus Falls (4)........3-6.....6-11 Apollo/SR/CHS (1)..1-9.....4-15 Sartell (1).................1-9.....3-15 Girls swimming (Through Sunday) Central Lakes standings ...............................................Conf.....All Team.......................................W-L....W-L Sartell ......................................6-0.......7-0 Brainerd ..................................5-1........6-2 Willmar ...................................5-1........5-2 Sauk Rapids ............................4-3.........5-3 Tech ........................................3-3.........3-4 Alexandria ...............................3-3.........3-5 Fergus Falls .............................1-5.........1-5 Rocori .....................................1-6.........1-7 Apollo .....................................0-6.........0-6 ___ (c)2014 the St. Cloud Times (St. Cloud, Minn.) 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