Champlin Park High School’s softball team punched its ticket to the Minnesota State Championship for the first time in school history Wednesday night.

The Rebels edged out White Bear Lake 3-2 in a nail-biting semifinal, and right in the middle of it all was their star pitcher, Marissa Rothenberger, a transgender athlete whose presence has stirred heated debate across the state.

Rothenberger not only threw a complete game but also knocked two crucial doubles at the plate. The Rebels’ dugout erupted as the final out was recorded, but the celebration came with a backdrop of tension.

Rothenberger, who was assigned male at birth and transitioned at a young age, has become a lightning rod in the broader discussion around transgender athletes in girls’ sports.

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