Jeffrey Thompson

Competition: Gallery I

Dustin Byfuglien's dog, Walter, drinks beer from the Stanley Cup in his family's home in Roseau Minn. Byfuglien won the National Hockey League championship with the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this year, and the Stanley Cup is rotated around to each of winning team's players for to have for about a day.
  
Kyle Winiecki stretches with his Spring Lake Park teammates before practice. Winiecki currently holds the fastest times in six of the team's eight individual swimming events.
   
Cretin Derham-Hall fans find shelter at Midway Stadium during a storm delay during the Minnesota State Baseball championship game in St. Paul, Minn. Heavy rains and lightning ultimately forced the game to be postponed.
     
  
Runners in the New Prague Half Marathon navigated around a tractor during the race in rural Rice County.
   
Players shovel their respective rinks before the first round of games of the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships on Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis, Minn. Over 1400 players from more than 30 states and a three countries compete for the golden shovel.
   
LeSeuer senior Jake Gerdts lands safely in the pit after a pole vault attempt at a meet in Jordan, Minn.
     
  
A rider competes in the National Show Horse Finals in Springfield, Ill.
   
Amy Bergseth, right, of Chicago battles competitive eaters, from left, Bob Shoudt of Royersford, Pennsylvania, and Frank Wach of Chicago during the Goldenpalace.com World Grilled Cheese Eating Championship at the Illinois State Fair.
   
Members of the Sartell High School dance team mentally prepare to compete as they visualized their jazz performance at the 2008 State Dance Team Tournament at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
     
  
Laurie Morgenthal, 21, of Wheeling, Ill. and the rest of her Augustana cross country and track teammates stretch out before the Bix 7 Race in Davenport, Iowa.
   
Don Budin of Montgomery, Minn. takes a break from the action at Euchremania IV in Shakopee, Minn. Budin and his partners made up one of 96 teams that competed in the card tournament.
   
Members of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf football team get pumped up before a game in Fairbault, Minn.