ERSKINE — Paige Breitbach’s favorite sport has always been whatever she’s playing that season.
The recent Win-E-Mac graduate played volleyball, basketball and softball throughout her high school career, captaining the first two during her junior and senior seasons.
"I come from a very sports-related family,” she said. “I’d say softball is definitely up there in what I’m most passionate about.”
Breitbach’s dad played college baseball, and her great-grandpa played for the Chicago Cubs. She grew up hanging around the dugout as her dad coached the Win-E-Mac team.
Softball is also the sport with which Breitbach has had the most success.
“I should have pulled numbers, but I think she won more games in 2025 in softball than she won in volleyball and girls basketball her whole career,” said Brady Langemo, Win-E-Mac athletic director. “It’s the extremes, but Paige was the same the whole entire time.”
Win-E-Mac's volleyball and basketball teams had single-digit wins every season of Breitbach’s high school career. But it didn’t matter if it was softball playoffs or practice after losing by 70 points. She was still working hard, motivating her teammates and being a leader — on and off the court and diamond.
“I love the game. I love sports,” Breitbach said. “I still love the competition, and when we’d play good teams, I was excited to play good teams. Even if we did get our butts kicked.
“Even if we knew we wouldn’t be the team to beat, I just really wanted us to set goals and at least meet those within us and just come together and just be a team.”
That consistent attitude is why Langemo nominated Breitbach for North Star Student.
In addition to athletics, Breitbach was president of the school’s honor society, maintained a high GPA and was involved in student council and her church.
Teacher and coach Ross Roragen noted Paige’s vacation Bible school work, and her mission trip to Costa Rica.
“Paige has always been willing to put others first in her life showing her unselfish ways,” he wrote in her recommendation for the Minnesota State High School League’s Triple ‘A’ Award. “She has earned not only the respect of those around her, but also their admiration; myself included.”
She said her relationship with God is what allowed her to stay positive and engaged, even with a busy schedule.
“When I go to bed at night, I just give my stress and everything to him, and I just find so much peace and comfort in that,” she said. “ ... And also my family is very supportive, and they really helped me with a lot, too.”
Breitbach started taking online college courses her senior year to spend more time with her four younger siblings, who are homeschooled. With all their activities — her brothers are three-sport athletes, too — they weren’t seeing each other until late at night and then rushing out the door early the next morning.
Now, they have more time to spend together, watching movies, cooking, grilling and camping in the warmer months. And, of course, time for competition, whether that be board games, yard games or something else. Breitbach’s brother accused her of cheating when she beat him in a round of golf.
“We are always together, very much a living room family,” Breitbach said.
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Lorie Shaull/KAXEDespite their busy schedules, twins Abby and Maddy Koivisto put their all into everything they do. Their dedication and consistency earned them the titles of North Star Student. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXENoska was nominated for North Star Student because of her amazing tennis career — and the fact she's got one more season of fun and achievement ahead of her.
Langemo said Breitbach has time for everybody, which he thinks has a lot to do with her family dynamic.
His daughter is two years younger than Breitbach, but that didn’t stop the two from becoming close friends in elementary school, spending hours playing Minecraft in his basement.
“When there’d be kids after the game, they would want to go hug her. She would say hi, and she’d do all that, and it wasn’t fake. She wasn’t doing it just because she had to. That was just her natural instinct,” Langemo said.
“ ... We have a lot of old fans, too, that come out that don’t have kids or grandkids in the programs anymore, and Paige talks to them and takes pictures with them and gives hugs to them.”
“Paige’s caring nature and desire to help those around her make her very special,” Roragen wrote. “The impact Paige has made in our local school district and community will remain indefinitely.”
Everybody loses their cool at some point, but Langemo said he can’t picture Breitbach losing hers. She was a setter in volleyball, point guard in basketball, shortstop and pitcher in softball. That will be her legacy at Win-E-Mac, he said.
“She deserves this recognition for her consistency and just being able to be relied upon each and every day, as a student, as a sibling to all her brothers and sisters, as a daughter,” he said.
“A great person, overall. It’s easy to cheer for people like Paige.”
Breitbach will be moving to Fargo, North Dakota, to live with a cousin and take online digital marketing and business classes through Minnesota State Community and Technical College.
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A bipartisan appropriations bill included $10 million in federal funding toward Northland infrastructure projects, $1 million of which will fund Hib-WATER. -
The Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists highlights the best work from around the state. KAXE News reporting and photography won five awards at the 2026 Page One Awards ceremony. -
Events this week include a powwow in S. Lake, a gallery hop in Hibbing and a youth literacy event in Baxter.
