The sports landscape thoughout Central Minnesota was dynamic including several highlighted accolades for area teams, coaches and fans.
January
For the third year in a row, the Becker High School Dance Team (BDT) were the Mississippi 8 Conference Champions in both kick and jazz. In February, the team advanced to state where they finished 10th and 11th in both skills.
February
Ayla Miller, an eighth grader at Big Lake Middle School was invited to her first developmental camp with National Team coaches at the National Training Center in Indiana and in February she attended her second one in in Texas. Ayla trains between 24 and 28 hours per week five to six days per week at Twin City Twisters. She does her core classes in the morning at the middle school and then leaves school halfway through the day to attend practices.
March
Becker’s Mason Doucette came out on top of the 152 pound bracket in wrestling to claim a state championship while Big Lake’s Christian Noble did the same at 126 pounds.
Doucette’s state title was the culmination of many years of hard work on the wrestling mat.
This was Noble’s fourth state appearance and third straight state wrestling title - all in different weight classes.
April
Becker girls basketball senior player Adeline Kent completed her high school basketball career by participating in the MN Girls Basketball All Star Series in April, which featured the top players from across Minnesota. In addition to being featured as one of the state’s top players and playing on one of the winning teams, Kent had also been named as one of the contenders for the MN Miss Basketball title, which honors the top player in the state.
May
Nine years after winning its first state title in Cinderella fashion during its rookie season in 2013, the Becker robotics team struck again last spring, capturing its second MSHSL State Robotics title. This time the title pursuit was defined by several gutsy performances in less than ideal match circumstances, as the winning alliance had to overcome several obstacles, including being a robot short during a match in the semifinals.
June
The Becker Bulldog boys tennis team had a record-setting spring, qualifying for the state tournament for the first time in program history and setting a program record for wins in a season. In June, the man in charge of the program, Hokan Bengtson, was honored by being named the MSHSL Class AA Coach of the Year.
July
The Big Lake area has a new cheerleading program open to students age 10-18. The Minnesota Jets is a new cheer program that was recently formed by former coaches of the Big Lake Cheerleading team. This new team will not affiliated with the Big Lake School system, and will be open to students from around the area, such as Monticello, Elk River, and other neighboring cities.
The Big Lake School Board recently chose to dissolve their popular competitive cheer team, which has traveled to nationals for the past two years.
August
The Dylan’s Hope Foundation Golf Fundraiser was held Aug. 12 at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker. Two hundred and thirty golfers played the tournament that featured 57 hole sponsors and raised $34,264 this year.
The event supports the Dylan’s Hope Foundation’s efforts to prevent suicide through public awareness and community outreach. The Dylan’s Hope Foundation was created out of love in memory of Dylan Britt Aaseby of Becker, who committed suicide in February of 2013 at the age of 17.
September
Big Lake’s Todd Trutna was named the Minnesota Boys’ Cross Country Coach of the Year by the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for 2021. He was originally recognized in May of this year with a plaque, and then recognized by the district superintendent during a school board meeting in September.
October
Randy Shaver of Kare 11 was invited to speak at the Becker Bulldog banquet held at Pebble Creek Golf Course in late October. Five-star Minneapolis restaurant Fogo De Chao offered to serve their legendary food and players, coaches and family members got all dolled up to learn more about Tackle Cancer from the man who started it all.
Shaver was diagnosed with cancer in 1989 and five years later started Tackle Cancer, a program designed to raise money for cancer awareness and research.
November
Dwight Lundeen was nominated as a Region 3 National Finalist for the Power of Influence Award presented by the American Football Coaches Association (MFCA).
Lundeen is one of five finalists who will be attending the 2023 Convention held in Charlotte, NC Jan. 8-10. At the convention, the winner of the award will be announced on the second day, January 9th.
December
Twenty-four pitchers from across the State of Minnesota descended upon Becker earlier this month to play horseshoes at the American Legion’s four courts. The event is called the Reindeer Ringers Horseshoe Tourney and Becker is one of only four indoor courts in Minnesota.
