The Becker Bulldog boys track and field team captured their second Section 5AA title in the past three years with a nail-biting win last Thursday in Monticello.

Becker was trailing Monticello by 1.5 points going into the last event, the 4x400 relay, and Coach Paul Schmidt’s entry into the final event came through.

“Our 4x400 relay team rose to the occasion and ran their best time of the year to win the race over Monticello,” a jubilant Schmidt said after the meet.  “That win gave us 10 points and Monticello earned eight, making us the Section 5AA champions for the second time in three years.”

The 4x400 event team consisted of Isiah Boyer, Evan Hubbard, Brandt Hemmelgarn, and Tanner Felton.

Overall, Becker was focused and ready to compete, as nine different Bulldogs qualified for the State Track and Field Championships in multiple events.

Carter Reckelberg and Owen Angell both will be competing in four events at the state tournament on Wednesday and Thursday, June 11 and 12 at STMA.  Reckelberg will run in the 100, 200, 4x200 and the long jump, while Angell will compete in the 110 Hurdles, 300 Hurdles, 4x200 and pole vault.  

Schmidt also sang the praises of his 4x200 relay team that set the new school record at 1:29.18 and will feature Reckelberg, Angell, Boyer and Tarver Schendzielos.  

Schendzielos also earned a spot in the long jump, as he had a qualifying jump to make it to state.  

Boyer will also compete in the 4x400 relay along with Hubbard, Hemmelgarn, and Felton, while Felton will team up with Hubbard, Hemmelgarn, and Parker Spindler to compete in the 4x800 relay after winning that event at the Section meet.   Spindler will also run in the 3200 as he had already qualified for that event on Tuesday earlier in the week.

“It should be a great week of track as the Bulldogs look to cap off our season with some more individual victories and personal bests on Minnesota’s biggest track and field stage,” Schmidt said.