The Minnesota State High School League board of directors approved significant regular-season football schedule changes  a few weeks back for some large metro-area schools in their 2017 and 2018 seasons, including Becker.

 

Just one year after the league’s district-based plan rendered conferences obsolete, the East and West Metro districts are set to be dissolved, creating new-look Metro and Suburban districts. Some of the 58 metro area programs in those districts welcome the chance for fresh scheduling partners and a more competitive slate of eight regular-season games.

 

And that includes Becker Head Coach Dwight Lundeen.

 

“I couldn’t be happier with the new district changes,” he said. “This means the level of competition will increase which is a good thing for Becker football.”

 

The MSHSL board did not consult with any coaches or schools for their decision-making process and when the changes were made public, Lundeen was just as surprised as everyone that the league was dissolving and shifting districts.

 

“I was quite surprised when I heard,” he said.

 

June 28 in Sartell, the district changes will be officially approved.

 

Twenty-two schools will now be part of the North Central district starting in 2017-18 and will include Becker, Alexandria, Andover, Bemidji, Big Lake, Brainerd, Buffalo, Cambridge-Isanti, Chisago Lakes, Elk River, Hutchinson, Monticello, Moorhead, Princeton, Rocori, Rogers, Saint Cloud Tech, Sartell-Saint Stephen, Sauk Rapids-Rice, St. Cloud Apollo, St. Francis and Willmar.

 

“We are one of six smaller schools in the district and will most likely play them and then rotate with the other 16 teams over the years,” Lundeen said.

 

The six teams Lundeen was referring to were Becker, Willmar, Princeton, Big Lake, Hutchinson and Rocori.

 

Flexibility was the purpose of district scheduling. Assuring parity, though not a priority, became a welcome result.

 

“Last year there were several schools that got some relief in their schedule and what that did for their program and school was amazing,” said Kevin Merkle, MSHSL associate director in charge of football. “You don’t have to win all the time, but having competitive games is what we’re looking for — especially with the state of football right now, the injury concerns. It makes for better games on both ends.”

 

What has Lundeen especially excited about is the changes will mean his lower-level football squads will finally play full schedules against full-rostered teams.

 

“We will finally be able to get our JV, 10th grade, ninth grade and 7/8th grade teams to play against team that have comparable rosters,” said Lundeen. “That can only make our younger players that much more better.”

 

As a reminder, the 2016-17 football season will be conducted under the former district schedule with the new changes for the 22 schools going into effect for the 2017-18 season.