Numerous Becker athletes and their families were invited to partake in the first annual St. Cloud Times Central Minnesota Sports Awards Show at the River’s Edge Convention Center last Friday night.

 

The event was hosted by KARE 11’s Eric Perkins and the guest speaker was Eric Decker of the New York Jets.

 

Thousands of student athletes, family and friends from area high schools crammed the convention center in their sharpest suits, tuxedos and dresses. At least 100 people from Becker attended with four players, coaches and teams on the docket to receive trophies.

 

All-Area players of the year in 25 sports were honored to start the program.

 

Then, for the first time, awards honoring the male and female athletes of the year, coach of the year, team of the year, most improved athlete and others were handed out.

 

For Becker football, Dillon Radunz was up for male athlete of the year and he was in competition with Nick Althaus of St. Cloud Apollo (hockey) and Jake Lieberg of Sartell (track & field).

 

 

“I wasn't expecting this at all," said Radunz, who helped lead the Bulldogs to a second-straight Class 4A state title last fall. “I didn't even know I was a finalist until I got here and looked at the program. But it's a really great honor. There were a lot of great athletes here.”

 

Basketball star Alex Johnson  was up for female player of the year in her sport and a finalist as most improved athlete. She was pitted against Megan Gavin of Rocori (softball) and Brevyn Spann-Ford of St. Cloud Tech (basketball) in the latter category.

 

Johnson beat them all out as she won player of the year and most improved.

 

According to her mom’s Facebook post following the show, Alex said she almost cried when she met Eric Decker, a 2005 Rocori High School graduate.

 

“Needless to say, she is a Jets fan now,” her mom Jeanna kidded.

 

Johnson, who was named All-Area girls basketball player of the year after leading Becker to the Class 3A state semifinals this past season, said she was having a good time Friday.

 

“This is awesome,” Johnson said. “It's one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to experience when it comes to sports. Getting the chance to meet Eric Decker was really fun. And just being here with my friends and fellow athletes has been great.”

 

The Becker Bulldog football team was a finalist for prep team of the year, but they lost out to the St. Cloud Tech gymnastics team as they captured their first state title in their program’s history.

 

Head Football Coach Dwight Lundeen was a finalist for coach of the year and he was pitted up against Leo Pahlkamp of Pierz (football) and Colleen and Joel Stark of St. Cloud Tech (gymnastics).

 

Lundeen won the coveted award and is heading into his 47th year at the helm of the three-time state champion football team.

 

“This is the best night I've ever experienced when it comes to honoring high school athletics,” said Lundeen.

 

The female athlete of the year went to Sartell’s Clare Minnerath in hockey.

 

The academic team of the year was awarded to the Sauk Centre girls basketball team. The community engagement award went to Rocori football and the Tom Bearson Foundation Spirit Award went to Michael Meyer of Pierz for football.

 

Decker told the crowd about the importance prep sports had in his own development.

 

“I learned so many lessons,” Decker saids. “The value of discipline and working hard. Of sacrificing things to pursue what I wanted to do.”

 

“And I learned a lot about myself,” he continued. “You don't always succeed in sports. You fail at times and you learn from it. But the experiences I had as a young teenager set me up for success in college and helped me be where I'm at today.”