Becker’s Dillon Radunz was one of 10 high school football players finalists in the 2015 Mr. Football Award given by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association and sponsored by the Minnesota Vikings.
The banquet was held Nov. 22 at the Doubletree by Hilton Minneapolis Park Place Hotel where J.D. Spielman of Eden Prairie took home the award.
The Mr. Football Award was first presented in 2004, with the first winner being Nick Mertens of East Grand Forks High School. Last year’s winner was Robbie Grimsley of Hutchinson High School.
The Mr. Football Award criteria includes the nominee being a graduating senior, the nominee’s head coach (Dwight Lundeen) must be a current member of the MFCA, the nominee must not have any MSHSL violations and each player must be nominated by their Sub-District/MFCA representative.
Along with Radunz and Spielman, the other finalists were Isaac Collins of Maple Grove, Carter Coughlin of Eden Prairie, Logan Hatfield of Bemidji, Amani Hooker of Park Center, Tyler Johnson of Minneapolis North, Kamal Martin of Burnsville, David McCuskey of Orono and Bishop McDonald of North St. Paul.
Joining Radunz at the Doubletree Hotel were Dwight Lundeen, Mike Lundeen, Scott Searcy, Troy Robinson, Dillon’s mom, Kathy and Dillon’s brother, Nick.
Radunz was also selected to the Minnesota Vikings All-State Football Team that was honored at the Vikings game Dec. 6. Thirty players from the state were selected by a committee of sportswriters, broadcasters Vikings staff and Minnesota high school football coaches for having an outstanding season.
Dillon received a monogrammed football and was joined on the TCF Bank Stadium field by Coach Dwight Lundeen, Coach of the Year Gary Sloan of Grand Meadow High School and former Vikings player E.J. Henderson.
Dillon — at 6’6” and 265-lbs. — is a three-sport athlete (football, basketball and track) and has been recruited by SDSU, NDSU, South Dakota and Wyoming. He gave a verbal commitment to NDSU earlier this year.
Radunz was named to the KARE11 All-Metro defensive team and was voted the Most Valuable Player in his district.
Lundeen said Radunz may be the best player he's coached in 46 years.
