“...I consider it a challenge before the human race - And I ain’t gonna lose...”

—Freddie Mercury

That seemed to be the mantra of this year’s Becker Bulldog football team as they completed a perfect season by dominating Totino-Grace in the Prep Bowl, 24-8 at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis.

The Becker Bulldogs — finishing at 13-0 — took down the mighty Totino-Grace Eagles, who have 10 state titles, to capture Becker’s fourth football state championship at the Class 4A Prep Bowl in Minneapolis last Friday. The Bulldogs have state titles from 2005, 2014 and 2015 — and now, 2024.

Becker and Totino-Grace started out the title game getting a feel for each other that lasted nearly the entire first 12 minutes. The Bulldogs got on the board first with just :21 left in the first quarter when Becker running back Landen Kujawa took a handoff for 33 yards and battled through several tacklers before crossing the goal line for a 7-0 Bulldog lead.

That TD capped a six play, 63 yard drive that took just under two and a half minutes of time off of the clock.

The Bulldogs didn’t stop there. On a sweep play to the right side, Carter Reckelberg navigated the Eagle defense and — as the announcers said during the telecast — scored from 54 yards even though he most likely ran 100+ yards as he weaved from one side of the field to the other. The score put the Bulldogs up 14-0  with 10:19 left in the first half.

Becker’s stout defense not only kept an undefeated Totino-Grace team off the scoreboard until the game’s final two minutes, but also put points on the board itself when Sawyer Brown stepped in front of a receiver at the 30 yard line and brought the interception into the end zone to make the score 21-0. Brown had a spectacular day as he stood out as a cornerback, running back, receiver and quarterback at times throughout the day.

Becker’s dependable kicker Evan Norberg added a 25-yard field goal just over three minutes later in the third for a 24-0 lead which was never in doubt as the Eagles looked befuddled in their attempts to  traverse Becker’s defense.

During Becker’s five-game postseason run, the Bulldogs outscored the opposition 171-51 and were never threatened. That theme continued during the championship game when Becker held Totino-Grace to just 55 yards in the first half and 152 for the game. The Eagles had just two first downs in the first stanza.

Becker senior defensive lineman Johnathon Boecker had six tackles in the first half, including 1.5 for loss.

Friday’s game was redemption for the Bulldogs players and coaches who had to endure two season-ending losses in the section tournament in back-to-back years.

Totino-Grace did get into the end zone late in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard pass from senior quarterback Jake Person to junior tight end Luther Bunge. Syl Berg ran in the two-point conversion to give the Eagles the eight points.

The Bulldogs finished with 284 yards total (241 of that on the ground) and had 14 first downs to Totino-Grace’s nine. Becker punter just twice in the game.

Johnathon Boecker finished with 12 tackles and one tackle for loss. Kaden Nicolas had nine total tackles, two tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

Becker’s victory moves legendary head coach Dwight Lundeen to 412 wins, second-most in Minnesota high school history to Verndale’s Mike Mahlen, who has 437. Lundeen’s career record is 412-167-3.

“... We are the champions, my friends. And we’ll keep on fighting till the end...”

And what an ending!