In the heart of Minneapolis, the Bulldogs of Becker emerged as true champions. On Friday, in the highly anticipated Minnesota Class 4A state football championship, they showcased their dominance by defeating Totino-Grace with a resounding score of 24 - 8. This remarkable victory marked the Bulldogs' 13 - 0 season, handing the Eagles (12 - 1) their first loss of the year.

Coach Dwight Lundeen: A True Mentor

After the game, Becker coach Dwight Lundeen expressed his joy. "I couldn't be happier for our community and these young men," he said. These seniors had dressed as freshmen when they suffered a tough loss in the semifinals. But they made a firm commitment to come back and claim a state championship. Lundeen has been coaching the program since its inception in 1970 and achieved his 400th career win earlier this year.The Bulldogs' journey to this championship was a long one. They last played in the tournament in 2021 and last won in 2015. Senior Landen Kujawa, who led the team in rushing yards and touchdowns this season, described it best. "It's been a long time coming. We've fallen short in the section final two years in a row against ROCORI, but now we finally got it done with our last game played." He praised Lundeen as "the best role model I've ever had," emphasizing his qualities as a good father and grandpa and treating everyone in the community with respect.

Offensive Dominance

Since Week 2 against Providence Academy, Becker has not played a close game. They dominated in the state tournament, beating Princeton 28 - 7 in the Section 8 - 4A championship and defeating Holy Angels and Marshall by three touchdowns each. Heading into the Prep Bowl, they scored nearly 40 points per game while holding opponents to an average of 7.In the state final, Bulldog runners were a force to be reckoned with. At the end of the first quarter, Kujawa slipped through the arms of an Eagle tackler to score Becker's first touchdown. Senior placekicker Evan Norberg put the Bulldogs up 7 - 0. Senior Carter Reckelberg increased the lead a few minutes into the next quarter with a 54 - yard touchdown run. Junior Sawyer Brown's interception and return for a touchdown in the third quarter sealed the victory.Kujawa had the majority of Becker's rushing attempts and yards. He got 16 touches for 102 yards, including a long of 32. Reckleberg was next in yardage thanks to his long touchdown run. Senior Isaac Daluge, Brown, senior Cody Klatt, and senior Owen Angell also had positive gains. Daluge had 43 yards on seven runs.

Defensive Prowess

Defensively, senior Johnathon Boecker led the team with 12 takedowns and was credited with 1.5 tackles for loss. Senior Kaden Nicolas had two tackles behind the line of scrimmage and nine total. Brown had the interception and seven tackles for Becker. Angell had eight tackles, Kujawa had seven, Daluge had four, and Klatt had three.These players demonstrated exceptional athleticism. Coach Lundeen emphasized their importance, saying, "We try to start 22 kids in the first quarter, but when we have athletes like this, we need to get them on the field as often as we can. I'm a lot smarter when these guys are on the field, playing."Angell and Brown were injured for much of the year but returned in the postseason to make meaningful contributions. Sophomore Cody Deters had just one tackle but also had a blocked punt that started Becker's third - quarter field goal drive to put the Bulldogs up 24 - 0.Totino-Grace's tight end Luther Bunge caught their only touchdown in the fourth quarter from QB Jake Person. But the Bulldogs' defense held strong, with the Eagles finishing with 152 offensive yards gained compared to Becker's 283.

Senior Class and Community Impact

Becker had 23 seniors rostered in 2024. Their journey from their freshman year to this championship has been remarkable, going 41 - 4. Coach Lundeen reflected on his 55 years of coaching. "When you do this for 55 years, the deal is what's your purpose, what's your goal? And if that scoreboard is defining who you are, it's really difficult. We had two really difficult losses the past two years, and these guys handled it well. Our purpose is to impact our community in a positive way."This victory is not just about the game; it's about the community and the generations of players who have contributed to Becker's football program. It's a story of determination, teamwork, and the power of a shared goal.