Prep Bowl XLII, Class AAAA Championship: Becker 24, Totino-Grace 8

Top-ranked Becker completed a season of defensive dominance with one final game of resembling a brick wall. The Bulldogs again surrendered little while making big plays on the other side of the ball en route to a 24-8 victory over No. 2 Totino-Grace in the Class AAAA Prep Bowl Championship game on Friday, Nov. 22 at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. 

Becker (13-0) began the season as the team to beat in Class AAAA and no one was successful in doing so as it captured the fourth state championship in program history. It is Becker’s first championship since winning the second of back-to-back Class AAAA crowns in 2014 and 2015. The other title was the Class AAA championship in 2005. 

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 (12-1) to just 55 yards in the first half and 152 for the game. 

When Becker wasn’t giving the Eagles fits and starts on defense, the Bulldogs were timely and productive on defense. Becker built a 14-0 lead at the break behind two long touchdown runs, one in each quarter. 

Senior running back Landen Kujawa opened the scoring on a 32-yard run with 21 seconds left in the first quarter. After a quick Totino-Grace possession, the Bulldogs answered with a 54-yard scoring run early in the second quarter from senior Carter Reckelberg. 

Kujawa had 11 carries for 80 yards to lead Becker’s offensive attack in the first half that generated 230 yards. He finished with 99 yards to pace a balanced ground attack that manufactured 240 yards.  

Totino-Grace was held to 55 total yards on 22 plays and had just two first downs. Becker senior defensive lineman Johnathon Boecker had six tackles in the first half, including 1.5 for loss. 

Becker’s defense struck again with just 18 seconds elapsed in the third quarter when junior defensive back Sawyer Brown, also the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback, intercepted a pass near the far sideline and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead. Senior kicker Evan Norberg later added a 26-yard field goal. 

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.

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.