Becker tailback Austin Rassmussen was overcome with emotion while hugging assistant coach Jasper Schmidt after Becker’s 35-14 victory over South Saint Paul on Friday in the Class 4A title game. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Victory formation offered no sanctuary for Becker quarterback Andrew Stanger, who got tackled by his joyous backfield mates as the game ended.

Physical to the end, Becker repeated as Class 4A Prep Bowl champions by outmuscling South St. Paul throughout a 35-14 victory.

"That was just a great Becker team," Packers coach Chad Sexauer said. "You're just like, 'Whoa.' "

Becker won its 25th consecutive game by setting the tone on its first drive. The Bulldogs went 97 yards in 16 plays for a 7-0 lead.

"That was big for us, especially since we were backed up," Stanger said.

Then an inspired defensive unit turned South St. Paul over on downs.

"They were 80 percent run so we knew we had to be physical," said Becker senior lineman Dillon Radunz, a first-team Star Tribune All Metro selection. "We knew we had to get 11 guys to the ball and push the piles back."

The Bulldogs (13-0) dominated the first half, rolling to touchdowns on their first three drives. They took a 28-0 halftime lead as South St. Paul struggled.

The Packers (11-2), playing in their first Prep Bowl, managed just 55 yards in the first 24 minutes. South St. Paul quarterback Dan Pietruszewski went 1-for-10 passing for 3 yards in the first half. He punted three times. Through two quarters Becker put up 347 total yards of offense to 55 for the Packers.

"They have a lot of size up front and their linebacking corps is pretty solid," said Pietruszewski, who averaged 109 rushing yards per game before Friday. "It was tough."

The Packers rallied for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to cut into the lead. Pietruszewski ran for a score and hit Austin Brandecker for a 11-yard touchdown.

By then, the outcome was no longer in doubt. Neither is Becker's place among the top teams in Minnesota.

"With the bodies they had out there, they'd hold up with a lot of teams in a lot of states in a lot of classes," Sexauer said.

At the prodding of Becker coach Dwight Lundeen, Bulldogs running back Gabe Dertinger concurred.

"We work just as hard as all of them," said Dertinger, who rushed 20 times for 151 yards and two scores. "Even though we're small we've got a hell of a lot heart."

David La Vaque • 612-673-7574

about the writer

David La Vaque

Reporter

David La Vaque is a high school sports reporter who has been the lead high school hockey writer for the Star Tribune since 2010. He is co-author of “Tourney Time,” a book about the history of Minnesota’s boys hockey state tournament published in 2020 and updated in 2024.

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