Bethlehem Academy student-athletes can be found all across rosters in all of the major high school sports seasons, but the truth of the matter is that the football program is the only BA-exclusive program on the docket in the fall. So while we have been focusing mainly on the upcoming slate of seasons, here are three storylines to follow across all of Cardinals’ athletics this year, start to finish.
Hayden Dillon prepares for the snap. (Ben Jones — Faribault.com)
Next Up?:
Bethlehem Academy football will have to replace more than a few faces as the Cardinals head into their second year of nine-man football. You could make the argument that just about every position on both sides of the ball is critical in a more condensed game but at the end of the day losing your starting quarterback in Tommy Kunze is a pretty big set of shoes to fill. Signs point towards that maybe being Hayden Dillon, the speedy athlete that played receiver last season and is maybe the best pure athlete on the team. Dillon starting out every play with the ball isn’t a bad thing, but who he throws it to is going to be a big follow-up question.
Caden Dokkestul drives to the hoop. (File Photo — Faribault.com)
Boys Are Back In Town:
The Cardinals had a standout season on the boys basketball front last year and will look to do so again with most of the key pieces of the roster returning. It has been a few years since BA boys basketball was anything to keep an eye on and this season could be another to watch. There are some questions this group will have to answer, but the combo of Owen Dotterweich and Caden Dokkestul is as good of a place to start as any.
Sarah Tobin celebrates with her teammates in the dugout. (Ben Jones — Faribault.com)
Another Step, But Which Way?:
Bethlehem Academy softball has made the state softball tournament twice in the last five seasons and a section tournament run this year showed promise of another solid season in 2027. The Cardinals will get solid pitching from rising senior Sarah Tobin, the question will be if the bats can follow up and down the order. In a world of co-op teams, the BA softball program has been something of the flagship for the Cardinal athletic department the past few years. This group seems poised to take another step behind some younger faces, question will be how far a step, and in which direction.
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