Bemidji, Fertile-Beltrami Students Earn Prestigious MSHSL Triple A Awards

Tanner Johnson made Bemidji High School history this year, becoming the first Lumberjack in school athletics history to claim the Minnesota State High School League's Triple A Award. Johnson, a three-sport athlete competing in cross country, swimming and diving, and track and field, earned the Region 8AA honor as one of 32 seniors statewide selected for the distinction.

Fertile-Beltrami seniors Katrina Hitchen and Drew Gullickson also earned the award, making three northwest Minnesota seniors among the 32 finalists chosen statewide this year.

The Triple A Award, formally the Academics, Arts, and Athletics Award, recognizes seniors who carry a 3.0 GPA or better and participate in MSHSL-sponsored athletics and fine arts activities. Candidates move through a multi-level selection process involving member schools, the MSHSL's administrative regions, and a committee of educators, business leaders, and members of the fine arts and athletic communities. Each school nominates one male and one female student-athlete; Bemidji High School's female nominee was Megan Johnson, no relation to Tanner.

Johnson was one of only two representatives from Region 8AA, a competitive field that includes Alexandria, Becker, Brainerd, Buffalo, Detroit Lakes, Little Falls, Monticello, Rocori, St. Cloud Apollo, St. Cloud Tech, Sartell, Sauk Rapids-Rice, and Willmar alongside Bemidji.

All 32 finalists were recognized at a March banquet where MSHSL officials announced the four statewide Triple A winners, and each finalist participated in an on-court ceremony during the Class AAA boys basketball state tournament championship game. The four statewide winners, one girl and one boy each from Class A and Class AA schools, received a four-year $1,000 scholarship.