Johnson, Thompson earn Bemidji High School athlete honors

Bemidji High School used its annual Hall of Fame banquet to connect present-day excellence with decades of Lumberjack tradition, honoring seniors Tanner Johnson and Liv Thompson as the school’s male and female athletes of the year while adding six more names to the Hall of Fame.

Johnson’s selection carried extra weight because it followed a rare statewide honor. The Bemidji senior became the first Bemidji High student-athlete to win the Minnesota State High School League’s Region 8AA Triple A Award, then the first Lumberjack to earn the state-level Triple A honor. The award recognizes seniors with at least a 3.0 GPA who also participate in MSHSL athletics and fine arts, and Johnson’s reported 4.236 GPA put him well beyond the minimum. Along with cross country, swimming and diving, and track and field, he also participated in band, choir and robotics, a combination that reflects how Bemidji’s definition of athletic success has broadened to reward students who contribute in more than one arena. Johnson plans to attend Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where he will swim and study pre-med.

Thompson’s honor underscored a different kind of all-around consistency. She competed in soccer, basketball and track and field, served as a two-time captain in each sport and made three state appearances in the 1600-meter run. Thompson said the recognition had been a goal after watching older girls receive the award, and she plans to continue her soccer career at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Her résumé, like Johnson’s, showed how Bemidji values athletes who lead, compete and stay visible across multiple seasons.

The banquet also reached back through Lumberjack history. The 2026 Hall of Fame class included Earl Sargent, a 1973 graduate; Tim Knudson, class of 1987; Joe Mayberry, class of 1999; Jason Fairchild, class of 2002; Mitch Hendricks, class of 2012; and Allie Heifort, class of 2013. Bemidji Area Schools says Hall of Fame honorees are recognized for dedication, leadership, sportsmanship and performance. The banquet, held Monday with a 5:30 p.m. social and a 6 p.m. ceremony, brought current seniors, former athletes, coaches and supporters under one roof for a rare public measure of what Bemidji High has prized across generations: steady commitment, broad participation and lasting impact.