The start of sports

Football was introduced to the Detroit Lakes High School in 1901. Record editor George Hamilton described the game as this: “Judges of the game say there was good playing done yesterday by both sides. But where it came in, we were unable to judge. Perhaps it was the ability of some of the players to knock the wind out of an opponent quicker than the other might have done.” That fall, the school played three games, all against Perham — Perham, 69 to Detroit, 5; Perham, 26 to Detroit, 6; Perham, 29 to Detroit, 0.

The next year brought Moorhead, 11 to Detroit, 5; Moorhead, 5 to Detroit, 0; Detroit and Audubon tie at 0-0; Crookston, 10 to Detroit, 0; Detroit, 31 to Verndale, 0; Detroit, 18 to Moorhead, 12, establishing football in the Detroit Lakes school system.

Since that time, Detroit Lakes has gone on to win four state titles and one runner-up title, with a total of 11 trips to state play. The program is to this day one of the more popular in the area.

The Mahnomen Indians’ dominance on the gridiron spans over four decades, from the 1970s through the 2000s. The Indians made their debut in the state playoffs in 1974 and proceeded to be a common sight in state play from there on out, with 18 more trips to state.

Mahnomen also hoisted six state championship trophies — including four consecutive Class C titles from 1990-93 — and were state runners-up four times.

Frazee also built a dynasty starting in the 1980s, but this one on the mat. The Hornets established their state experience in 1987 and moved on to win a total of three state titles and numerous individual championships.

Frazee claimed state team wrestling championships in 1992, 1999 and 2002. The Hornets have qualified for state a total of 17 times.

The Lake Park-Audubon football team made some history in 2008, after earning a berth in the Class 1A state playoffs for the first time. The Raiders played all the way to the state semifinals at the Metrodome, before losing to eventual runner-up Royalton.

Known for some of the state’s top golf courses, the Detroit Lakes boys’ and girls’ linksters have turned that into a pair of state titles.

The Lakers girls burst out on the golf scene in 2006, after convincingly winning the Class 2A championship, while the DL boys’ squad became Class 2A co-champions in 2008.

The Lakers also have had success on the hardcourt, with the DL girls’ team making trips to the Class 3A state playoffs in 2005, 2007 and 2008.

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