Eden Prairie, Dawson-Boyd, the Blake School Win Challenge Cup Awards

Eden Prairie, Dawson-Boyd, The Blake School win Challenge Cup Awards

For the sixth time in nine years, Eden Prairie High School has won the Minnesota State High School League large school Challenge Cup competition. Eden Prairie is the only school—large or small—to achieve this milestone. Other schools earning top honors for the 2011-12 school year are four-time Challenge Cup winner The Blake School of Minneapolis and first-time winner Dawson-Boyd.

Created in 2003 and sponsored by Wells Fargo, the League’s premier corporate sponsor, the Challenge Cup is a statewide, year-long competition among Minnesota high schools. Points are awarded to schools based on their success in section and state fine arts and athletic tournaments. The school earning the most points at the end of the year in each classification—A, AA and AAA—receives the traveling Challenge Cup. This is only the second time that the Cup has been awarded to three schools. Previously it went to two schools representing Class A and AA schools.

During the 2011-12 school year, Eden Prairie participated in 25 state tournaments and earned 766 Challenge Cups points. The Eagles won state championships in football, boys’ soccer, and girls’ volleyball. Eden Prairie’s dance team and both the girls’ and boys’ lacrosse teams each finished second at state, plus several swimmers, gymnasts, Alpine skiers and wrestlers placed first in their respective sports. Other points came from the school’s adapted soccer and floor hockey teams, the baseball and boys’ basketball teams, and participants in speech, debate, boys’ tennis and boys’ golf. The 2012 Cup is Eden Prairie’s fifth consecutive.

Other Class AAA schools finishing in the top five include Minnetonka (578 points), Edina (540 points), Eastview, Apple Valley (539 points), and Wayzata (511 points).

The Class AA trophy moved across town from Breck High School of Golden Valley to The Blake School of Minneapolis. The Bears earned their 521 Challenge Cup points by winning the girls’ lacrosse, girls’ tennis, and girls’ soccer tournaments. They also had individual champions in girls’ cross country running, boys’ swimming and diving, and girls’ and boys’ track and field. Members of the debate and speech teams also contributed to the school’s success.The BlakeSchool won the Challenge Cup in 2005, 2007 and 2009. They were runners-up in 2008.

St. Cloud Cathedral (348 points), Breck (284 points), Rochester Lourdes (246 points), and DetroitLakes (245 points) rounded out the top five schools in Class AA.

Dawson-Boyd is the new Class A Challenge Cup winner. With 138 points, the Blackjacks won the Class A Prep Bowl, finished third in boys’ golf and fifth in girls’ dance team. They also placed fifth in the doubles competition at the girls’ tennis tournament. Other Challenge Cup points came from runners in girls’ track and field and three wrestlers who placed second at state.

Minneota, the 2011 Cup winner (127 points), Ada-Borup (128 points), Nevis (75 points), and Bethlehem Academy, Faribault (74 points) are the other small schools to finish in the top five.

The Challenge Cup champions will be recognized at ceremonies early this fall. The three schools will be presented with a traveling crystal Challenge Cup, which moves each year to the winning schools.

Previous Challenge Cup winners include St. Cloud Cathedral—2004 and 2006; Eden Prairie—2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011; Lakeville—2004 and 2005; The Blake School—2005, 2007 and 2009; Wayzata—2007; Perham—2008; Breck—2010 and 2011; and Minneota—2011.

For a complete list of all the schools that earned Challenge Cup points for the 2011-12 school year, go to the League web site at— click on the Recognition tab.