by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Dakota Stoopes (Red Lake/Leech Lake Ojibwe) is a wide receiver and tight end for the #2 ranked Minnesota 9-man team at LeRoy-Ostrander High School. On defense he plays defensive end and middle linebacker. Dakota is the adopted son of Jennifer Stoopes-Mokamba.
“Dakota is the emotional leader of the team and has really helped turn this team around,” said head football coach Trevor Carrier. “We are off to our best start in 15 years. Earlier this year in back to back weeks we beat perennial power #2 ranked Spring Grove on the road by 30 and then the following week we went to perennial power #1 ranked Grand Meadow and beat them by 11. We have since beaten the #3 ranked team in Southland 26-21. Last week we beat HLO/F 49-12. We have now beaten #2, #1, and #3. Our record is now 6-0 and we are currently ranked #2 in 9 Man.”
“I make my teammates stay focused on what we have planned for that week against our opponent and hyping up the whole team before a game. I learned a lot of leadership skills early in life from going to tribal summer camps and having elders talk to me about how they were brought up and what responsibilities they have been taught to do when my age,” said Dakota. “I used to have older role models when I lived on the Fort Berthold Reservation and I feel like I’ve gotten better as a whole from that experience.”
Dakota had a 20-yard touchdown pass, early in the third quarter last week.
“Hope to keep this train rolling,” said Coach Carrier.
