Craig Pederson, Starbuck High School, Class of 1986

Small schools offer many opportunities for involvement. There were just 31 students in Starbuck’s graduating class of 1986. Craig Pederson seized the opportunity to not only be involved in, but to excel in, multiple sports along with band, choir and other activities.

It didn’t happen very often that a Starbuck athlete would participate in three varsity sports as a freshman. For Craig, that began in a backup role on the 1982 football squad. Coaches Bill Bailey and Earl Stottler led that team to a perfect regular season mark of 8-0 along with winning their half of the Pheasant Conference. 

The first playoff game was against Verdi. Prior to that game, Verdi was highlighted (and Starbuck mentioned) in an article in Sports Illustrated. The Bucks won 56-14, but lost the following week to finish just shy of the state tournament.

Football success continued over the next three seasons. The 1983 team claimed another conference title. Silver Lake proved to be a strong foe in the opening round of the state tournament as they defeated Starbuck 31-14 en route to becoming the Nine-Man State Champions. Playoff rounds were added in 1984. Starbuck won three section games to qualify for state. That game was played on the road against Norman County West in miserable weather. NCW prevailed 19-15 on its way to a state championship.

In 1985, Pederson’s football role had expanded to the point that he rarely left the field, at least not in any game in which the outcome was in doubt. He was a receiver on offense, played defensive back, and on special teams, he was the punter and the place kicker. 

Three wins in the section tournament included a 35-27 victory over Hancock-Cyrus to qualify for state. That win avenged the only blemish from the slate of regular season games. There was a familiar opponent to open the state tournament, Norman County West, and a first-round exit by the Bucks by a score of 39-26.

Recapping Craig’s football experience, the team won 38 of 44 games during his four seasons. This included a record of 19-2 in conference games and three state tournament appearances. He was a captain, an All-Conference performer and set school records with 63 Points After Touchdown and for his 67 career receptions. His 15 career touchdown receptions place him 4th on the school records’ list.

Craig still plays basketball so it shouldn’t be a surprise that it was his favorite sport in high school. He played in a handful of games as a ninth grader, then averaged double figures in scoring over the next three seasons. The Bucks finished first or second in the conference with a record of 36-3 and Pederson earned All-Conference honors three times. Starbuck reached the District 22 semifinals each season and added a pair of runner-up trophies and two third-place trophies to the display case.

The 905 points he scored during his varsity career are the fourth-most in school history. However, he no longer holds the record in his household as his daughter, Nora, enters her senior season at Mounds Park Academy with over 1,000 points.

Success followed in baseball. Craig made a significant contribution as a freshman with a .441 batting average. Coach Greg Starns’ teams won two conference championships and a pair of seconds. Pederson was All-Conference as a junior and senior. His junior campaign ranks with the best in school history. 

He batted .514 and hit six homeruns (likely the school record) while driving in 25 runs in just 15 games. His nine RBI game in district play is still on the state records’ list. Starbuck won the District 22 title then came from behind in the seventh inning to beat Hancock-Cyrus 6-5 to open Region Six play. The Bucks lost to Frazee to fall one game short of the state tourney. For his career, Pederson posted a lofty .439 batting average.

Gustavus Adolphus College was the next stop. Craig built on his Starbuck experiences and stayed involved in sports and in music (both band and choir). The choir had a fabulous 23-day tour of the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Sweden. He was the starting centerfielder as a freshman and finished among the batting leaders in the MIAC.

After working several years in the Social Security Administration, Craig entered the Luther Seminary in 1994 and was ordained as a Lutheran Minister in 1998. Since 2015, he has served as the Assistant to the Bishop of the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA.

Craig and his wife, Lisa, live in Northeast Minneapolis with their children Evan, a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, and Nora, a senior at Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul.

Congratulations to Craig Pederson, 2023 Minnewaska Area Schools Athletic Hall of Fame inductee!

Starbuck scoring leaders

1,272 – Norris Stenson, ‘54

1,096 – Wesley Schultz, ‘75

1,077 – Doug Toivonen, ‘85

905 – Craig Pederson, ‘86

856 – Kurt Amundson, ‘87

854 – Norm Opheim, ‘54

792 – Todd Brenden, ‘69