BRITTON – Growing up, sports made an impression on Ben Suther. Now the senior at Britton-Hecla is returning the favor, making an mark on whatever sport he competes in.

Suther is a key member of a once-beaten football team this fall, is an accomplished wrestler, competes in track and field, and is a standout baseball player.

“I’ve kind of always been around them,” Suther said of his interest in sports.

His dad, Adam, played football at the University of South Dakota and had a decorated amateur baseball career. Somehow, it was only fitting the Ben followed suit.

“I like baseball the most, Suther said. “I’ve kind of just been around it since I was little, got to play it a lot when I was younger. First sport I started playing, I think, had a lot of fun with it, watching my dad go down to the amateur tournaments with the guys.”

Suther has been a four-year starter for the Britton-Hecla football team, rated fifth in this week’s Class 9AA poll. This season he has found himself more of the focal point of a potent offensive attack. Last week Suther rushed for 131 yards and three touchdowns, had 62 yards passing and a score, and finished with 9.5 tackles.

Suther is not about to take full credit for all his gridiron accomlishments.

He said the offensive.line, which includes Jamestown University commit Graham Fosness, has played a key role.

“The football team is looking pretty good. Everyone’s been making some big improvements,” Suther said. “The line makes it a lot easier than it appears to be sometimes. The line has been incredible this year.”

The Braves have been a regular in the playoffs in recent years, but unable to get over the hump. Suther would like to change that this fall.

“The goal has always kind of been to get to the dome, but I think everyone’s kind of more focused on winning a playoff game,” Suther said. “We haven’t done that for a few years, so that would be nice.”

Once football ends, Suther straps on a singlet where he is one of the state’s top Class B wrestlers, finishing fifth at 175 pounds during last year’s state tournament.

Unlike football, Suther is on his own out on the mat, but still feels the presence of those around him.

“I think wrestling is kind of just a different mindset. So you might be out there by yourself, but you got your coaches in your corner, your got the rest of your team up there watching,” Suther said. “I know every year they talk about they have the matches on at school, so you have people back home watching.”

Suther is expected to win nearly every match he competes in, but said he doesn’t mind having a target on his back.

“I think it’s always good to have that, because it’s just a little extra competition,” Suther said. “I couldn’t have got there without everybody that pushes you to have that target, but it’s a fun thing to have. It gives you a little more to work for.”

The spring brings a different set of challenges for Suther, who competes for the track and field team where he is a five-time state qualifier, and also plays high school baseball for the Sisseton-Webster-Britton cooperative team.

Suther’s uncles Austin and Alex help to provide assistance when it comes to track and field.

“It’s always been interesting to me,” Suther said. “Austin went to Northern for track. He always kind of taught me a lot of things.”

Suther’s dad wasn’t bad, either, finishing runner-up at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays in the 400-meter relay.

“I think he’s got me in the track section there,” Suther said.

However, it is on the baseball diamond where Suther really shines. Whether pitching or hitting, Suther always is in the spotlight. He currently has four offers to play college baseball.

“I kind of just really like it. It’s a team atmosphere that’s always fun to be with the guys for a few hours,” Suther said. “My dad was really good at baseball. He was a really good power hitter.”

Suther talked about the mentality that is involved in each of the sports he competes in.

“I think it’s probably a little bit different for baseball, but the other ones you can definitely be high intensity, go as hard as you can at all times,” Suther said. “In baseball you kind of need to be a little more even keel, not necessarily all the emotions all the time.”

He also described the difference in the one-on-one matchups between wrestling an opponent, and trying to retire an opposing batter.

“Wrestling is a little more organized chaos,” Suther said. “Baseball is kind of more try to out think them as much as possible.”

Regardless of the activity, Suther said each one has provided plenty of long-lasting memories for him so far with his senior season still in progress.

“Probably all the traveling in baseball, that’s always a great time,” he said. “The playoffs in football are always a crazy atmosphere. State wrestling is like no other. It’s a blast.”

Needless to say, Suther has a demanding schedule, but focuses on the current task at hand, whatever season it is. He said there is never a concern about getting injured, just trying to find ways to make an impact.

“The worry is definitely not to stay healthy from one sport to the next,” Suther said, “it’s always just do what you can in one sport and then transfer over to the next and keep going.”