Prior Lake runs and runs to State

When Prior Lake and Blaine both scored on their opening possessions, everyone in attendance was prepared for a shootout.

The only problem with that assessment is only one team brought a gun. After falling behind by a point, the Lakers would score the next 43 en route to a 49-14 victory.

It became evident early this was going to be the home Lakers' game to lose. The three-headed running back group of Jordan Johnson, Spencer Shaver, and Preston Jelen worked the ball to mid-field before Shaver found some room on the right side of the line and broke free for 46-yards to the one-yard line. Two plays later Johnson scored from the two-yard line. The drive was a precursor for the game. The drive was all on the ground, and if you take away a one-yard loss near the goal line, the worst play was a six-yard run.

After Blaine hit a long pass play for a touchdown to take the lead; the Lakers' defense shut down the Bengals' offense until the Lakers subbed down late in the game.

"Our defense has been tough all year," Prior Lake head coach Matt Gegenheimer said. "They continue to make plays each and every week. We knew what we were up against with their explosive offense. We got into the speed of the game and played well."

Prior Lake's front seven made sure they slowed Bengals' star running back Byron Bynum Jr. They kept him contained and forced him to run inside where nose tackle Zach Whaley made life tough for the interior of the Blaine offensive line. He penetrated into the backfield and kept blockers off the linebackers – allowing them to make plays.

"Everyone was just doing what they were supposed to do," Whaley said. "Everyone was doing their job, and everyone trusts each other.  They couldn't run up the middle at all."

When the Bengals (6-4) tried to pass, the Lakers (7-3) almost always had at least one defender chasing the quarterback. The few times they didn't get pressure on the quarterback the secondary was all over the Bengals' receivers.

"We got some great help from our line," cornerback Jordan Olson said. "They forced them into some throws that we were able to do something with. We just read our keys, read our zones and read the quarterback's eyes and make some plays."

As Blaine slowly abandoned the inside running game, they tried to get on the perimeter the defensive backs showed how stout they were against the run. The secondary kept the athletes from Blaine under wraps by making tackle after tackle in the open field.

"We work every week on open field tackles and breaking down," Olson said. "We did a good job of that tonight."

Back on offense, quarterback Colin O'Connor didn't have to be great but when he was called upon he was accurate. He threw a perfect pass to Shaver on a wheel route that got his team into the red zone. He then finished the drive with a short touchdown pass to Jelen.

"Our ability to run the ball and then use play action has been huge for us," Gegenheimer said.

O'Connor would throw a second touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Koenig to give the Lakers a two-score lead. He would end the half with yet another touchdown pass after a Blaine punt only traveled ten yards. Prior Lake went into the locker room up 36-7.

"Our blocking got better as the game went on," Johnson said. "The offense really exploded tonight."

Jelen would score his second and third touchdown of the game – the final two on the ground – to round out the scoring for the Lakers. Fellow backfield mate Johnson would find pay dirt twice behind an offensive line that featured Sam Bangasser, Logan Olander, AJ Lattery, and Calvin Sund, beat up the Bengals front seven.  

"It was the most complete game we have played so far," concluded Gegenheimer.

Prior Lake will face Minnetonka for the second time this season next week.