Cougars vs. Panthers: Offensive standouts

Cross-town rivals Lakeville South and Lakeville North hooked up for their annual contest in one of the marquee games in Week Two of the Minnesota high school football schedule. At least in the last four or five years, this rivalry has meant two things, tough defense, and physical running games. They did not disappoint. Here are some of the offensive players I felt stood out during South’s 12-0 victory. <strong>Brecken Klein, Alex Vazquez and Zach Steinhagen Lakeville South center, right guard, right tackle</strong> With 54 rushing attempts and just three attempted passes, where else is there to start but on the offensive line. While the entire offensive line wore down the North defense, one side of the line seemed to stand out. The trio of center Klein, guard Vazquez, and tackle Steinhagen routinely came off the ball hard, used good footwork with their various pull and trapping schemes, and keyed a rushing attack that chewed up yardage on the ground to the tune of 4.5 yards per carry. One of the better individual blocks was thrown by Steinhagen as he came around the corner to seal the edge and give his running back a clean corner. Possibly the biggest play of the game was a quarterback sneak from the one yard line on fourth and goal - right behind Klein. They didn’t do this against an also ran defense either. Their cross-town rivals regularly have one of the better defenses in the Metro. <strong>Josh Jacobson and Carson Hanson Lakeville South RBs</strong> Both running backs give defenders nothing to tackle but shoulder pads and knees – both run with a low pad level and do a great job protecting the ball. Some of the duo’s highlights included Jacobson finding room off the right side to pick up a first down. Then, facing a 3rd and twelve, Hanson ripped off a 45-yard run – the longest run in a defensive, grind it out game. Hanson also showed he is not a one-trick pony by showing his hands with a catch in the flat for a first down. Both backs ran the rock thirteen times, with Jacobson averaging 5.6 yards per carry and Hanson averaging 6.7. [player_tooltip player_id="18432" first="Chase" last="Androff"] <strong>Lakeville South TE</strong> One of the most physical players on the offense was tight end Androff. He often used his 6’6" 235-pound frame to move defensive ends and linebackers off the line of scrimmage, both opening holes off tackle and sealing the corner for his backs. He got an opportunity to show how athletic he is on a third and seven late in the game. The senior got free down the sideline on a play-action pass. Androff made a super adjustment to a ball that was not perfectly thrown. His diving grab picked up twenty-three yards and went a long way towards putting the game away. [player_tooltip player_id="49846" first="Gavyn" last="Schraufnagel"] <strong>Lakeville North RB</strong> Schraufnagel hit on two good runs off tackle to start the game for the Panthers. With his team facing a 4th and short, he made a clutch play on a cutback run – keeping a drive alive. He showed he wasn’t a one-dimensional runner when he caught a ball in the flat for a first down. He ran with a good pad level against a tough front seven. Towards the end of the game, he started to find room on the edge of the defense. Late in the game, he finished a gritty run up the middle.