Lakers’ big second half leads them over their cross-town rivals
Brian Jerzak
In this article:
In the first half, the Minneapolis Washburn Millers hung with undefeated Minneapolis Southwest. In the second half, the guys in the trenches took over for the Lakers. The guys up front led Southwest to outscore the Millers 27-7 in the second half and a 41-7 road victory.
It was a field position game early as neither team could generate more than one first down, but Southwest’s second offensive possession started at mid-field. The first big play of the game came on a deep throw down the sidelines by Southwest quarterback
Preston Engen
Preston
Engen
6'2" | 175 lbs | QB
MPLS Southwest | 2022
State
MN
. He got the ball to wide receiver Cam Holter, who beat one-on-one coverage and high-pointed the ball, and used his height for a forty-yard gain. Two plays later, Declan Maida put the Lakers on the board with a two-yard touchdown run.
Southwest’s Ade Batz-Rogers quickly got the ball back for his offense with an interception of an underthrown ball. The Lakers just missed a deep ball that forced a long field goal that the Lakers missed – giving the ball back to their cross-town rivals.
Washburn’s best chance to score in the first half came because of their defense. Washburn linebacker Zaevion Henderson forced a fumble deep in Lakers’ territory, and fellow linebacker Will Anderson recovered. Backed up near their goal line, the Lakers’ front seven flexed its muscle.
Charlie Boucher
Charlie
Boucher
6'3" | 230 lbs | TE
MPLS Southwest | 2022
State
MN
– who made plays all day forced a runner back inside – allowing his teammates to make a tackle for loss. On second down, defensive lineman
Sam Benick
Sam
Benick
6'4" | 240 lbs | OL
Southwest | 2022
MN
exploded into the backfield, moving the quarterback off his spot and into other Lakers’ defenders for a sack. Boucher made yet another play on the outside to force a fourth and long. The Millers tried a long field goal, but they failed to convert.
The Lakers’ offense put together a patient, methodical drive to take a two-score lead. Engen threw a series of wide receiver screens to pick up first downs – mainly to Boucher and Holter. The Washburn defense sold out on what looked like another screen, but Holter got behind the defense and caught a 23-yard fade pattern on a perfect pass from Engen to take a 14-0 lead.
"Our offensive line allowed us to run the ball today, and we were able to have a good mix of run and pass," Boucher said. "We are hard to stop when the running game is working."
Another promising Washburn drive ended in another long field goal attempt, but the interior pressure got through to block the kick late in the first half.
After a defensive stop coming out of half-time, Southwest’s offense was on the move again but faced a 4th and twelve from the Millers’ 31-yard line. Engen hit Holter again on a crossing pattern that not only picked up the first down but ended up with a touchdown.
Leading 21-0, the guys in the trenches took over the game for Southwest. After forcing a three and out, Maida took a handoff and went right up the middle. He cut to the outside on the second level and used his speed to get down the sidelines. He finished the 36-yard touchdown run by breaking three tackles inside the ten-yard line.
"Our front seven is one of the best in the state," Boucher said of his defense. "There is no question in my mind. I don’t think we have allowed more than twenty yards a game rushing up the middle all year. Most of their yards come on the outside."
Ke’Andre Brown made sure the Lakers’ front seven didn’t get all the headlines when he picked off a crossing route and got up the field for a 30-yard pick-six.
The Lakers would add one more touchdown early in the fourth quarter and give up a late touchdown to the Millers, but a dominant second half gave the Lakers a 41-7 victory and kept them perfect at 4-0.
Preston
Engen
6'2" | 175 lbs | QB
MPLS Southwest | 2022
State
MN
. He got the ball to wide receiver Cam Holter, who beat one-on-one coverage and high-pointed the ball, and used his height for a forty-yard gain. Two plays later, Declan Maida put the Lakers on the board with a two-yard touchdown run.
Southwest’s Ade Batz-Rogers quickly got the ball back for his offense with an interception of an underthrown ball. The Lakers just missed a deep ball that forced a long field goal that the Lakers missed – giving the ball back to their cross-town rivals.
Washburn’s best chance to score in the first half came because of their defense. Washburn linebacker Zaevion Henderson forced a fumble deep in Lakers’ territory, and fellow linebacker Will Anderson recovered. Backed up near their goal line, the Lakers’ front seven flexed its muscle.
Charlie Boucher
Charlie
Boucher
6'3" | 230 lbs | TE
MPLS Southwest | 2022
State
MN
– who made plays all day forced a runner back inside – allowing his teammates to make a tackle for loss. On second down, defensive lineman
Sam Benick
Sam
Benick
6'4" | 240 lbs | OL
Southwest | 2022
MN
exploded into the backfield, moving the quarterback off his spot and into other Lakers’ defenders for a sack. Boucher made yet another play on the outside to force a fourth and long. The Millers tried a long field goal, but they failed to convert.
The Lakers’ offense put together a patient, methodical drive to take a two-score lead. Engen threw a series of wide receiver screens to pick up first downs – mainly to Boucher and Holter. The Washburn defense sold out on what looked like another screen, but Holter got behind the defense and caught a 23-yard fade pattern on a perfect pass from Engen to take a 14-0 lead.
"Our offensive line allowed us to run the ball today, and we were able to have a good mix of run and pass," Boucher said. "We are hard to stop when the running game is working."
Another promising Washburn drive ended in another long field goal attempt, but the interior pressure got through to block the kick late in the first half.
After a defensive stop coming out of half-time, Southwest’s offense was on the move again but faced a 4th and twelve from the Millers’ 31-yard line. Engen hit Holter again on a crossing pattern that not only picked up the first down but ended up with a touchdown.
Leading 21-0, the guys in the trenches took over the game for Southwest. After forcing a three and out, Maida took a handoff and went right up the middle. He cut to the outside on the second level and used his speed to get down the sidelines. He finished the 36-yard touchdown run by breaking three tackles inside the ten-yard line.
"Our front seven is one of the best in the state," Boucher said of his defense. "There is no question in my mind. I don’t think we have allowed more than twenty yards a game rushing up the middle all year. Most of their yards come on the outside."
Ke’Andre Brown made sure the Lakers’ front seven didn’t get all the headlines when he picked off a crossing route and got up the field for a 30-yard pick-six.
The Lakers would add one more touchdown early in the fourth quarter and give up a late touchdown to the Millers, but a dominant second half gave the Lakers a 41-7 victory and kept them perfect at 4-0. 
