Preseason Preview: Lakeville South Cougars

The numbers don't lie, and our PrepRedzone data and analytics squad do an awesome job of finding and identifying trends between our hundreds of scouts from all around the 37 states in our network. One of the noticeable and noteworthy trends we've noticed is that our lovely subscribers like to read about team previews going into the fall. Encompassing a number of different evaluations from multiple graduating classes and a review of their past heroics, I wanted to make my own personal spin on the "Preseason Preview" and added some subsections that included breakout candidates, players that need to step up, key departures, and more. To begin, I'll kick things off with the 6A defending state champion Lakeville South Cougars. Make sure to stay tuned as I preview each returning state champ and get deeper into the state as well. Also, Preseason All-State awards are coming; it's a great time to be a subscriber to PrepRedzoneMN. Thanks for reading!   Team Review   If it wasn't for the COVID-19 pandemic I believe we'd be talking about the 2x defending 6A state champs Lakeville South Cougars. Even going back three seasons to the class of 2020, the Cougars have been blessed with some of the toughest and deepest rosters in the state. Studs like John Shabaz, George Brekke, and Kyle Lattery were followed by even bigger talents Riley Mahlman (Wisconsin), Cade Ahrenholz (Colorado College-hockey), and Garrett Savard (Whitewater) in the 2021 class and Chase Androff (Nebraska), Zach Juckel (Air Force), Will Chlebecek (UNI), and Camden Dean (MSU-Mankato) last season. That is some serious talent that projects to all levels of college football, and I could use this whole article on the depth they Cougars possessed these past few years. However, we're onto the future, and Lakeville South has some big holes to fill and a lot of positions where players need to step up, including QB, DL, and LB. However, they return the most dangerous RB in the state in returning MN Gatorade Player of the Year [player_tooltip player_id='112043' first='Carson' last='Hansen'], who recently signed to the Iowa State Cyclones and has been one of the best RBs in MN since his sophomore season on varsity. They also bring back some strong and experienced offensive lineman who are not new to the bright lights and XL DL of Metro opponents, as well as two more stud RBs, so once again the focal point of Lakeville South will be their running attack.   Big Games include:   Week Two. September 9th vs Lakeville North High School   Week Three. September 16th vs. Eden Prairie High School   Week Six. October 7th vs. Prior Lake High School   A lot of their offensive success will land on the shoulders of Hansen, but with South's Power-T offense, he'll need some help from his fellow RBs and OL in particular. Additionally, Lakeville South graduates tackling machine Zach Juckel, who became a consistent cog and leader in the middle of their defense and a player who was willing and able to clean up a ton of action for his teammates. It'll be more of a team effort in 2022, but that is also going to give the spotlight to a ton of up-and-comers who are hungry to prove what they got at the varsity level. It should be interesting, so let's get into some of the returning Top Dogs, a few of the Players who need to Step Up, the Breakout Candidates, and some relevant Team Recruiting News. Let's get into it!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/07/mah.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-40891" /><figcaption>Mahlman </figcaption></figure>   Players to Step Up   [player_tooltip player_id='313087' first='Brecken' last='Klein'] - 6'4, 300 lbs. C/o 2023. iOL.   A well-built 6'4, 300 lber. with an Olympic weightlifting background, Klein saw reps in most of Lakeville South's 2021 games as an OC and OG, including the 6A state championship against Maple Grove. He fires off the ball low for his size and is a natural at using opponent's momentum and lunging against them. He's also a crushing finisher when given the opportunity and I like his hand placement and he shows some good strength as a run blocker as well. However, with limited reps as a junior he's going to be stepping into a much larger role and as the core and anchor of the OL he'll set the tone at the LOS every ball game and exactly where the Cougars make their money. Klein will also boost his recruiting stock a ton with a big senior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='309078' first='Jacob' last='Royse'] -5'10, 160 lbs. C/o 2023. QB.   I new QB is always noteworthy, especially for defending state champs, and South has that situation ongoing entering into fall camp. Based on the tape, it looks like it'll be rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='309078' first='Jacob' last='Royse'], who got varsity and JV reps as a junior signal caller and showed his athleticism on the defensive side of the ball as a corner, picking off passes and leveling lead blockers. He can get rid of the ball quickly, is mobile, and is experienced running the offense, so unless something goes awry I think the rising senior will be QB1 following MSU-Mankato commit Camden Dean's departure. DB [player_tooltip player_id='313089' first='Ryder' last='Patterson'] or potentially 2025er [player_tooltip player_id='362278' first='Gaven' last='Dean'] are two other players who may be worth watching at the position.   [player_tooltip player_id='313090' first='Wyatt' last='Ronn'] - 5'11, 225 lbs. C/o 2023. LB/OL.   I'm not saying [player_tooltip player_id='313090' first='Wyatt' last='Ronn'] isn't already established and an integral part of the '21 run and championship, but his versatility and play style are so important to high school football teams that I think he's one of the X-factors of the 2022 season and 6A final aspirations. Ronn delivered the biggest hit I saw watching returning Lakeville South players as he opened his junior tape with a pull as the backside OG that sent a Maple Grove DE/OLB horizontal and bouncing off the turf before he knew what hit him. He's nasty, aggressive, and dynamic as an OG and LB who does his best work between the tackles. Ronn is a brick wall who would run into an F150 on the field with no hesitation if it had the ball and it does not look fun to meet him in the hole as an opponent. He'll be tasked with bringing a bit of edge and enforcer mentality to whatever side of the ball he's playing for, he's already established but will need to step things up a notch as a senior and returner in South's 2022 6A state championship run. He holds Rose-Hulman, UW-Stout, St. Olaf, UW-Eau Claire, and Carleton roster spots going into August as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='313089' first='Ryder' last='Patterson'] - 5'10, 185 lbs. C/o 2023. DB   The younger brother of 2022 prolific Cougars graduate Reid Patterson, who is now hooping at CSP, Ryder is a playmaker from the defensive secondary just like his brother and is one of the certified defensive playmakers coming back for the 2022 campaign. The Lakeville South defense will need leaders, sure-tacklers, and playmakers to keep that offense on the field to beat down opponents, and Patterson is one of the ones to do it. I like how much ground he covers when coming up to tackle from his safety spot and prevent longer runs from transpiring, and if you throw an errant pass or make a bad decision he's going to be all over the misthrow. He'll be the defacto clean-up guy on the Cougars defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='313092' first='Ian' last='Segna'] - 5'11, 170 lbs. C/o 2023. RB   Also a standout baseball player who would play college ball in either sport, Segna can catch the rock out of the backfield and is a tough-to-tackle runner between the tackles with strong leg drive, vision, and burst through the hole. He had a busy 2021, but being RB2 going into 2022 he's going to see important carries at key moments in the game to relieve [player_tooltip player_id='112043' first='Carson' last='Hansen'] of some of the pressure he'll be placed under this season. It's a vital and necessary role to fill to keep the treads rolling on the Cougars offense. Big year for the two-sport star!   Top Dogs   [player_tooltip player_id='112043' first='Carson' last='Hansen'] - 6'1, 195 lbs. C/o 2023. RB. Committed to Iowa State   Long, explosive, and extremely productive, Hansen is going into his third season as one of the Metro's top dogs at the RB position, regardless of class, and is a prospect and person I am all-in for and have covered tirelessly since his sophomore season. There isn't much I can say that hasn't been said, but as a now-P5 commit who has seen his projection as a RB questioned to the next level, you bet your butt he's going to enjoy every last carry as RB1 in the Power-T offense of his Cougars. He's a playmaker and a heckuva athlete and is poised to put up monster numbers as a senior.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/11/20211105_214107-1-crop-2389x1569-1636173218.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-229195" /><figcaption>Hansen</figcaption></figure>   Zachary Steinhagen - 6'3, 230 lbs. C/o 2023. TE/DE.   Already holding an offer from NSIC big boy MSU-Mankato, Steinhagen is already established and strong in the run blocking department for the Cougars and played a big role in the 6A state championship this past fall, playing OT, TE, DE, and DT. Strong hands, great technique, and the ability to operate between the tackles or out in space all stood out on film in his junior tape, and he'll be the called upon a ton as a puller and lead blocker when the Cougars want to take things out to the edge. With a rock-solid 230-235 on him right now he's got a lot of good weight and room left to grow in a potential college weight program as well. I'm excited to see him block as the top dog on the offensive line of the Metro power.   [player_tooltip player_id='313088' first='Owen' last='McCloud'] - 6', 225 lbs. C/o 2023. LB.   A St. Thomas, UMD, and Sioux Falls offeree with a great build for a prep LB, MCloud got a ton of reps as a junior but has to fill in for the production of the aforementioned Air Force LB commit Zach Juckel. Despite his build and ILB indicating he'd be a more "between the tackles" run stuffer, McCloud can stretch the field as a pursuer and uses quick diagnosing skills, solid pursuit angles, and a little bit of speed for his size to track down ball carriers out on the edge and in space. He also shows some start-stop ability that aides him in coverage and when getting off blocks, and his 225 pounds helps him to stop RBs in their tracks as a tackler. There is a lot going for him and his probability of filling for South's all-time leading tackler Juckel.   [player_tooltip player_id='313085' first='Jacob' last='Dorner'] - 6'3, 240 lbs. C/o 2023. OL. Committed to Minnesota State University-Moorhead   Another bruising offensive lineman who returns with valuable experience and leadership, Dorner committed to MSUM two days ago and brings a mobile and diverse skillset to the table as an OG along with a ton of effort, and it was fun to watch him fly around to the perimeter and lock onto second and third level defenders to make that final block needed to finish a big run. I also like his leg drive, and with his recruitment over and done with he'll be locked into senior year and getting himself another ring. His legs, shoulders, hands, and face will get their money's worth for his final ride in the Power-T offense.   [player_tooltip player_id='313086' first='Jackson' last='Hall'] - 6', 215 lbs. C/o 2023. RB   The fullback and North-South runner of the room, Hall has no problem sticking his facemask right in the chest plate of opponents and brings solid pop and pad level whether the ball is in his hand or not. He'll be busy once again opening holes and gaining tough yardage for his Cougars in 2022. No offers yet!   Breakout Candidates   [player_tooltip player_id='234775' first='Connor' last='Cade'] - C/o 2025. 5'10, 180 lbs. RB   It's never 100% getting a full feel for a prospect on film, and that rings especially true for non-varsity film evals. However, Cade was electric as a freshman RB, anchored Lakeville South's 4x100 team on the track, and put up a 265 lb. max bench press a few days ago in the weight room. Being able to break tackles as easily and in as many ways as Cade did last season bodes well for his future in the already-loaded Cougar RB room for 2022.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/100-Connor-Cade.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-247449" /><figcaption>Cade</figcaption></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='362278' first='Gaven' last='Dean'] - C/o 2025. QB.   The younger brother of aforementioned Mankato State commit Camden Dean, 2025er Gaven was a freshman gunslinger and safety with a nose for the big play and elusiveness around the pocket and as a runner and touch as a passer. I like what I'm seeing from him on both sides of the ball, and given the fact that there's an open QB spot he may be worth watching for Lakeville South enthusiasts.   [player_tooltip player_id='234839' first='Jonah' last='Shine'] - C/o 2025. 5'9, 160 lbs. RB/LB.   Physical and balanced as a runner and an athletic tackler as an OLB, Shine has some good freshman film that included a ton of TDs and missed tackles. He made would-be tacklers noticeably scared when he'd unapologetically drop the shoulder into contact. He needs to add weight but the athleticism and domination at the non-varsity level is there.   Jay Winters - C/o 2024. RB/LB   Boy, this kid has a fun 10th grade tape to watch! With noticeable speed and physicality in droves (see the two truck sticks in one run and the running suplex as a LB running down the play), Winters even took a kick back to the house against Eden Prairie (10th grade) and brings a ton of juice and muscle to the field. He's got a better chance than most to show up as a new face on the Cougars offense.   [player_tooltip player_id='348757' first='Luke' last='Meyer'] - RB. C/o 2023.   Did some impressive damage as a kick returner in 2021 and leveled a massive hit in the state tournament against STMA that left a would-be tackler slumped in a heap at his feet and almost a took a return back to the house against Woodbury. Meyer has top-end speed and some shifty cuts as a RB who will look to add more of a spark in that already crowded backfield as a now-senior. I also love that he finishes his runs with authority and will drop his pads when given the opportunity.   Team Recruiting News   With the heaviest hitter of a recruit off the board in surefire P5 talent [player_tooltip player_id='112043' first='Carson' last='Hansen'], the recruiting focus of the Cougars shifts to the rest of the squad. I do think there is some skill position talent coming up in the 2024 and 2025 classes that may have D1 ability, but it's still too early to throw around "what-ifs" and it's more relevant to focus on the 2023s for the purpose of this article. I do see some more scholarship talent available, especially among the OL and LBs of the class. With another rising senior committed to DII MSUM in [player_tooltip player_id='313085' first='Jacob' last='Dorner'], I could see six and possibly even seven more prospects in the '23s project to DII ball, with a couple maybe even in-reach of late FCS interest. Additionally, college programs such as St. Olaf, Minnesota-Duluth, MSUM, and Sioux Falls stay active in the defending 6A state champs going into the season. The players and coaching staff are guaranteed to have their fair share of visitors during the fall of '22. Stay with PrepRedzoneMN to keep updated on recruiting news from Lakeville South and the rest of the state.   Other Players to Note   [player_tooltip player_id='112152' first='Leighton' last='Keilen'] - P/K. 6'7, 160 lbs. C/o 2023. Has virtually visited Bethel University   Ethan Fink - RB/LB. C/o 2023. @Ethanfink25   Charlie Ruby - DL/OL. 5'10, 300 lbs. C/o 2024   Tegan Drinkerd - OL. 5'10, 230 lbs. C/o 2023   Jaden Groen - TE/DE. C/o 2023   James Hathaway - LB. 5'10, 160 lbs. C/o 2024   Nicholas Randall - QB/FS. 6'1, 175 lbs. C/o 2024   Jayce Narveson - ATH. 6'1. C/o 2024

The numbers don't lie, and our PrepRedzone data and analytics squad do an awesome job of finding and identifying trends between our hundreds of scouts from all around the 37 states in our network. One of the noticeable and noteworthy trends we've noticed is that our lovely subscribers like to read about team previews going into the fall. Encompassing a number of different evaluations from multiple graduating classes and a review of their past heroics, I wanted to make my own personal spin on the "Preseason Preview" and added some subsections that included breakout candidates, players that need to step up, key departures, and more. To begin, I'll kick things off with the 6A defending state champion Lakeville South Cougars. Make sure to stay tuned as I preview each returning state champ and get deeper into the state as well. Also, Preseason All-State awards are coming; it's a great time to be a subscriber to PrepRedzoneMN. Thanks for reading!