Page 8 Fall Football Preview • Friday, August 29, 2025
by Mike Shaughnessy SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Lakeville North graduated several football players who turned up in a lot of highlight reels last season. If that causes fans to overlook North this year, the Panthers’ captains don’ t mind. They figure they’ ll have the last word.
“ I think we’ re going to surprise a lot of people this year,” said senior offensive lineman Carter Crawford, a two-time alldistrict player.“ We have a lot of dogs and a lot of young guys who played last year due to injuries, and they’ re going to step up.
“ People are doubting us because we lost so many starters, but we’ re not doubting ourselves. We know what we’ ve got here.”
What they have is“ a lot of different personnel with a lot of different skills,” senior linebacker / running back Riley Forar said.“ We can play big, small, fast, athletic – anything, really.”
North coach Brian Vossen’ s 2024 team graduated standouts such as Riley Grossman( quarterback), Reece Hunt( linebacker), Blake Krause( linebacker) and Sam Ripplinger( running back) after going 9-2 and reaching the state Class 6A quarterfinals. But this year’ s squad has some strengths of its own, including an offensive line that returns almost intact.
“ We lost one guy; he’ s going to play in college at River Falls,” said Brock Randall, a senior guard.“ But the rest of us are returning, and we’ ve got a lot of young guys looking to take that( open) tackle spot.”
The Panther captains – Crawford, Forar, Randall and quarterback Pete Krolak – expect the team to run the ball effectively.
“ I think our line is going to drive our team, but our backs are good enough to make plays even when we mess up, which is really important,” Crawford said.
The stable of running backs includes sophomore Zion Davis, already being watched by scouts even though he has three years of high school football to play. Forar expects to see most of his playing time on defense but is likely to get some snaps in the offensive backfield as well.
Forar is one of several
returning standouts on defense. Returnees also include senior lineman Roman Johnson and junior safety Gavin Casey. Johnson and Crawford are committed to the University of Minnesota Duluth; they’ ll join 2024 North graduates Grossman and Krause with the Bulldogs. sunthisweek. com
Lakeville North Panthers like their chances even after losing stars Veteran offensive line will be one of Lakeville North’ s strengths
Schedule
( Games 7 p. m. Fridays unless noted) Aug. 28( 6 p. m.): at Blaine Sept. 5: Farmington Sept. 12: at Lakeville South Sept. 19: Eagan Sept. 26: Prior Lake Oct. 3: at Rosemount Oct. 10: Champlin Park Oct. 15( Wednesday): at Shakopee
Seniors Zach Wissbrod and Tony Johnson are returning defensive backs. Juniors Tyler Ruff and Kade Crawford got some time at linebacker last year.
After practice during the first week of fall camp, the captains were asked about teammates who might be under the radar now but could be poised to have big seasons. Names that came up included junior offensive tackle Matthew Popp, junior linebacker Jack Juffer, junior lineman Eli Tuchscherer, junior defensive lineman Kyle Barbour and a trio of tight ends and H-backs – senior Sam Petullo and Blake Hendrickson, and junior Brady Kemp.
There are more.“ We’ ve
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Lakeville North football players were back to work during the first week of fall practice. The Panthers will play their first game Aug. 28 at Blaine. See Panthers, 17
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Lakeville North football captains, from left: quarterback Pete Krolak, offensive lineman Carter Crawford, offensive lineman Brock Randall and linebacker Riley Forar.