Page 22 Football Preivew • Friday , August 30 , 2024
TIGERS , from 12A
skilled guys , and we have some dogs up front ,” Wyandt said . “ We should be mauling people this year , for sure .”
The Tigers will have to be ready right away , with Mounds View , Lakeville South , Rochester Mayo , Lakeville North and Rosemount as their first five opponents . The Lakeville teams and Rosemount reached the Class 6A quarterfinals last season , and Rochester Mayo was a Class 5A quarterfinalist in 2022 .
“ We were playing pretty well by the end of last season , and the guys are optimistic they can carry that over to this season ,” Sutton said .
I knew him when ...
Shortly after the Democratic Party vice-presidential candidate was announced Aug . 6 , Rick
Sutton ’ s phone blew up .
No , Sutton had nothing to do with Tim Walz ’ s nomination . But he did hire him once .
Sutton , now Farmington ’ s co-head football coach , was head coach at Mankato West in 1997 , trying to help revive a struggling Scarlets program . Walz and his wife had just moved to the city and landed jobs as teachers at the school . Administrators , aware of Walz ’ s background as a football coach , suggested Sutton talk to Walz . Sutton did , and quickly added Walz to the program . He started as a linebackers coach and eventually became defensive coordinator .
Walz stayed at Mankato West until 2006 , when he won a seat in the U . S . House of Representatives . He was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018 .
Mankato West was 1-26 in Sutton ’ s first three seasons at the school before the turnaround started . The Scarlets started the 1999 season 2-4 before winning their last eight games and defeating Cambridge-Isanti 35-28 in the Class 4A final .
After Walz was named the Democrats ’ VP candidate , Sutton fielded calls from numerous journalists working the Walz-as-football-coach angle . “ From Tuesday through Friday , it was almost nonstop ,” he said .
Setting aside politics for a moment ( if that ’ s possible ), Sutton is a big fan of Walz as a person .
“ What you see on TV is what we saw on the football field ,” Sutton said . “ Very genuine . He care about players as individuals . And I think our kids enjoyed playing for him .”
Mike Shaughnessy can be reached at mike . shaughnessy @ apgecm . com .
LIGHTNING , from 10
this season .
The coaches looked for signs in the off-season that the players were hungry for more as opposed to being satisfied with an improved 2023 season .
“ You go to team camps , and that ’ s great ,” Buckley said . “ But this is the best group in the weight room that I ’ ve been a part of here . It had a double benefit of getting stronger and building bonds .
“ We ’ re excited about this next chapter ,” Buckley added .
What to expect ?
Eastview plays in the Metro Maroon and will face the sub-district ’ s other five teams ( Roseville , Hopkins , Buffalo , Burnsville and Park of Cottage Grove ) in the regular season . Also on the schedule are three teams from the Metro South : Rosemount , Lakeville South and Eagan .
Asked what would be a realistic expectation for sunthisweek . com
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Eastview assistant coach Elmore Roundtree gets his point across to the players at the end of practice Aug . 13 .
the regular season , a couple of Lightning players said six victories .
“ I ’ ll always say I want to win every game ,” senior lineman Jack Bauer said . “ I want to win every time I step on that field . But I ’ d say 6-2 is realistic . That would be awesome .”
The Lightning will get a chance to see for themselves in their season and home opener against Rosemount on Thursday , Aug . 29 . The Irish played in the Prep Bowl in 2022 and reached the Class 6A quarterfinals last season before losing to eventual champion Centennial .
Mike Shaughnessy can be reached at mike . shaughnessy @ apgecm . com .
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Burnsville players create some background noise for their kicker to simulate a pressure situation .
BLAZE , from 6
games in the second half but won only the games against Roseville and Hopkins . Burnsville plays all four teams again this season .
Later , the Blaze play Metro Maroon district opponents Eastview and Buffalo before closing the regular season against Farmington and Lakeville North from the Metro South .
“ We ’ ve worked hard to actually push in the fourth quarter and beat these teams that lost some of their big seniors who were the top players in the state ,” senior defensive end Rachon Lewis said .
PANTHERS , from 14
In the Panthers ’ secondary Ayden Forsgren and Caleb Pedersen will look to fill the roles left by Quinn Power and Max Melin . Each made their fair share of contributions to the defense last year but , like Hunt and Krause at linebacker , will need to step into a more prominent role this year . “ We need vocal leaders
COUGARS , from 16
interior we ’ re really solid ,” Burk said . “ We ’ re looking forward to seeing what they can do . The expectation is really high on the defensive side .”
With a returning cast of skill position players on offense , a deep defensive line and a core of juniors
to step up on defense ,” Vossen said . “ And so guys that have played for a long time , but haven ’ t had to carry the torch in that fashion , they ’ re doing it now .”
Finding those vocal leaders in camp will be key for the Panthers as they open the season against Stillwater . Followed by key matchups against South Metro rivals Lakeville South and
and seniors in the interior . Lakeville South looks poised to make another run to the Class 6A semifinals and beyond .
But the road to get there won ’ t be easy , in a South Metro that is full of formidable opponents , the Cougars know that being focused week in and week out will be key .
Rosemount .
“ We faced it last year , and we were fortunate to walk out of there 2-1 ,” Vossen said . “ We ’ re hoping that we can get through those first three games healthy and with a 3-0 record .”
CJ Wrzesien is a journalism student at Bethel University in St . Paul .
“ There ’ s no off week really ,” Burk said . “ If you start to think you don ’ t have a tough game , any one of the teams in our league will bite you .”
CJ Wrzesien is a journalism student at Bethel University in St . Paul .