Eagan served notice with upsets of Rosemount and Lakeville South this football season. Success at Lakeville North, however, must wait another year.
The Wildcats used an inspired performance and seemed poised to earn their first victory at North since 2006. They led by three points in the third quarter, but the Panthers regrouped Friday night in a 36-33 victory.
“[Eagan coach] Nick Johnson is a great coach,” Lakeville North coach Brian Vossen said. “Ultimately, they are trying to build a culture like we were fortunate enough to build.”
North’s 22-15 second-quarter lead looked like it would last the remaining 1:55 until halftime. But Eagan took advantage of a North penalty and Seth Kolehmainen drilled a 37-yard field goal as time expired.
If that wasn’t enough to make the home crowd nervous, Eagan regained the lead when sophomore running back Gage Halvorson scored from 40 yards out in the third quarter.
The Wildcats were making their case for an upset known, until North (5-0) answered with a scoring drive of its own. A Sam Ripplinger touchdown put the Panthers ahead 29-25 later in the quarter, setting up an opportunity for drama in the fourth.
North drained the tension, however, with a game-clinching drive keyed by a healthy dose of Ripplinger. The sure-handed senior delivered the tough yards as North played keep-away to limit Eagan’s offensive opportunities.
On Friday, he carried 28 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns.