Dylan Hawley had eight tackles during the game with the Eagan Wildcats. In addition to the tackles, he scored two rushing touchdowns. (Caty Mawing Photography)
Receiver Colten Gunderson caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Drew Brinkman, but it wasn’t enough as the Forest Lake Rangers held on to defeat the Prior Lake Lakers 21–18 on Aug. 28 at Forest Lake High School.
It was the third straight season Prior Lake and Forest Lake have met in the season opener, all decided by one score. The Prior Lake Lakers (0–1 overall, 0–0 Metro South) won the matchup in both 2023 and 2024, while the Forest Lake Rangers (1–0 overall, 0–0 Metro East) took the first match between the teams this year.
The game started with a bang on the opening play from scrimmage when Brinkman tried to go deep to Gunderson, but the pass was intercepted and returned near the Laker red zone. However, a pair of penalties, including an unsportsmanlike conduct call on the Ranger bench, pushed the ball back to midfield. Defensive lineman Prince Faulk ended the threat with a sack on third-and-long to force a punt.
The Lakers picked up a first down on their next series thanks to a third-down run by Jackson Didion, but the drive stalled near their own 40-yard line. Forest Lake struck first on the following possession with a 7-play, 65-yard drive capped by a 28-yard touchdown pass on a deep corner route for a 7–0 lead with 2:07 left in the first quarter.
Into the second quarter, Prior Lake went three-and-out before Forest Lake pushed into Laker territory again. A delay of game and stout defense stalled the drive, and a 36-yard field goal try sailed wide left.
Prior Lake answered with a methodical 13-play, 75-yard march highlighted by a third-down scramble completion from Brinkman to Aiden Mbinda to extend the drive. The march reached the 5 before stalling, and Daniel Vannett hit a 21-yard field goal to make it 7–3 Rangers with 3:21 left in the half.
A defensive stop quickly handed the ball back. Brinkman hit Gunderson on a long fade down to the 5 with under a minute to go, and two plays later they connected again on the same route for a touchdown. Vannett’s PAT gave Prior Lake a 10–7 lead with 28 seconds remaining.
Forest Lake answered immediately. After a long kickoff return and a penalty on the Lakers, the Rangers started near midfield and, on the next snap, ripped a 53-yard touchdown run down the sideline to take a 14–10 lead into halftime.
Forest Lake extended its lead on the opening series of the third, grinding out a 19-play, 68-yard drive that drained more than nine minutes. A 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal made it 21–10 with 2:29 left in the quarter.
Prior Lake responded fast. Brinkman found Griffen Nordrum on a crossing route for 30 yards into the red zone. Two snaps later, Brinkman lofted another fade to Gunderson, who hauled it in at the back pylon as the quarter expired. Brinkman then kept on a boot for the two-point conversion to pull the Lakers within 21–18 heading to the fourth.
The teams traded punts into the late stages. With about 3:45 left, Mbinda’s 23-yard punt return set the Lakers up at the Forest Lake 40. An illegal participation penalty advanced the ball to the 25, and a Brinkman-to-Mbinda completion pushed it to the 15 with just over three minutes remaining.
A controversial delay of game flag backed the Lakers up. A sack by Forest Lake standout Howie Johnson created third-and-long. Brinkman’s swing pass to Luke Watkins set up fourth-and-2 at the 7 with 53 seconds left. Prior Lake went for the win, but Brinkman’s pass toward Mbinda fell incomplete, and the Rangers ran out the clock to secure a 21–18 result.
Notable statistics included:
– QB Drew Brinkman: 17/29, 200 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
– WR Colten Gunderson: 4 receptions, 57 yards, 2 TDs
– WR Aiden Mbinda: 7 receptions, 67 yards; 23-yard punt return
– RB Luke Watkins: 6 carries, 36 yards; key late third down catch
– DL Prince Faulk: 8 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFLs
– LB Jackson Koenig: 9 tackles
– LB Jackson Didion: 8 tackles
The Lakers fared better against the Eagan Wildcats last Friday at Dan Patch Field at PLHS. It was the Lakers “Tackle Cancer Game.” The Lakers built a 20-0 lead into the 3rd quarter and added a couple more scores to beat the Wildcats 35-19. This brings the Laker record to 1-1 and keeps them in the top 25 rated teams in the state poll.
Brinkman threw for 129 yds and one touchdown. Hubbert had 83 rushing yards and one touchdown, while Hawley led the team with eight tackles.
Prior Lake will travel to Rosemount on Friday night and then returns to Dan Patch Stadium at Prior Lake High School for a big Homecoming game against Minnetonka on Sept. 19.