The Rosemount Irish scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown with 1:28 remaining, defeating the Prior Lake Lakers 21–17 last week at Rosemount High School.
It was the third straight meeting between the Rosemount Irish (2–1 overall, 1–0 Metro South) and the Prior Lake Lakers (1–2 overall, 1–1 Metro South) that was decided by one possession dating back to 2021.
First Quarter: Lakers Strike First
Rosemount opened the game with a long kickoff return into Laker territory, but the Prior Lake defense held firm. The Irish were stopped on four consecutive plays — including an incomplete pass on a fake punt look — turning the ball over on downs.
The Lakers capitalized on their first drive. A 34-yard run by running back Luke Watkins set up the offense near the red zone, and on third down quarterback Drew Brinkman rolled right and threw back across the field to running back/linebacker Dylan Hawley, who came down with the touchdown between two defenders. Kicker Daniel Vannett added the extra point to give Prior Lake a 7–0 lead with 7:49 left.
Second Quarter: Irish Take Momentum
Rosemount responded with a grinding 16-play, 67-yard drive that carried into the second quarter. A fourth-down conversion inside the 10 set up a one-yard quarterback sneak to tie the game at 7 with 10:53 left in the half.
The Irish defense kept the momentum going. Facing third-and-7 deep in his own end, Brinkman looked to hit Watkins on a wheel route up the right sideline, but the pass was jumped by a defender at the 31-yard line and returned untouched for a pick-six. In two possessions, Rosemount turned the score into a 14–7 lead with 9:16 remaining.
The Lakers would answer back. A long kickoff return by receiver/running back Aiden Mbinda gave the offense good field position, and Watkins capped the drive with an 11-yard toss play where he broke a tackle and dove over the goal line. Vannett’s extra point tied the game at 14 with 5:35 left.
Rosemount nearly reclaimed the lead before halftime after a 35-yard run pushed the ball deep into Prior Lake territory. But the Laker defense stiffened, forcing a third-down stop inside the 10 to bring on the field goal unit. The 22-yard attempt sailed wide left, keeping the game even at the break.
Third Quarter: Special Teams Swing
Prior Lake threatened first out of halftime. Mbinda ripped off a 22-yard gain on a jet sweep to cross midfield, but the drive stalled after a false start penalty, and a 41-yard field goal attempt by Vannett missed left.
Later in the quarter, a bizarre punt return gave the Lakers a golden opportunity. The ball sailed past Rosemount’s return man and bounced off a blocker, where defensive back Noah Kalipe alertly scooped it up and ran into the end zone. After a lengthy discussion, officials ruled it a muff — meaning Prior Lake couldn’t advance the recovery.
Even without the touchdown, the play gave the Lakers possession at the Irish 30-yard line with 1:55 left in the third. Mbinda moved the chains on a jet sweep to end the quarter, and the Lakers pushed inside the red zone looking for the end zone. But Rosemount’s defense held firm, forcing Prior Lake to settle for points. Vannett converted a 25-yard field goal to put the Lakers ahead 17–14 with 10:22 remaining.
Fourth Quarter: Irish Finish Strong
Both defenses forced punts before Rosemount mounted the decisive drive. A 9-play, 72-yard march ended with a two-yard quarterback sneak that gave the Irish a 21–17 lead with just 1:28 remaining.
The Lakers still had life. Running back Tully Mannion’s squib return crossed the 40-yard line, and Brinkman connected with Mbinda on a screen to move into Irish territory. But on fourth-and-7 from the 42, Brinkman dropped back under pressure and dumped the ball to Watkins on a swing pass in the left flat. Watkins broke the first tackle and stretched toward the marker, but the official ruled he stepped out of bounds just short of the sticks. That turned the ball over on downs and allowed Rosemount to run out the clock.
Notable Stats
– Quarterback Drew Brinkman – 9-for-18, 59 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
– Receiver/running back Aiden Mbinda – 11 carries, 78 yards; 2 catches, 14 yards
– Running back Luke Watkins – 9 carries, 57 yards; 5 catches, 27 yards
– Linebacker Sean Nadeau – 12 tackles
– Defensive lineman Prince Faulk – 7 tackles
– Defensive lineman Isaiah Olabode – 6 tackles
– Defensive back Jake Written – 6 tackles
– Linebacker Ryan Block – 5 tackles
– Defensive back Noah Kalipe – 5 tackles, fumble recovery
Next Up: Minnetonka
The Lakers will have their toughest test yet when they host the Minnetonka Skippers (3–0 overall, 2–0 Metro West) on Friday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. at Dan Patch Stadium. The Skippers enter ranked No. 2 in the latest StribVarsity/Star Tribune “Minnesota 25,” while the Lakers are unranked.
Although this is a non-district matchup — the teams aren’t in the same district or section this season — a win over Minnetonka would be a significant résumé boost come seeding time, as the Skippers are considered one of Class 6A’s top teams. Minnetonka defeated Prior Lake 28–7 in their 2024 meeting.
Minnetonka is led by head coach Mark Esch, a familiar name to Laker fans. Esch served as Prior Lake’s offensive coordinator in 2018 before taking over at Minnetonka when longtime coach Dave Nelson retired in 2020. He guided the Skippers to a state runner-up finish in 2024, falling to eventual champion Maple Grove in the Prep Bowl.
The Skippers look poised for another strong season in 2025, opening with three decisive wins: East Ridge 41–0 (Week 1), St. Michael–Albertville 40–7 (Week 2) and Moorhead 47–21 (last week).
Offensively, Caleb Francois has transitioned from being Minnetonka’s starting quarterback last season to the Skippers’ feature running back this fall. He’s shown his versatility before — in last year’s matchup, he even moved to cornerback to cover receiver Colten Gunderson while Caden Gutzmer took over at quarterback. Through three games in 2025, Francois has rushed for 414 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also leading the team in receiving with 12 catches for 206 yards and a touchdown.
Quarterback Caden Gutzmer has completed 30 of 43 passes for 553 yards and four touchdowns, and he, along with receiver/running back Quinton Restrepo, is also a rushing threat. Receivers Kirion Vogel and Cody Braun round out the passing attack, each with two touchdown catches so far.
Notes
– Kickoff at Dan Patch Stadium on Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m.
– PL Lakers Live will stream the game: https://gametimemn.com/pl-lakers-live/
– Follow @plhsfootball, @pllakers, @PLHSLakers, @PLLakersLive on X for updates and stream links throughout the season.
– Check back next week for a recap of the Minnetonka game and a preview of the matchup against Lakeville North.
– Contact Taylor Smith at tay1@me.com or on X at @taysmith2013.
