This was supposed to Burnsville’s year to emerge as a new power in the metro. And for one half, the Blaze went toe-to-toe with one of the metro’s elite. But winning has become a habit at Lakeville North despite significant losses to graduation. The Panthers gave the upstarts a lesson in what winning football looks like, pulling away in the second half Friday for a 29-18 victory.

Burnsville led 18-15 midway through the third quarter, answering a Lakeville North touchdown with one of its own. That’s when the Panthers — particularly junior Wade Sullivan — turned things up a notch or two, showing that personnel losses don’t equate to losses on the field.

“The tradition and the legacy we’ve built here doesn’t change, no matter who graduates,” Lakeville North coach Brian Vossen said. “The one thing that doesn’t change is the effort and the heart the kids put into the game. There are some pretty special players in this group that maybe don’t get talked about that much, but they’re good football players.”

One of those players is Sullivan, a 5-8, 165-pound running back who made the second half his personal showcase. He picked up 248 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns, on an 89-yard kickoff return and a 36-yard touchdown.

“On paper, he doesn’t belong on the field,” Vossen said. “But he’s so tough, and he’s insanely athletic.”

Lakeville North, a team accustomed to winning, pulled away in the second half to beat upstart Burnsville 29-18 and improve to 3-0.

Burnsville, 2-0 entering the game and looking to make a statement, led 18-15 midway through the third quarter when Lakeville North’s Wade Sullivan made the game his personal showcase.

Sullivan scored twice, on an 89-yard kickoff return and a 36-yard run that he set up with a long punt return. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound running back had 248 all-purpose yards in the second half alone.

Check back later for more on the game.

Key to the game: Wade Sullivan’s kickoff return for a Lakeville North touchdown. Burnsville had just taken the lead when Sullivan answered by racing past the Blaze’ entire kickoff return team. “That was a big turning point in the game,” Burnsville coach Tyler Krebs said.

Quote: “We tell [Sullivan] the force is mass times acceleration. He may not have the force, but he more than makes up for with his acceleration,” Lakeville North coach Brian Vossen.

One think to know: Sullivan was the Class 3A, 113-pound wrestling champion in 2013.

JIM PAULSEN