Coming into Friday night's matchup against Minnetonka, Prior Lake senior linebacker Nick Raddatz had just two interceptions.

Raddatz more than doubled his season total, picking off Skippers junior quarterback Garrett Olson three times in the Lakers' 21-0 home victory in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament. 

Raddatz, who returned one interception 50 yards for a touchdown, said the defense's the main focus is getting the ball back to the offense.

"Every turnover is just as important as another," he said. "Getting the ball in the offense's hands and letting them do their job is really important for us."

He didn't need to worry as much about the offense doing its job because Raddatz took on some of the scoring duties.

On the third play of the game, Olson fired the ball to senior wide receiver Brady Halbmaier. But a Lakers defensive back tipped the pass and Raddatz hauled in the ball before running upfield.

Raddatz encountered some congestion as he neared Minnetonka's end zone but used some shifty moves to score.

He was confident he was going to cross the goal line.  

"You've got to think that you're going to score every time you touch the ball, that's got to be your vision right away," Raddatz said.

On the Skippers' next possession, Raddatz got another great opportunity to score when Prior Lake blocked a Minnetonka punt.

Raddatz recovered the punt, and it looked as though he would tally his second touchdown. But he fumbled the ball at the 1-yard line and the Skippers recovered it.

Lakers coach Matt Gegenheimer said a blocked punt returned for a touchdown would've been an important start for Raddatz. 

"He's a little crafty, so it was nice for him to get into (the end zone)," Gegenheimer said. "And if he would've gotten that blocked punt in there too, that would've been really nice to start that way. But the kid just keep battling, I'm proud of him for that."   

Raddatz not only had two interceptions in the regular season, but was also first on the team in sacks with five and second in tackles with 64.

Raddatz has suited up for the Lakers since his sophomore year, and Gegenheimer called him a very smart player.

Prior Lake senior quarterback Jimmy Larson said Raddatz would be a good wide receiver and could be a great two-way player.

The Lakers have another on the roster in 6-foot-2, 305-pound defensive lineman Jamahl Johnson, who lined up in the backfield, took the handoff and busted through the line into the end zone from 2 yards out to give Prior Lake a 21-0 lead with 3:43 remaining in the third quarter.

Johnson finished the regular season tied for a team-high six rushing TDs on just 14 carries. He was also tied for second with 64 total tackles.

Prior Lake now faces No.1-seeded East Ridge (8-1), which dismantled Coon Rapids 45-20 Friday night.

It'll be a tough match up for the Lakers, who suffered a tough 10-7 loss to Maple Grove in the Class 6A state tournament quarterfinals last year. But Gegenheimer said his team can improve on that finish.

"The potential is there, but we just have to put a lot of games together," he said. "And you know after a couple wins - we've won the last two - (the team's) confidence is back, and I think they see that they can play with any of these teams," Gegenheimer said.

Raddatz believes the Lakers (6-3) will be playing for a state title at TCF Bank Stadium on Nov. 11.

"We got the players, we got the talent, we have everyone all-in," he said. "I think we can go to the state championship."

Senior linebacker Nick Raddatz tallied three interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown, to propel No.4 seed Prior Lake past No.5 seed Minnetonka 21-0 in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament Friday night at Prior Lake High School.

The woes for the Skippers (3-6) began on the third play of the game, when senior wide receiver Brady Halbmaier was unable to handle a fast pass form junior quarterback Garrett Olson.

Senior linebacker Nick Raddatz snagged the tipped ball around the 50-yard line and followed his blocker to the end zone, giving the Lakers a 7-0 lead with 10:34 left in the first quarter following a successful kick on the point-after try by Alex Brennan.

Olson was picked off again on Minnetonka's next possession, this time by senior defensive back Logan Petersmeyer. Prior Lake (6-3) took advantage of the turnover when senior running back Andrew Owodunni scored a touchdown on a 4-yard run as time expired in the first quarter.

The Lakers continued their scoring streak when defensive lineman Jamahl Johnson entered the game as a running back and rumbled his way to the end zone from 2 yards out with 3:43 left in the third quarter.

One lone bright spot for Minnetonka was a fourth-quarter interception by junior defensive back Nate Shoemaker, but the Skippers couldn't create any points off the turnover as Raddatz intercepted Olson at the Prior Lake 5-yard line.    

The Lakers face No.1 seed East Ridge (8-1) on Oct. 23 in the second round of the Class 6A state tournament.

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