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Lakeville North cruises past Rosemount

By Jim Paulsen, Star Tribune, 09/23/11, 9:30PM CDT

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The Panthers improved to 4-0 with the victory over fellow top-10 team Rosemount

 Lakeville North quarterback Trey Heid made Friday night his coming-out party. And Rosemount played the part of perfect hosts, doing just about everything possible to make sure Heid and his teammates had a successful showing.

Rosemount turned the ball over four times and Heid passed for 222 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers beat the Irish 28-7.

Heid, an impressive 6-2, 185-pound athlete, has toiled in the shadow of another quarterback who plays nearby, Lakeville South’s Mitch Leidner. But Heid made Friday’s game his personal showcase, showing off a big arm, plenty of moxie and above-average speed.

“We get underestimated by most people,” Heid said. “I think we’re starting to show we’re a pretty good team.”

Lakeville North took advantage of the first Rosemount turnover, going 20 yards in four plays following a fumble recovery on Rosemount’s first play from scrimmage.

Brandon Morgan scored on a three-yard burst up the middle for a 7-0 Panthers lead.

Rosemount, unaccustomed to beating itself, moved downfield with purpose on the ensuing drive, gobbling up yardage in large chunks, only to be waylaid by another fumble by running back Andy Gustafson, this time on the Lakeville North 15-yard line.

Lakeville North nearly capitalized moments later when Morgan broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and raced 45 yards into the end zone. The score was called back because of holding, but the tone had been set.

Midway through the second quarter, Heid pulled off a pump fake that cleared space for receiver Ben Blake and deftly dropped the ball over the Rosemount defense for a 20-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead.

Rosemount had a chance to get back into the game on the opening drive of the second half, but stalled on the Lakeville North 3-yard line after Rosemount quarterback Nate Lemoine was stopped a yard short on fourth-and-three.

“We didn’t score because we messed up,” Rosemount coach Jeff Erdmann said. “You can’t make mistakes against a team like that and we made too many.”

Lakeville North then moved crisply down the field and took a 21-0 lead when Heid outraced the entire Rosemount defense on a quarterback draw for a 50-yard touchdown run.

Heid capped off his big game with an 8-yard touchdown pass the next time the Panthers had the ball.

“I think he’s the best quarterback in the city,” Lakeville North coach Brian Vossen said. “And I think Leidner is the best in the state.”

Pride wounded, the Panthers come out fighting

It was clear that Lakeville North, from the coaching staff down through the players, has adopted an us-against-the-world mentality. So far, it appears to be working.

The Panthers have taken offense to being overlooked and undervalued. Most media organizations predicted a middle-of-the pack finish in the South Suburban Conference. Heck, they weren ‘t even considered the best team in their town.
That distinction was bestowed upon Lakeville South and it’s highly-touted quarterback, Mitch Leidner. So as the new kids on the blocks received the fawning praise and continued adoration, the Panthers stewed.
How could it be, they thought, that a team with the most experience in the conference and a fast and athletic group of skill players be considered an afterthought?
“Every time you opened the papers, you heard about Lakeville South,” said Lakeville North quarterback Trey Heid. “We want to show that we’re a pretty good team, too.”
Friday, they did just that. The Panthers moved the ball freely against a Rosemount team that had developed a reputation for giving up yards about as freely as a dog gives up a milkbone. Heid repeatedly found his receivers in open patches of the Irish defense and when he didn’t, he used his legs to his advantage. He passed for 222 yards and two touchdowns and ran for at least three first downs and an eye-popping 50-yard touchdown run that left Rosemount defenders grasping at air as blew by them.
“It’s funny,” said Heid. “Last year, I was known for my legs. This year, I’m more known for my arm. In fact, I’m probably a little bit slower this year because I’m bigger.”
As his team gathered at one end of the field to celebrate a signature victory over a team that hadn’t lost at home since 2007, Lakeville North coach Brian Vossen drove home the Panthers’ theme to the season.
“Rosemount was ranked ahead of us and we beat them,” Vossen told his players, not even attempting to hide his satisfaction . “We took care of Eastview in the first game and they were ranked ahead of us. We’ve beaten Apple Valley, like we were supposed to, and we beat Edina. We’ve got something great going right now. The only team that can mess it up is us.”
Vossen reiterated his comments in post-game interviews, letting all who could hear know that the Panthers’ pride was wounded. And a wounded animal is a dangerous animal.
“Not to sound cocky, but, yeah, I did see us winning like that tonight,” he said. “I think we’re a team that doesn’t get enough credit. We were picked to finish fifth in our conference. To be honest, that was the best thing that could have happened to us. The kids are hungry. And when we get the opportunity to show what we can do, we’re going to do it.”

JIM PAULSEN

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