This matchup qualifies as another season opener that could provide insight into whether either team has the talent to make an extended playoff run.
Lakeville South, which hasn’t had a winning season since 2013 when it went 6-4, made a stunning run to the Class 6A semifinals last year after starting with a 1-5 record. The Cougars are a confident bunch heading into this season, despite not returning any all-state or all-metro players.
Senior quarterback George Brekke split time under center with Reid Patterson last year, logging 237 yards on 45 attempts. Brekke also played a receiving role, where he caught nine passes for 218 yards and two TDs. The Cougars' leading rusher from last season, 6-0, 170-pound Johnny Shabaz, returns for his senior year, too, after tallying 555 regular-season yards and 470 more in the postseason.
Totino-Grace’s history of football excellence dates to the mid-1970s, and the Eagles reached the pinnacle in 2016 when they won their first Class 6A title (and 10th overall).
Part of what makes Totino-Grace intriguing this season is key returners: quarterback Kristoff Kowalkowski (886 yards, seven TDs last season) can connect with receiver Sam Quick (359 receiving yards, four TDs in 2018) while players like Gabe Vosen, who averaged 48.4 rushing yards per game last season, shore up the ground game.