FARMINGTON, Minn. – The Farmington Tigers came up just short in a hard-fought matchup against the unbeaten Lakeville North Panthers on Thursday night, losing 27-20 at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers dropped to 2-2 on the season, while the Panthers improved to 4-0 with their balanced offensive attack.
RECAP
Farmington struck first in the opening quarter, with Layne Johnson breaking loose for a 26-yard touchdown run. Ethan Geisler added the extra point, giving the Tigers an early 7-0 lead. Lakeville North quickly answered, as quarterback Ryan Grossman found Ben Hendrickson for a 4-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7.
The Tigers regained the lead when Jonah Ask scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak, though an unsuccessful two-point conversion left Farmington up 13-7. The Panthers responded with two quick touchdowns before halftime, starting with an 8-yard pass from Grossman to Alex Forsgren. After the extra point, Lakeville North pulled ahead 14-13. Later in the second quarter, Sean Ripplinger broke free for a 59-yard rushing touchdown to extend the lead to 21-13.
Lakeville North continued to control the tempo in the third quarter, with Ripplinger adding another touchdown on a 6-yard run. Grossman's attempt at a two-point conversion was stopped, but the Panthers still stretched their lead to 27-13.
Farmington fought back late in the third quarter, capping off a drive with a 3-yard touchdown run from Brock Wyandt. Geisler's extra point brought the Tigers within a touchdown at 27-20, but despite a strong defensive effort in the final quarter, Farmington was unable to score again.
Lakeville North's defense held firm in the fourth, sealing the 27-20 victory and maintaining their perfect record.
TOP TIGERS
Jonah Ask led the Tigers on the ground with 111 rushing yards on 10 carries, including a touchdown. Layne Johnson added 60 yards on 8 carries with a touchdown, while Brock Wyandt contributed 42 yards on 5 carries and a score. Ask completed 9 of 15 passes for 101 yards, though he was intercepted once. Wyandt was the top receiver, catching five passes for 61 yards, while Cole Wilcek hauled in two passes for 19 yards.
On defense, Chris Rehak delivered a standout performance with 14 tackles, while Danny Sather contributed 12 tackles. Layne Johnson added 9 tackles as part of a strong defensive effort.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will look to rebound when they travel to Rosemount on Friday, September 27, for a district matchup. The Irish come into the game with a 1-3 record. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
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Gallery: (9-20-2024) Football vs. LN (Sep. 19, 2024)
