Class AAAA Title Contender Series: Lakeville North

In Lakeville North’s version of a rebuilding year they still won 17 games.  I hope teams took advantage while they could because the Panthers will be contenders again.  Key Wins in 19-20 (17-11): Totino-Grace, Wayzata, Lakeville South, Rosemount, Shakopee Oops: Prior Lake, Farmington, Eastview, Shakopee, Lakeville South, Austin Moving On: The Panthers are known for their prepared, hard working senior talents that rise into their roles and play at a high level.  Last year’s list - Josh KamaraJoshKamara6'0" | PGLakeville North | 2020StateMN (at Ellsworth CC), Noah FrechetteNoahFrechette6'4" | PFLakeville North | 2020StateMN (at USF), Carter PattersonCarterPatterson6'1" | SGLakeville North | 2020StateMN, Nelson Koshiol, and Jordan Wall - have all graduated of coure.  That’s five of last year’s top seven players that need to be replaced.  North has a great mix of returning starters, excellent young underclassmen talent, and new seniors from the JV (with some varsity time too) ready to step in.  Returning Starters:  The Panthers return all conference 6-foot-4 wing Will BlascziekWillBlascziek6'4" | SGLakeville North | 2021StateMN and honorable mention all league 6-foot-5 forward Cooper LaufenburgerCooperLaufenburger6'5" | SFLakeville North | 2021StateMN from the starting line-up.  Both players are seniors this season coming off a great summer with the Wear Out the Net 17u team.  Will was the Panther leading scorer last season (14 a game) and the second leading rebounder (five a game).  Will is an excellent shooter and a craft scorer.  Cooper is a versatile forward that shoots it with range so he can play both forward spots and is his ability to guard several spots allowing him to guard the five as well.   Reserves Playing a Bigger Role: Lakeville North has three guys that played off the bench last season and that’s 6-foot-3 senior forward Matt Miller, six foot senior combo guard Noah NephewNoahNephew6'0" | PGLakeville North | 2021MN, and 6-foot-1 junior guard Landon Mohs.  Miller played most of his 8th/9th Man minutes in December and January last year with key performances in wins over Century and Farmington. Nephew was in that 7th/8th Man role all of last season with a top performance scoring 13 in the Wayzata win.  The varsity time for Mohs came more and more as the season moved on last year.  All three will play key roles, and for one or two it could be a starting role.  Potentials from the JV:  The talent from the JV to watch is 6-foot-6/6-foot-7 sophomore Nolan WinterNolanWinter6'3" | SFLakeville North | 2023StateMN and 6-foot-3 forward Michael McDonaldMichaelMcDonald6'3" | SFLakeville North | 2022StateMN.  Winter, McDonald, and Mohs were the underclassmen that saw junior varsity time a season ago.  Winter had an outstanding summer showing off a gorgeous shooting touch with both Howard Pulley and with the Panthers (more so in the fall).  Nolan is considered one of the top sophomore college prospects in the state.  Also, from the younger levels comes 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Jace HernandezJaceHernandez6'7" | PFLakeville North | 2023StateMN and 6-foot-3 wing Jack Robison.  Robison is expected to be one top freshman in his class.  There are also four senior guards hoping to earn time as well (Cooper Walsh, Sam McWell, Seth Igbanugo, and Jake Rasmussen).  Final Thoughts:  The Panthers appear to be a tough team with more size this season and an improved team when it comes to skilled scoring weapons.  If the young talent is ready to handle their share of the load and last year’s reserves step into their bigger roles this is a state team.