Panthers win Battle of the Big Cats

2012 Section 1AA Runner-Ups (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The public address announcer at Tuesday night's Lakeville North-Farmington Section 1AA title game at Panther Stadium welcomed fans from both teams to "The Battle of the Big Cats".

Turned out he was spot on as the top-seeded Panthers scratched and clawed their way to a hard-fought 2-0 win over a scrappy Tiger team that kept the state's top-ranked side off the scoreboard for the game's first 53-plus minutes.

Tiger coach Rob Carpentier said the contest was much different from when the teams met during the regular season when the Panthers scored a 3-0 victory.

"We were much better tonight," he said, "but so were they. They are playing at such a level right now. If they keep playing that way in the state tournament, they will win it."

North (16-1-2) controlled the clock most of the first half but some feisty defense, a friendly crossbar and a couple of diving saves by keeper Ashley Becker sent the teams to the halftime break deadlocked in a scoreless tie.

Ashley Becker makes a big save (photo by Jim Lindquist)

"I think playing a team like North under these circumstances causes you to do some things you don't normally do," Carpentier said. "We had some things open to us in the first half that we didn't capitalize on...but give credit to the other team. They played very, very well."

The Panthers finally broke through at 13:46 of the second period when Kendall Naatjes headed in a perfectly-placed corner kick by Hannah Cade.

The Panther lead stayed at a goal until 13:02 remained in regulation when after Farmington's best offensive rush of the night came up empty, they got the ball to all-state forward Simone Kolnader who scored on a nifty one-on-one move from 15 yards out.

One of the highlights of the night was the game-within-a-game between Kolander and Tiger defender Izzie Ferm who shadowed each other from end-to-end with both players showcasing their considerable talents.

The contest was a also a highly physical affair, one that Carpentier said he expected.

"We are a physical team; they are a physical team," he said. "It might have gotten amped up a little more because of what was at stake."

Izzie Ferm and North's Simone Kolander battle for a loose ball (photo by Jim Lindquist)

 The Tiger coach said he is never satisfied with losing but took heart in to whom and where his team ended its season.

"Step by step the girls met their goals all year long," he said. "Tonight's game was definitely between the two best teams in the section.

"This is the best team I've coached and I have had some good ones, here and elsewhere. I couldn't be prouder of these girls."

Farmington finished its best-ever season with a record of 12-5-2.