The Lakeville South Cougars and the East Ridge Raptors will square off in a David vs. Goliath matchup in the first round of the 2023 Minnesota High School Football Playoffs on Thursday, November 9th at 7:00pm ET at Park Center High School in East Ridge, Minnesota.

The Cougars enter the playoffs as the 19th ranked team in Minnesota and the 3rd ranked team in the Class AAAAAA division. They are coming off a dominant regular season, having won 9 of their 10 games. They are led by a balanced offense that averages 37.3 points per game and a stout defense that allows just 19.9 points per game.

The Raptors enter the playoffs as the 67th ranked team in Minnesota and the 14th ranked team in the Class AAAAAA division. They are coming off a challenging regular season, having lost 6 of their 10 games. However, they have a dangerous offense that averages 24.8 points per game, led by quarterback Charlie Bern and running back Brody Anderson.

This matchup is sure to be a mismatch, as the Cougars are the clear favorites. However, the Raptors are a dangerous team, and they could pull off the upset if they play their best game of the season.

The Cougars will need to be able to contain the Raptors’ running game and force their quarterback to beat them with his arm. They will also need to be able to capitalize on turnovers and score points in the red zone.

The Raptors will need to be able to score points early and often, and they will need to be able to force the Cougars’ offense into mistakes. They will also need to be able to play mistake-free football on defense.

This game is sure to be a one-sided affair, but it could still be a competitive game. The Cougars are the clear favorites, but the Raptors have the potential to pull off the upset.

Fans can watch this must-watch game on the NFHS Network on their smartphones, tablets, computers, and connected devices.