By Tom Schardin, Staff Writer

The Prior Lake football team scored 16 unanswered points in the second half en route to a 23-6 Missota Conference win over rival Shakopee on Sept. 19.

The Lakers improved to 3-0 in the conference (3-1 overall) and will begin preparing for their showdown at No. 10 Farmington on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. The Tigers are also unbeaten in the conference and are coming off a 21-7 win over Northfield.

The big play in the Lakers' win came courtesy of Jake Bolks. The junior returned a punt 88 yards early in the third quarter.

Shakopee looked to have the Lakers' pinned inside their 5-yard line. Bolks let the punt bounce and bounce and bounce until it came to a stop. Then, in traffic, he scooped the ball up, surpising everyone and dashed down the sidelines all the way to the Sabers' 6-yard line.

The play help set up a 21-yard Laker field goal. It also helped change field position and the momentum of the game.

The Lakers dominated from that point on. They took a 16-6 lead on fullback Jake Lefnesky's 3-yard touchdown run later in the quarter and put the game away in the fourth quarter when quarterback T. J. Larson hit Jake Pieper on a 4-yard touchdown pass.

Larson connected with Dustin Evanson on a 73-yard scoring strike in the first quarter to open the scoring.

Shakopee answered with Zach McBeain scoring from one yard out in the second quarter. But the extra point was wide, so Shakopee still trailed going into halftime 7-6.

For photos of the game go to http://southwestscoreboard.smugmug.com/gallery/6013425_w2BcR#376010536_Y...