As has been the case for many years, Lakeville North is at or near the top of Class 6A football. Eagan continues to inch its way close to that lofty status but couldn’t quite equal the Panthers on Friday in a matchup of top-10 teams that lived up to its billing. Sam Ripplinger had a game-clinching, 8-yard run with 3:25 remaining that capped a lengthy late drive and top-ranked Lakeville North held off the No. 6 Wildcats 36-33. Ripplinger had two rushing scores and one receiving for the Panthers, who passed for 162 yards and ran for 150. Lakeville North linebacker Reece Hunt, right, celebrates with his teammates after recovering a fumble and taking it into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of the at Lakeville North High School in Lakeville, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)Lakeville North defensive back Gavin Casey, left, makes a shoestring tackle on Eagan running back Logan Gilbertson during the first half of the at Lakeville North High School in Lakeville, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)Eagan defensive lineman Cruz Aguado-telles (90) and linebacker Gabe Jelenduring (28) celebrate after linebacker Bennett Larson recovers a Lakeville North fumble in the first half of the at Lakeville North High School in Lakeville, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)Lakeville North tight end Sebastyen Fries (11) catches a touchdown pass during the first half of the at Lakeville North High School in Lakeville, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)Lakeville North tight end Sebastyen Fries (11) dives past Eagan defensive back Aug. Bowie for a touchdown sduring the first half of the at Lakeville North High School in Lakeville, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)Eagan running back Logan Gilbertson (36) runs past Lakeville North defensive back Tony Johnson (5) and 60 yards for the first touchdown of the gameduring the first half of the at Lakeville North High School in Lakeville, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)Show Caption1 of 6Lakeville North linebacker Reece Hunt, right, celebrates with his teammates after recovering a fumble and taking it into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of the at Lakeville North High School in Lakeville, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)Buy images from this galleryExpand Up by four, Lakeville North (5-0) took over in the final minute of the third quarter after Eagan’s lone punt. Sixteen plays later, Ripplinger scored from the 8. He had 11 carries for 55 yards on the drive that had just one play go for double-digit yardage. “I knew I was gonna get pounded, but I just kept hanging in there and driving down the field,” said Ripplinger, who finished with 121 yards on 28 carries. “That’s been the calling card of our team so far this year. It’s happened every week it seems like. Offense, when they’re tested, they’re able to take seven, eight, nine minutes off the clock,” Lakeville North coach Brian Vossen said. Madden Ison scored from the 11-yard line to get the Wildcats (3-2) within three with 2:37 left, but the ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful. Logan Gilbertson ran for 116 yards and two scores for Eagan. “We’ve done some really great things this year. Tonight, our kids fought back, they didn’t roll over and die. A couple years ago an Eagan team would have done that,” Eagan coach Nick Johnson said. Vossen added: “There’s a culture and a confidence since NJ’s been there. It’s not like it’s something that just shows up when you get to high school … Ultimately, they’re trying to build a culture that we’ve been fortunate to build here.” Down 22-18 at the break, Gage Halvorson went around the right side for 30 yards on Eagan’s first drive of the third quarter, but the Panthers countered on a 1-yard run by Ripplinger for a 29-25 lead. One play earlier, Riley Grossman hooked up with Sebastyen Fries for a 32-yard reception. It was the first full game this season for Fries who’s been dealing with a hamstring issue. “He’s an amazing weapon for us,” Vossen said. Relying on a dominating rushing attack, keyed through four games by quarterback Brooklyn Evans and running back Tate Gage, the Wildcats had to do without an injured Gage. Gilbertson filled in more than adequately with a pair of first-half rushing touchdowns. Making his first career start, the junior went 60 yards on Eagan’s second offensive play to open the scoring. His 2-yard run early in the second quarter gave the Wildcats a 15-8 advantage. In between, Lakeville North nicely mixed up the run and pass to efficiently move downfield. Ripplinger caught a 1-yard pass from Grossman to finish the eight-play drive, of which half the plays went for at least 12 yards. A 10-yard perfectly lofted pass from Grossman — a four-year starter and Minnesota-Duluth commit — to a leaping Fries capped an 11-play Lakeville North drive to tie the game. Eagan fumbled three times in the first half, losing two. The second was returned 45 yards by Reece Hunt for a 22-15 Panthers’ lead barely a minute after Lakeville North tied the game. “You can’t turn the ball over and you can’t allow a defensive touchdown against the No. 1 team,” Johnson said. Seth Kolehmainen made a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to get Eagan within 22-18. 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