GP Football

It's been another grand season for football around the metro, with a number of surprise teams breaking through to find success this season and join those tried and true programs that find themselves at or near the top of the mountain year after year. On the gridiron itself, a number of St. Paul area players have stood out, helping their squads stake their place this season. Here's a look at just a few of them. Mike Hartwell, Lakeville North Hartwell, a senior quarterback for the Panthers, is one of the top passers in the metro. The 6-foot-2 passer compiled over 1,200 yards passing and 15 touchdowns during the 2008 regular season to lead the Lake Conference. He has spread around the ball well as three Panther receivers have tallied at least 30 catches each. With Hartwell taking the snaps, Lakeville North has far surpassed the passing offenses of their circuit rivals. Steve Johnson, Mahtomedi Johnson, a senior running back for the Zephyrs, was the leading rusher in the Classic Suburban Conference by more than 500 yards and was also the league's top scorer in the regular season. With 17 touchdowns and in excess of 1,300 yards gained on the ground, the ground-churning Johnson was the main offensive force in the Classic Suburban this fall. Ernest Dorsett, Woodbury Dorsett, is one of Woodbury's two top options out of the backfield, as well as the most feared kick returner in the Suburban East Conference. A member of the Class AA champion 4x400-meter relay team last spring, Dorsett rushed for nearly 6.5 yards per carry in 2008, while averaging near 37 yards per kick return with one score and one other called back on a penalty. Eric McKay, Mounds View McKay, a senior running back, led the Suburban East in scoring, while running for more than 600 yards this autumn as part of the Mustangs two-pronged attack out of the backfield. The rushers on-field exploits helped keep Mounds View in the hunt for conference, section and state laurels as part of the No. 2-ranked rushing offense in the SEC. Avery Duncan, St. Bernard's Duncan is the main offensive cog for the Bulldogs, amassing rushing totals that had him atop the Tri-Metro Conference in a pair of categories. The senior rushed for more than 20 touchdowns and 1,400 yards to lead his league as he helped keep St. Bernard's in the Tri-Metro title hunt until the last day of the regular season. Terrence Williams, St. Paul Como Park Williams, a running back for the Cougars, solidified his status as one of the top players in the Saint Paul City Conference and the main scoring option for his team despite being just a sophomore. The 5-foot-10 Williams led the City in scoring while rushing for more than 700 yards on the year. The good news for Cougars fans is that he should be donning the yellow and black for two more seasons after this. Mark Alt, Cretin-Derham Hall The Raiders quarterback took over for John Nance this season and helped keep Cretin atop the Suburban East Conference despite an injury that kept running back Marcus Binns out for an extended stretch. Alt, a junior, led the SEC in passing yardage by a wide margin this fall and was among the league leaders in touchdowns thrown on the top offense in the conference.