EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- After Eden Prairie's streak of football excellence ended one game short of 60, coach Mike Grant began thinking about the next game, the next challenge, the next streak.
"We give ourselves 10 minutes to be upset about it, and we go back to work," Grant said after the Eagles' Lake Conference winning streak was stopped at 59 games with a 34-26 loss to Lakeville on Thursday night at Eden Prairie. The Eagles had won 17 consecutive games overall.
Eden Prairie, which was hurt by turnovers and penalties Thursday, hadn't been beaten in the conference since a 1995 game against Bloomington Jefferson.
The top-ranked team in Class AAAAA remains the defending state champion and holder of four of the past seven big-school state titles. But Thursday's loss -- in which fourth-ranked Lakeville (5-0) scored 34 consecutive points -- gave Eden Prairie (4-1) incentive for what might yet come this season.
If the Eagles and Panthers qualify for the state tournament, they will meet in the opening round. Lakeville is in the same section as the Rochester teams, including unbeaten Mayo.
