Wayzata Dominates Minnetonka with Unstoppable Running Attack

Watching Wayzata running back Antonio Ford run through the Minnetonka defense Friday night was like watching a bowling ball destroy the pins at a bowling alley.

At 5’9’’ and 200 pounds, Ford has shown all year that he can gain the extra yard, and has put his own spin on the phrase “Built Ford Tough.” His ability to wait for his blockers, as well as his ability to become a human wrecking ball gained him 194 yards rushing on 22 carries and two touchdowns against the Skippers.

“I told him that there were going to be nights when he is going to have to be the workhorse,” said Wayzata Head Coach Brad Anderson. “He was ready for it, but he will tell you, rightfully so, that our offensive line played really well.”

Field position also played a big part in the Trojan’s second-half scoring barrage. Accurate punting by Wayzata’s Nick Martin constantly kept the Skippers digging out from their own end zone. The defense also did their job in keeping the Minnetonka offense from gaining any ground.

The unstoppable rushing combination of Ford and Erik Roti—combined with a short field—allowed the Trojans to put points on the scoreboard quickly and run away with the game.

“It’s sure easy to call plays when you are calling them on their side of the 50-yard line,” said Anderson. “Momentum is a powerful thing.”

Game Recap

The first points of the game came when Minnetonka quarterback Scott Benedict snuck the ball into the end zone from a yard out. At that point the Skippers were up 7-0, but that would end up being the only time that the Skipper offense was allowed to move the ball.

The Trojans responded in the second quarter when Ford dove over the offensive line for the score. They missed the extra point, but would make it up later in the night. Minnetonka led at halftime, 7-6.

The Trojans came out of halftime rolling offensively. They pounded the ball off tackle with both Ford and Roti until they got the ball close enough for Martin to toss the ball to wide receiver Jeff Borchardt, who was running a fade route into the end zone. Roti then ran in the two-point conversion to give the Trojans a 14-7 lead.

The next Trojan points of the game also came from Martin's arm. This time he connected with wide receiver Ethan Zeidler, who caught the ball for the touchdown after it was deflected by a Skipper defender.

Then, with a two-touchdown lead, the Trojans kept at their dominant running attack as Ford ran in his second touchdown of the game from eight yards out. The score was 28-7.

But the Trojans weren’t done quite yet. The defense wanted in on the scoring fun, and defensive end Kit Snyder picked up a Skipper fumble and ran it for a 14-yard score.

Patch.com Player of the Week: Antonio Ford

This week the numbers speak for themselves. Ford had his best outing on the ground so far this year with 194 yards on 22 carries. He also got in the end zone twice. He did a great job at breaking tackles and showed quickness in attacking the hole. It also helps that the Wayzata offensive line dominated the Skipper’s front seven.

What the Trojans did well

This game was their biggest game rushing the football so far this year. A powerful one-two punch in Ford and Roti, combined with great blocking up front, had the offense slicing through the Minnetonka defense all night long.

“We just came out and played smash-mouth football,” said Martin. “We just ran behind our big guys and they cleared the way.”

They also won the field-position battle. Martin did a great job at aiming punts inside the 15-yard line, which required the Skippers to battle their way out from their own end zone. This, along with a stellar defensive effort by the Trojans, gave the Trojan offense a short field to work with in the second half.

What the Trojans need to Improve

The Trojans will need to keep improving on eliminating penalties. They proved costly in the first half of the game, killing drives that may have led to scoring opportunities.

Next Game

Thursday, October 6 at 7 p.m. against Edina at the Edina Community Center.