Wayzata Football Beats Edina, Stays Undefeated

If you came to the football game on Thursday night looking for pretty, you might have found it in the halftime show but not when the pigskin was flying. Watching the Wayzata football team win their second Lake Conference game was like watching a coal miner go to work, dirty at times, but getting the job done. 

“We played with a lot of effort,” said Wayzata Head Coach Brad Anderson. “But I don’t know that we played with a lot of emotion.”

The Trojans took what the Hornets gave them. Edina spent most of the game stuffing the box in an attempt to stop the Wayzata rushing attack, so the Trojans turned to the air—launching an aerial assault led by quarterback Nick Martin and wide receiver Ethan Zeidler. The combo burned Edina for two touchdowns and in the process cemented Wayzata as the team to beat in the Lake Conference.

“Whatever the other team forces us to do offensively, we’ll do it,” said Anderson. “We are comfortable with that.”

But the Trojans didn’t just rely on the pass. They also enjoyed spotty success when running the football. The Wayzata backfield ran for a combined 143 yards, which was a monster game when compared to the Hornets rushing attack, which ended the game with -18 yards on the ground.

Game Recap

The scoring started in the first quarter when Martin connected with Zeidler for a 14-yard touchdown pass. The Trojans led 7-0.

Zeidler later caught another touchdown pass from Martin in the second quarter to double the Wayzata lead, 14-0.

Then, with less than two minutes to go in the first half, Martin led the Trojans down the field, capping it off with a 13-yard touchdown scamper. Wayzata went into halftime with the lead, 21-0.

At the beginning of the second half, the Trojan running game began to come to life. Wayzata running back Antonio Ford ran the ball into the end zone from nine yards out to extend the lead to four touchdowns, 28-0.

Edina scored their first points in the fourth quarter when quarterback Mark Handberg connected with wide receiver Marley Allison for six. They missed the extra point.

Patch.com Player of the Game: The Wayzata Defense

Edina tried to outrun a defense that relies on speed and athleticism. It didn’t work. The Trojans looked well versed on the Hornet offense, sniffing out everything they wanted to do with the football. The Wayzata defense not only stopped the Edina rushing game, they pushed them back for negative yardage. The Hornets ended the game with -18 yards on the ground.

The Trojan defense also played well against the pass throughout most of the game. They put constant pressure on the quarterback, and forced him to make decisions before he wanted to. But the biggest stat of the game was the scoreboard. The Trojans held the Hornets to six points. If they can do that the rest of the year, they will be in good shape.

What the Trojans did well…

Their defense played well, and without considerable emotion, the team proved they could go to work and get a win. Different players also made big plays in the win, which is important in building depth before the playoffs.

The Trojans also proved they can beat a defense with the run, as well as with the pass. If they can continue to take what the defense gives them, they will be hard to stop in the post-season.

What the Trojans need to improve…

Special teams' play still plagues the Trojans. They will need to shore up the botched punt and kick returning soon before it loses them the game. When they get into tight matchups with teams like Eden Prairie later in the season, turnovers will make or break the game.

Next Game

Friday, Oct. 14 at Hopkins. Game starts at 7 p.m.