When Wayzata and Blaine meet later tonight for the Class 5A Football Championship, aka the Prep Bowl, they will be playing for all the marbles. Blaine is the Cinderalla of Class 5A, having knocked off Eden Prairie and Cretin-Deham Hall. Wayzata enters the game having only trailed this season for a couple of minutes.
Things to watch for / notable notes:
Blaine
- James Peterson, Bengal QB has over 2,400 passing yards and over 900 rushing yards this season.
- Nick Rusin and Mike Thai Thai have combined for more than 120 receptions and 12 touchdowns this season.
- Shannon Gerrety begins his 22nd year as a football coach at Blaine High School. This will be Shannon’s 5th year as the head coach of the Bengals. Along with his head coaching duties, Coach Gerrety will continue to coach the linebackers and coordinate the defense. Coach Gerrety’s most important mission as the head coach of the Bengals is for his team to play with class, for the boys to be good people, and for each player to create memories that will last a lifetime. Coach feels that if the Bengals accomplish those three things, they are successful. Shannon teaches physical education at Blaine and in his spare times enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife Stacy and their twin boys Shea and Sam (age 8).
Wayzata
- The Trojans have the fastest defense in the state, with some of the best defensive backs. Defensive Lineman Kevin Potas, Defensive Back Chris Meyers and the Wayzata defense have not allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points during a game. Potas has 18 sacks this year and Meyers has 8 interceptions.
- The Trojans are dressing a total of 127 players for the Prep Bowl: all 43
seniors; all 54 juniors, and 30 sophomores. Football is a no-cut sport at
Wayzata. August 2008 saw a record number of players in the program: 304 students (grades 9-12) were issued uniforms on the first day of practice. - All of Wayzata’s first-unit players are in the lineup for the Prep Bowl. The most significant recent injuries were to: (1) senior captain DB John Connelly (dislocated patella and MCL injury suffered Oct. 25); and (2) senior RB Kevin Knight (fractured hand suffered Nov. 8). Both return to the lineup this week.
- Wayzata is playing its 11th game of the year on artificial turf. The Trojans
played twice this year on grass: Aug 29 at Century (42-0) and October 10 at Burnsville (70-0). - The current seniors were freshmen when the Trojans last played in the
Metrodome in 2005. No freshmen dressed for the State Tournament in 2005. Everyone on the 2008 roster played a high school game in the Metrodome for the first time in the Nov. 15 semifinal. - Most Wayzata players have not shaved since the playoffs began on October 25. Last week the WHS student TV news ran a feature on the beards, players’ nicknames for them, and various individual problem growth areas. Plans are underway for the players to be shaved next week at the high school in a benefit event for local causes, including for Kai Wilson, a 2008 Wayzata graduate and U of M student who suffered a serious head injury in a fall earlier this year.
- After practice the day before each game, players and coaches gather in the
school cafeteria and eat a team meal that includes local merchant donations and dozens of dishes home-cooked by parents. The meal follows a motivational talk from a guest speaker. This season’s speakers have included: (1) David Gross, trial lawyer at Faegre & Benson; (2) Dan Sorenson, Target Inc., Notre Dame punter (1985-86); (3) Terry Steinbach, Oakland As and Minnesota Twins (1997-99); (4) C. Willi Myles, comedian, St. Cloud State football (1978-82); (5) Matt Blair, Minnesota Vikings (1974-85); (6) Tim Laudner, Minnesota Twins (1981-89); (7) Billy Soule, University of Minnesota; (8) Jim Ramstad, U.S. House of Representatives; (9) Wes Hamilton, Minnesota Vikings (1976-84); (10) Joe Laurinaitis, professional wrestler; (11) Mike Trewick, Wayzata HS principal, St. Cloud State (1968-70); (12) Keith Simons, University of Minnesota (1972-75). - Wayzata’s average 2008 regular season margin of victory — 36.3 points — is the largest of any Trojan team ever, besting the 28.5 points by the 8-0 team of 1951. The 2005 state championship team (7-1) outscored regular season opponents by 19.9 points per game.
- In its four-game 2008 postseason, Wayzata has outscored its opponents by 195-32, for an average margin of 30.8. The 2005 team entered the Prep Bowl with an average winning margin of 30.5 in the same four playoff games. The 2004 team entered the Prep Bowl with an average winning margin of 15.3 in the same four playoff games.
- From 1903 to 2007, in approximately 670 games played, the Trojans scored 8 or more touchdowns on six occasions. This year, between Week 3 and Week 7, the 2008 team did it three times: 9 TD vs. Armstrong on Sept. 12, 8 TD vs. Hopkins on Oct. 3, and 10 TD vs Burnsville on Oct. 10. (Wayzata’s defense scored 6 of those 27 TDs).
- Wayzata scored 54 points against Hopkins while being held scoreless in two of the four quarters. The linescore was 0-34-20-0 = 54 SCORING BURSTS IN 2008
Wayzata scored 63 points against Armstrong while being held scoreless in the first quarter. The linescore was 0-21-28-14 = 63
Six times in 2008, Wayzata scored 34 points or more in one half - In 2008, the Trojan first-unit defense has allowed a total of four (4) touchdowns. (Two of those four touchdowns came with Wayzata leading by 35 points.) In the first half at Burnsville on October 10, the Trojan first-unit defense itself scored that same number of touchdowns (4).
- Nine of Wayzata’s 12 opponents set a season low for points scored in their
game against the Trojans: Century (0), Minnetonka (7), Armstrong (7), Hopkins (20), Burnsville (0), Edina (10), Cooper (7), St. Cloud State (0), and Rosemount (10). Eight of Wayzata’s 12 opponents set a season high for points allowed in their game against the Trojans: Armstrong (63), Minneapolis North (49), Hopkins (54), Burnsville (70), Cooper (42), Champlin Park (41), St. Cloud State (38), and Rosemount (34). - In 2008, the Trojans have trailed for 5 minutes and 46 seconds of the 576
minutes played. On Nov. 15, Wayzata trailed Rosemount by 3-0 from 5:41 left in the first quarter to 11:55 left in the second quarter. - In 2008, the Trojans have had the lead for 270 of the 288 second half minutes played. On Oct.15, Wayzata was tied 10-10 with Edina from 7:10 left in the third quarter to 1:18 left in the 4th quarter.
- Most total points: 517
Most points per game: 43.1
Largest point differential per game, regular season: 36.3
Most consecutive wins in a season: 12
Largest single game score: 70 (at Burnsville Oct. 10)
Second largest single game score: 63 (vs. Armstrong Sept. 12)
Longest TD pass play: 98 yards, Kramer Berg to AJ Troup (vs. St. Cloud Tech) - Largest one game margin of victory (70); most points in a half (49); most
touchdowns in a half (7); most defensive touchdowns in a half (4).
