Your Wayzata Football team pulled off a thrilling 28-21 victory over the Eden Prairie Eagles in a hard-fought Lake Conference showdown on Friday night, bringing both squads to a 2-3 record on the season. In a game filled with explosive plays and momentum swings, the Trojans proved they are a team to be reckoned with as they continue to battle through one of the toughest schedules in Class 6A.
Eden Prairie wasted no time making a statement, jumping on the board early with a jaw-dropping pick-six by James Anderson, who snatched a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown at 8:50 in the first quarter. Zac Weismann’s extra point made it 7-0 Eagles.
But Wayzata didn’t flinch. Quarterback Oscar Shoap led the Trojans down the field, connecting with Tony Lay for a clutch reception that put the Trojans deep in the red zone. Shoap finished off the drive himself, diving into the end zone on a keeper to knot the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter.
The Trojans kept the pressure on. With 3:37 left in the first half, Nate Negash nailed a 25-yard field goal to give Wayzata a 10-7 lead. But Eden Prairie wasn’t about to let them run away with it. Less than two minutes later, the Eagles’ Elijah Rumph broke loose for a stunning 56-yard touchdown run, swinging the lead back to Eden Prairie at 14-10 with 2:13 left in the second quarter.
Wayzata, refusing to back down, engineered a masterful two-minute drill. Negash came up clutch again, drilling a 28-yard field goal as the first half expired to trim the Eagles’ lead to 14-13.
The second half kicked off with Eden Prairie once again flexing their muscle, as Gavin Waldon punched in a 6-yard touchdown on 4th and 5, putting the Eagles up 21-13. But the Trojans had an answer—and what an answer it was. Shoap found Tony Lay for a 78-yard touchdown bomb that had the Wayzata sideline erupting. Although the two-point conversion failed, the Trojans were back in it at 21-19.
Then came the moment every Trojans fan had been waiting for. With 5:41 left in the game, Shoap capped off a gutsy drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. This time, Oscar Winston converted the two-point attempt, giving Wayzata a 28-21 lead and putting the pressure squarely on the Eagles.
Eden Prairie had one last chance to tie it up, but the Wayzata defense was having none of it. They held firm, forcing a turnover on downs late in the fourth quarter to seal the deal and celebrate a massive win over legendary coach Mike Grant’s Eagles on their home turf.
“This is a huge win for us,” said Wayzata head coach Lambert Brown. “Our guys fought all night, and we’re getting better every week. I’m proud of the way they responded.”
With the win, the Trojans move to 2-3 on the season and will look to carry this momentum into their next Lake Conference battle. For now, they’ll savor a victory that shows they belong with the best in the state.
Final score: Wayzata 28, Eden Prairie 21.
Wayzata Football (2-3) travels to Prior Lake (1-4) next Friday, October 4th at 7:30 pm.
