In this week’s CCX Sports Spotlight, John Jacobson profiles Wayzata boys’ soccer standout Charlie Piller. The senior midfielder is key player on an unbeaten 7-0-1 Trojans’ team that is currently ranked first in the state in Class AAA. Piller leads Wayzata in assists with seven and has also scored three goals. Piller was on the Trojans’ team last year that won the Class AAA state championship and is hoping that he and his teammates can win the title again this year. After high school, Piller hopes to play college soccer at the Division I level.
Tag: Sports
-
Good day, sports fans! It will be a crisp, autumn Friday night here in our beloved town, and that means one thing – high school football is back in action! Tonight, under the bright lights of Wayzata’s very own Trojan Stadium, we’re in for a classic matchup that’s sure to get your heart pounding and your adrenaline rushing. It’s the Battle for the Bay Bell as Wayzata Football (0-1) takes on Tonka Football (1-0) in a showdown that’s been circled on the calendar since last season.
Last week, Minnetonka made quite the statement, trouncing White Bear Lake with a convincing 38-7 victory. Their star quarterback, Milos Spasojevic, was nothing short of spectacular, completing 10 passes on 15 attempts for 145 yards and an impressive 4 touchdowns. But that’s not all, folks – he also showed off his wheels, rushing for 38 yards on just 4 carries, adding another touchdown to his stat sheet. The Minnetonka offense was firing on all cylinders, and it’s safe to say they’re coming into this game with some serious momentum.
On the other side of the field, the Wayzata Trojans might’ve had a tough start to the season, falling short against Lakeville South. But don’t count them out just yet. Quarterback Cole Heilbrun showed his mettle, completing 16 passes on 32 attempts for a whopping 233 yards and 2 touchdowns. He’s got a cannon for an arm, and if he finds his rhythm early in this matchup, the Tonka defense will have their work cut out for them.
Trojan QB Cole Heilbrun. Image courtesy Wayzata Football. But wait, there’s more to the Trojans than meets the eye! Wayzata’s rushing game, led by Omar Madkour with 13 attempts for 44 yards and Owen Winston, who carried the ball 13 times for 52 yards, can’t be ignored. They bring a ground-and-pound style that could keep the Tonka defense on their toes.
In the receiving department, Wayzata has some firepower of their own. Tony Ley has been a standout, hauling in 5 receptions for an impressive 114 yards and finding the end zone once. Andrew Stokes has been a reliable target as well, with 5 receptions for 50 yards. And don’t forget about Tyler Milkes, who may have just one reception, but it was a critical one for a touchdown, showing that he’s a big-play threat.
Now, the real question on everyone’s mind is, who will take home the Bay Bell trophy tonight? It’s not just a football game; it’s a tradition, a symbol of pride, and bragging rights for the entire year. These two teams, separated by only a few miles, have a long-standing rivalry that has produced countless unforgettable moments.
Minnetonka comes into this contest as the favorites, with a win already under their belts this season. But in high school football, anything can happen under the Friday night lights, and Wayzata will be fighting tooth and nail to defend their home turf and snatch that Bell away from Tonka.
Image courtesy Wayzata Trojans twitter. So, grab your hot cocoa, bundle up in your Trojan or Skippers gear, and head on down to Trojan Stadium because this Battle for the Bay Bell is about to go down in the history books! It’s a clash of titans, a classic rivalry, and a game that’s sure to have the whole town talking for weeks to come. Kickoff is just around the corner, and you won’t want to miss a single moment of the action. Stay tuned, folks – high school football at its finest is about to unfold right here in Wayzata!
-
The Wayzata swimming and diving team lost sixteen seniors from a team that finished third in state in Class AA last year, but the Trojans are working hard again this Fall to stay near the top.
Wayzata returns back a few state-contributors from last year in Geneva Fackler, Linnea Kallebo, Lucy Troyak, Emily Alberts, and Ashley Mouyenga. The Trojans host Eden Prairie in a dual meet Thursday in Plymouth.
-
“The Wayzata boys soccer team is hoping to stay at the top after winning the state class AAA title last season, the fourth championship in program history. The Trojans have to replace standout scorers Mike Orlov and Joe Highfield and others lost to graduation, but they do return five starters. Midfield will be a position of strength for Wayzata, with most of that crew returning from the championship team.” From CCX Media.
-
The Wayzata boys tennis team completed an outstanding season with a 5-2 win over Rochester Mayo in the state class AA championship match. The Trojans swept the singles matches on the way to the win. Wayzata finished undefeated against Minnesota teams this spring, with their only loss to a team from Illinois. It’s the fifth state title in program history for the Trojans. From CCX Media.
-
“The Wayzata girls lacrosse team stayed unbeaten this season with a dominant 17-5 win over Breck Wednesday. The Trojans built a 10-2 halftime lead, with Katie Sikorski scoring five goals and Risa Bumgardner three in the opening half. Petra Lyon scored all five goals for Breck. Wayzata is now 5-0 this season.” From CCX Media.
-
“The Wayzata baseball team has an experienced group heading into the 2023 season as they look to bounce back from a subpar season a year ago. The Trojans return 12 players and several key starters from a team that had some ups and downs in a 10-13 season in 2022. A deep and talented pitching staff should lead the way this spring. The Trojans also have two players from the school’s state championship boys basketball team.” From CCX Media.
-
Unconfirmed reports of shots being fired as well as large / multiple fights that occurred during and after halftime of the MSHSL 4A Championship left attendees of the game rattled on Saturday night. Amy Parnell, the spokesperson for Wayzata Public Schools indicated via email no Wayzata students were directly involved in the altercations.
See also: Wayzata wins Class 4A State Championship over Park Center 75-71 in overtime.
New video and reports raise questions about how many sections of the Target Center concourse were impacted by fighting, how many people it affected, and what security measures were in place by the MSHSL and it’s vendors. This new video has been provided to Wayzata.com; it reportedly has been widely circulated within the Wayzata student population.
Submitted video provided to Wayzata.com of the incident. This WCCO story shows two fights that occurred, one in the concourse reportedly in section 121 and another outside as fans exited Target Center. Other eyewitness reports reported fighting near sections 131 and 138, raising questions if the fight involved half of the Target Center concourse.
Minneapolis Police responded to possible shots fired at 8:53pm, approximately halftime of the game between Park Center and Wayzata:
Crime Watch Minneapolis reports the fight is located in section 121 of Target Center.
Your publisher sitting in section 131 saw evidence of the fight spilling into his section, which appears to be 6 sections away from 121:
Wayzata Public Schools spokes person Amy Parnell indicted via email that “no Wayzata students were involved in the altercation.”
Stay tuned to Wayzata.com on this evolving story.
-
@MSHSL One thing was certain even before the tip to start the Class AAAA Boys Basketball Championship Game between top-seeded Park Center and No. 3 Wayzata late Saturday, March 25 at Target Center: One team was going to win a second big-school title within the past three seasons. Through the ebbs and flows that come with championship-level basketball, it was too close to call as the margin between the two powers was razor thin.
One team would build a lead, but it was short-lived. Trading leads was the norm during a Championship Saturday when close title games spanned the day.
Things were so tight in the Class AAAA championship game that bonus basketball was required. That’s when Wayzata made its move.
Junior post Jackson McAndrew scored eight of the Trojans’ nine points in overtime to send Wayzata to a 75-71 victory over Park Center in the final game of the five-day Minnesota State High School League Boys Basketball State Tournament at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. The Trojans’ victory was two-fold: In dethroning the Pirates, it brought a measure of revenge for losing to Park Center in the Class AAAA championship game in 2022. It also sent the Trojans back to the winners circle for the first time since winning it all in 2021. Prior to that, Wayzata’s only boys basketball championship game in 1959 when there was a one-class state tournament format.
After not being able to determine a winner over 36 minutes of regulation time, the teams were tied at 66-all.
McAndrew set the tone for the Trojans (27-4) with the first points of the overtime, which resulted in a three-point play. Just more than a minute later, he had a jaw-dropping dribble drive that began at midcourt and finished with a reverse layup. Later, a single free throw by senior guard Hayden Tibbits with 34.7 seconds remaining gave Wayzata the 75-71 advantage.
McAndrew finished with 25 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Tibbits, Wayzata’s spark plug on both sides of the court, had 18 points and five assists.
Senior guard CJ O’Hara was a major force for the Pirates (28-3) with 21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals in the game that was played at a frenetic pace. Junior guard Casmir Chavis added 16 points and four assists.
From MSHSL staff.
You must be logged in to post a comment.