Wayzata football team meets Edina

There are critical junctures in a high school football season that can set the tone for a winning year.

Wayzata has a game of that magnitude when it hosts Edina at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, at Wayzata High Stadium. The Trojans enter that game with a 1-2 record while Edina is sitting at 2-1.

In the Edina-Wayzata game last season, the Trojans traveled to Edina and won 24-21. That win could have put the Trojans on the path to a winning season, but instead the loss awakened Edina, which went 9-4 overall and made it all the way to the Prep Bowl in Class 6A before losing to Centennial 28-27. Meanwhile, the Trojans, who were hampered by injuries, finished 2-7.

Wayzata already has one quality win this season - 17-14 over Lakeville South in the season opener. The last two weeks brought competitive games, but the Trojans fell short 28-14 against Minnetonka and 17-7 against Shakopee.

Edina comes to town with one of the best passers in the state, 6-6, 210-pound junior Mason West. Last season West threw for 2,625 yards and 28 touchdowns. His leading receiver, senior Meyer Swinney, is back from last season. Earlier this year, Swinney caught four touchdown passes and amassed 202 yards in a 35-14 victory over Eden Prairie. The Hornets are coming off a 35-28 loss Sept. 12 at Minnetonka.

Even though Edina has a better record than Wayzata so far, Edina head coach Jason Potts is wary of the Trojans and their need to get back to the .500 mark.

“We know that [Wayzata coach] Lambert Brown will have a good game plan,” coach Potts said. “He is a great motivator with a good offensive scheme, and we know that he will have his kids playing hard. Lambert has already won a state championship, which makes him a made man.”

Potts watched his Hornets throw for three touchdowns last week. And West was good for 273 yards.

Wayzata’s challenge will be keeping West and his receivers under control. The Trojans have an experienced secondary led by captain Cooper Cleaveland. Linebackers Kyle Boutwell and Aidan Fartaczek lead a crew of capable tacklers.

In the Trojans’ loss to Shakopee Sept. 12, the only touchdown was scored by senior Caden Wong on a 6-yard run. Nate Negash booted the extra point.

Two Wayzata quarterbacks - senior Oscar Shoap and junior Matthew Berkland - have shared duties so far. Contributing as a running back along with Wong is senior Owen Winston. When the Trojans go to the air, the quarterbacks can look to senior captain Tony Ley and junior Sam Booh.