Wayzata Rolls Over Osseo in Section Championship

The Trojans thumped the Orioles on Friday night in the section championship, 30-7. It’s the third year in a row that Wayzata has ended Osseo’s season. It’s also the fifth year in a row that the Trojans have advanced to the state tournament, making them 5-for-5 since they first started in section five in 2007.

“Anything can happen once,” Wayzata Head Coach Brad Anderson said. “You get it this many times and it speaks to the quality of the coaches and the players.”

The Wayzata defense was especially dominant on Friday night. They shut down the Orioles, sniffing out the Osseo offense like a pack of hound dogs. And they did it without one of their biggest defensive playmakers, linebacker Ryan Poppitz.  

“To lose Ryan Poppitz and then come back and shut a team out with those kinds of offensive weapons,” Anderson said. “You can’t get any better.”

Game Recap

The Orioles struck first when Osseo running back Bridgeport Tusler found a lot of room to maneuver while returning a Trojan punt. He shifted his way through and around defenders, eventually finding an alley down the sideline to finish an 80-yard run with six points.

Osseo may have struck first, but Wayzata dominated the rest of the matchup.

In the second quarter the Trojans exploited the Orioles defensive backfield by throwing the football. Quarterback Nick Martin threw up a lofty ball to wide receiver Jeff Borchardt, who was streaking down the sideline, and connected for a 52-yard touchdown to tie the game.

Wayzata’s next points came when Osseo snapped the ball past their punter and out of the end zone, resulting in a safety to put the Trojans ahead 9-7.

Martin showed more deadly accuracy in the passing game by throwing touchdown passes to both Jeff Borchardt and Ethan Zeidler to extend the lead to 23-7 at the half.

The second half proved to be more of a defensive battle, with both teams having to punt the football numerous times.

Wayzata struck again in the fourth quarter, however, with running back Antonio Ford taking the ball into the end zone from 11 yards out. Ford ended the night with 31 carries for 195 yards.

Patch.com Player of the Game: Nick Martin, Wayzata Quarterback

Big, post-season games are when a team’s quarterback is meant to shine. Martin did just that.

Most of the offense was generated on the ground on Friday night, but when the Trojans needed to pass the football, Martin threw the ball with impeccable accuracy and poise. He hooked up with Borchardt and Zeidler for touchdown passes of 52, 37 and 26 yards. It sparked the team and put Osseo in a hole at halftime.

And he wasn’t just good under center. He also used his leg to pin the Orioles within their 10-yard line twice, kicking two punts over 50 yards.

What the Trojans Did Well

Wayzata did a great job executing an aggressive offensive game plan by pounding running back Antonio Ford and taking big shots down the field for points. The Trojans have proven throughout the year that they have the ability to use the run and the pass to beat an opponent. The ability to beat a defense in different ways will be a big advantage going into the Trojans’ fifth straight state tournament appearance. 

What the Trojans Need to Improve

One of the biggest mistakes made by the Trojans in the game on Friday was on special teams. They made the mistake of giving Osseo’s biggest game-breaking player—running back Bridgeport Tusler—too much room to move on a punt in the first quarter. He made them pay with an 80-yard touchdown run. The Trojans will have to shore up mistakes on special teams. One big play on special teams could send a team home early this late in the post-season.

Next Game

Saturday, November 12 at St. Cloud State University against Moorhead. The game will start at 8 p.m.