Wayzata looking to defend its football title

Wayzata's football team had a full 10 days to digest a 3-0 overtime loss to Minnetonka in the regular-season finale Oct. 21. The Trojans showed no hangover as they rolled to a 40-7 victory over Osseo in the Class 5A, Section 5 semifinals last Saturday.

"We were a little rusty coming out. You can practice all you want, but it isn't game speed," Trojans coach Brad Anderson said. "But in the second half, we improved our execution and overall I thought we played pretty well."

Wayzata gets its chance to return to state when the defending big school champs play host to Champlin Park in Friday's section final.

It's a Rebels team that lost to Osseo 43-36 in its regular-season finale, but likewise rebounded by defeating Armstrong 28-17. The Falcons had gone 6-37, but then won their last two before facing the Rebels.

But Anderson knows better than to think Champlin Park will be soft. This is the third year in a row the two teams have met in the section final. Though Wayzata has won both previous matchups, this is no time for comfort, especially when the Rebels have Brandon Marquardt. The senior running back has rushed for 1,459 yards and 20 touchdowns this season.

"Everything revolves around Marquardt who is a great, great player," Anderson said. "We're not going to stop him, but somehow we have to figure out a way to not let him take over the game, which is what he can do when given the opportunity. And sometimes when not given the opportunity, he still takes over."

In other West metro section football semifinals scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday:

• Eden Prairie continues its solid march toward the Metrodome in Class 5A, Section 6 when it plays host to Minnetonka. The undefeated Eagles -- ranked No. 1 by the Associated Press and the Star Tribune -- have really only been tested once. That came Sept. 18, when Eden Prairie fell behind 14-0 against Rosemount but rallied for a 28-21 victory.

The Eagles made five interceptions in that game and returned two for touchdowns. Want more defense? Eden Prairie has given up just 35 points since that game, and 21 of those came last week in a 30-point victory over Edina in the section semifinals.

Minnetonka enters Friday's game off a wild 31-21 win over Hopkins. The Skippers (8-2) jumped out to a 10-0 lead before roaring back with 14 points in the fourth quarter.

• In Class 4A, Section 6, third-seeded Benilde-St. Margaret's used an upset 36-14 victory over No. 2 Fridley last week to advance to the finals. And it could be another memorable matchup against top-seed Totino Grace. In an offense-fest Sept. 11, the two teams combined for 801 yards of total offense and 10 touchdowns in a 48-44 Eagles victory. Thirty-four points were scored in the fourth quarter of that one. "I'd be surprised to see that high-scoring of a game in a section final," Red Knights co-coach Pat Kreiger said. "It'd be tough to duplicate something like that."

• Yet another rematch is scheduled in Class 4A, Section 5 when top-seed Rogers takes on No. 2 St. Michael-Albertville at 6 p.m. at St. Cloud State University. You can bet Rogers will be out for some revenge; the Royals' lone defeat this season came 11-6 against the Knights on Sept. 25. Interesting tidbit: At one point, St. Michael-Albertville led 4-0 after a pair of Rogers' snapped punts went through the end zone.

• In a Class 3A matchup, top-seed Minneapolis North takes on No. 2 Holy Family in Section 5. The Fire is hoping for a second consecutive trip to state; North has not advanced since 2003. Minneapolis Washburn, meanwhile, is the No. 3 seed in Section 2 but will host No. 4 seed Waseca.

Note: Top-seed Buffalo's Class 5A, Section 8 tilt with second-seeded Brainerd is an 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday at St. John's University in Collegeville.

Brian Stensaas • 612-673-4127