Edina makes it a pattern, knocking off Eden Prairie in Class 6A high school football

Quarterback Mason West and receiver Meyer Swinney connected on four touchdown passes, and Edina repeated the success it had in the 2023 state tournament against Eden Prairie.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 7, 2024 at 4:59AM
Edina running back Chase Bjorgaard (21) and wide receiver Meyer Swinney (5) celebrate after Bjorgaard scored a touchdown against Eden Prairie in the second quarter Friday at Kuhlman Stadium in Edina, Minn. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Eden Prairie sought payback after losing to Edina in the Class 6A semifinals last November. Observers throughout the state were curious whether the Hornets could sting the Eagles again.

And how. Junior quarterback Mason West connected with senior receiver Meyer Swinney on four touchdown receptions, highlighting a 35-14 Edina victory Friday before an announced home crowd of 6,000 fans at Kuhlman Stadium.

”They played great,” Eden Prairie coach Mike Grant said. “They threw the ball as well as any high school team we’ve ever seen. Their guy made big throws in big situations.”

West “made big throws right on the money,” Grant said. “But we intercepted one early, and we thought we were on him.”

Wrong.

The showdown of No. 2 Edina and No. 3 Eden Prairie, their rankings published by the Minnesota Star Tribune, became lopsided in the second quarter.

West and Swinney set a blistering pace with two touchdowns — though their signature connection covered 52 yards to set up a 5-yard scoring pass to finish the drive. Swinney earned a cheer from the crowd that appreciated his relentless effort.

”He’s a rare breed,” West said. “There are not a lot of guys like him in Minnesota or around the country.”

Swinney returned the kind words.

”I appreciate everything about him,” Swinney said. “He trusts me, that’s the biggest thing.”

West to Swinney was a connection that lasted into the second half. They hooked up for an 85-yard touchdown and a 28-0 lead less than one minute into the third quarter. They did it again less than one minute into the fourth quarter for a 35-7 lead.

West and Swinney were aligned in matters of focus as well. After all, Edina fell one game short of a Class 6A title last season. Swinney touted his team’s practices this week. West went further back, mentioning strong summer workouts.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness, consider Grant’s view of where his team can look to improve. Running too often into Edina’s defensive front led nowhere.

”We’ll be all right,” Grant said. “Maybe we found out we need to throw it more.”

about the writer

David La Vaque

Reporter

David La Vaque is a high school sports reporter who has been the lead high school hockey writer for the Star Tribune since 2010. He is co-author of “Tourney Time,” a book about the history of Minnesota’s boys hockey state tournament published in 2020 and updated in 2024.

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