Eagles knock off unbeaten Minnetonka in overtime thriller

A roar emanating from Aerie Stadium in Eden Prairie was loud enough to echo across the southwest metro, and be heard all the way to Minnetonka on Friday night.

The sound reverberated as players, students, parents and fans rushed onto the field for a long-awaited celebration.

The Eden Prairie Eagles had delivered an improbable 21-20 overtime victory over previously unbeaten Minnetonka. 

Senior running back Jeremy Fredericks’ touchdown from two yards out in the first overtime period, followed by Zac Weismann’s all-important extra point, put the dramatic finishing touches on a much-needed win for the Eagles.

“Everybody was saying, even in our own school, they’re saying, ‘What happened to Eden Prairie?’” Fredericks said after the game. 

The senior running back was exhausted, having rushed for 105 yards on 25 carries in the game.

“This is our statement game; that we’re still Eden Prairie no matter what,” he said.

Eden Prairie has been uncharacteristically struggling this season. Following an undefeated regular season and a trip to the state semifinals in 2023, the Eagles suffered losses to Edina, Shakopee and Wayzata and were coming off a two-game skid before they clashed with No. 3 Minnetonka. 

Many were beginning to question if the shine on this perennial power might be losing some of its luster. But the noise from the doubters was drowned out by the eruption of cheers as Weismann’s kick sealed the victory over the Skippers.

“We’re a champion program. And, yeah, we didn’t know if three losses would knock us out,” Eagles head coach Mike Grant said afterward. “But, even tonight, things didn’t go well at times, and we didn’t get knocked out because that’s what champions do. And so that’s what I’m proud of.”

Starting fast

The Eagles jumped out to an early lead on their first offensive series. Junior quarterback Jackson Bakkum connected with senior running back Elijah Rumph on a short pass in the flat. Rumph found an opening, racing down the far sideline 65 yards for an early touchdown.

It was Rumph’s only reception of the night, but he made it count, giving the Eagles a 7-0 lead with just 1:44 elapsed in the first quarter.

“Our blockers gave me great things,” Rumph said, making a promise to the offensive line after the win, “I’m getting them all donuts tomorrow, all the donuts are on me.”

Minnetonka answered on their next two offensive series, covering 55 yards in eight plays and tying the score with Chase Conrad’s three-yard run with 5:32 left in the first quarter.

The Skippers scored again as the second quarter began, taking advantage of a short field following an interception. Conrad punched in from eight yards out on the first play of the quarter, giving Minnetonka a 14-7 lead.

“Minnetonka is a great team,” Grant said. “We could have given up, but the kids refused to die, and that’s what champions do.”

The Skippers’ second touchdown would be their last points in regulation, as the Eden Prairie defense played its best game of the season so far, holding Minnetonka to 263 yards of total offense.

But more importantly, the Eagles came away with key stops at critical moments, while forcing turnovers throughout the rest of the contest.

“We started slow, and we figured it out as it went,” linebacker James Anderson said. “They just didn’t really have a response for it. And, that’s all you can ask for.”

Anderson, along with Erik Anderson, made a key sack on fourth down at the Eden Prairie 20-yard line late in the second quarter.

James Anderson and Aaron Kroese each led the Eagles’ defense with nine tackles.

“Fourth down stops and turnovers, that’s how champion teams win,” Grant said. “This was a state championship caliber game. That’s what it was like.”

At the half, the Eagles trailed 14-7.

Second half momentum

“We just played with heart,” linebacker Matthew Ivey said. “We weren’t winning in the first quarter, but we came out and we came out of halftime with energy, and we got the win.”

Ivey broke his hand prior to the game with Shakopee and has been playing with a cast for the past three games.

“It’s all right,” Ivey said, referring to his hand. “I got it in a hard cast, so it’s OK. It hurts, but pain is part of the game.”

On the first series of the second half, the Eagles defense forced Minnetonka to turn the ball over on downs, stopping the Skippers on the Eden Prairie 33-yard line.

The Eagles stalled on the following offensive series, turning the ball over on downs as well, giving Minnetonka a first-and-10 at the Eden Prairie 41-yard line.

But the Eden Prairie defense stepped up once more when linebacker Isaiah Hazecamp forced a fumble, recovered by defensive back Max Kukla.

“Every time we got off the field, every time we got to stop, that momentum just kind of grew and grew,” Kukla said. “We knew we could stop them. We just gained confidence every single time we got a stop, got a few fumbles at the end that really got the energy going. And honestly, it was amazing.”

The Eagles’ offense couldn’t capitalize on the takeaway, but on their next series, Rumph broke loose once more, romping 25 yards for a touchdown to tie the game 14-14 with 3:50 remaining in the fourth quarter.

“We were relentless,” Rumph said. “We don’t care if they know we’re about to run, we’re just going to execute it as perfectly as we can.” 

The Eagles generated 320 yards of total offense, with 239 yards on the ground. 

On the following series, the Eden Prairie defense forced another fumble, recovered by Blake Bidwell, but the offense couldn’t convert, as Weismann missed a 20-yard field goal attempt.

The defense stopped Minnetonka on the final series, sending the game into overtime.

Dramatic finish

High school overtime rules are similar to those in college football, with each team getting possession at the 10-yard line with four downs to score.

Minnetonka had the first offensive possession and found the end zone with a six-yard run by Caleb Francois.

But the extra-point attempt failed, leaving the door open for the Eagles.

“That overtime series going in, we were fired up,” Fredericks said. “We knew that we were going to score, as soon as they missed the extra point, we knew it was over.”

Fredericks ran for eight yards on the first play from scrimmage in Eden Prairie’s overtime series.

The Eagles faced second-and-goal from the 2-yard line when Fredericks plunged in for the touchdown.

Weismann’s extra point sailed through the uprights, and the stadium erupted. Eden Prairie had knocked off the state’s third-ranked team, handing Minnetonka its first loss of the season.

“Honestly, it was the most fun game of my entire life,” Kukla said. “Just the ups, the downs, it was just such a roller coaster, and obviously it turned out in our favor, but such an exciting game the entire time.”

After the initial celebration, the team gathered on the field, as they do following every game, to receive a parting message from the head coach.

“This is a game you’re going to remember for the rest of your life,” Grant told his players. “It was a great win. How many people have given up on us? Everybody.”

Tears began to flow from the coach who has won 11 state championships at Eden Prairie. 

“I always tell people, you gotta knock a champion out,” Grant continued. “You gotta knock us out. We’re still Eden Prairie football. We’re going to be that way the rest of the year.”

After the meeting, friends and family entered the field to congratulate players and take photos under the glow of the lights.

The field was still filled with Eden Prairie faithful when the PA announcer provided an advisory message, indicating the stadium lights would be turned off in five minutes. 

But many stayed, savoring the win for as long as they could.

“We had a great week, an enthusiastic week of practice, and they came out and played great.” Grant reflected. “And we’ve got so many young guys, they’ve got to learn how to win these games at the varsity level.

“So that’s what I’m proud of.”