Author: Steve Mulholland

A cloud of uncertainty has followed the Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) boys basketball team since their head coach, David Flom, was suspended on Dec. 8. The school district suspended Flom pending an investigation into a complaint about his use of inappropriate language during a classroom session with the team on Dec. 7. Flom, who was honored as “Coach of the Year” by the National High School Basketball Coaches’ Association in 2020, had been at the helm of the boys basketball program since 2010. The situation remains unresolved, leading individuals close to the program to speculate on Flom’s future as…

“That was a great game,” Eden Prairie girls basketball coach Ellen Wiese said, as she looked at an iPad containing stats from her sixth-ranked Eagles showdown with second-ranked and undefeated St. Michael-Albertville Friday. “That should have meant more than one conference game, that’s for sure,” she added. “I don’t care what you see at the state tournament, it’s gonna be hard pressed to be that good.” It was the Eagles’ fourth game in the past five days. They began the week with a victory over Mahtomedi on Monday at the MLK Classic, played at St. Catherine University; followed by wins…

It was Teacher Appreciation Night for the Eden Prairie boys hockey team, ahead of their home game with Mahtomedi on Wednesday. Before the puck dropped, each player on the team had an opportunity to honor the teacher they most admire for the occasion. The large representation of teachers – 21 in total for Wednesday’s ceremony – is a testament to the offering of outstanding instructors at Eden Prairie High School (EPHS). In most teacher appreciation ceremonies, teachers are asked by one or perhaps two students to join them to be recognized and have their photo taken to mark the moment.…

Before their Wednesday game with Mahtomedi, the Eden Prairie boys hockey team entered their locker room to see the day’s message on the whiteboard: “Grit over skill.” There is no mistaking the skill that resides up and down the Eagles’ young lineup. But in recent weeks, the team has struggled to get out to quick starts and has had a difficult time finishing games. Coming into Wednesday’s showdown with the Zephyrs at Eden Prairie Community Center, Eden Prairie had two season hurdles to overcome: they had been in four overtime games without picking up a victory, and they had yet…

What a difference a day made for the Eden Prairie Eagles boys basketball team. Coming off their third defeat in a row – a 75-50 loss to Buffalo on their home court Tuesday night – the Eagles received some last-second heroics from guard Luke Rapp to knock off Prior Lake. Trailing 62-60 with seconds remaining, the senior brought the ball across mid-court and launched an off-balance shot from well behind the three-point arc as time expired. The ball bounced on the rim several times before falling through, giving the Eagles a dramatic 63-62 victory. Rapp led all scorers with 20…

Coming off a pair of disappointing losses to No. 3 Hopkins on Friday and No. 2 Lakeville North on Saturday, the fourth-ranked Eden Prairie boys basketball team was hoping to get back on track against Lake Conference foe Buffalo Tuesday night. Unfortunately, the Bison had other plans. “It was a tough one, a tough loss,” Eagles interim head coach Trevor Mbakwe said. ”You never want to lose a home game especially against a conference opponent, but Buffalo, my hat’s off to them. They came ready to play.” Buffalo has been off the radar to this point in the season. Despite…

Eleven days before Christmas, Ellen Wiese was busy tying up loose ends after her Eden Prairie girls basketball team defeated Roseville 63-59 on the Eagles’ home court. After she checked the game stats and spoke to her team, she bid goodnight to the dedicated folks at the scorers table. “I remember because our table people were like, “We’ll see you on January 20,” and I’m like, “‘Oh my gosh, yeah,’” the head coach recalls. “We have definitely been the road warriors.” Jump ahead to Monday night, when the Eagles began their busiest week of the season with their first of…

Eden Prairie boys basketball interim head coach Trevor Mbakwe stood on the floor of the nearly empty gymnasium at Eden Prairie High School on Friday night, shortly after his team’s hard-fought battle with third-ranked Hopkins. Moments before, the arena was near capacity with EP faithful, who cheered the fifth-ranked Eagles as they traded blows with one of the state’s perennial powers. “That was a big game and we had a big crowd,” Mbakwe said. Eden Prairie entered the contest as winners of five straight games, most recently the 90-81 victors over out-state power Brainerd on Tuesday night. Hopkins, 9-1 heading…

Monday, Jan. 16 Monday marks the start of a busy week for the Eagles girls basketball team, who will play four games in five days. The sixth-ranked Eagles start the marathon by facing Mahtomedi in the MLK Classic at St. Catherine University. Opening tip is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17 A busy Tuesday begins with the boys and girls Alpine ski teams, who will compete against multiple schools in a meet at Buck Hill Ski Area. The first run is at 4 p.m. The girls gymnastics squad travels to Buffalo for a dual meet at 6 p.m. The event has been…

Behind the closed door of an auxiliary classroom, just steps away from the gymnasium at Hopkins High School on Friday night, Eden Prairie head coach Ellen Wiese addressed her team. The sixth-ranked Eagles had just finished battling the No. 1 ranked team in the state and the undefeated Royals looked as good as advertised in an 86-51 victory. It didn’t help the cause to have senior captain Kylie Bamlett, the Eagles’ rebound leader and primary defensive force, out with an ankle injury. But the coach wanted to make sure her players understood the effort they put forth –against the perennially…