Author: Steve Mulholland

All the towering lights – with the exception of two – had been turned off at Aerie Stadium on Friday night, following the Eden Prairie Eagles’ 42-14 dismantling of Eagan in the section finals of the 6A football playoffs. The site of the Eagles’ resounding win was left with a few spots of illumination, mixed with contrasting shadows on the clear November evening. Head coach Mike Grant had already delivered his post-game talk, telling his players he was “awful proud” of their effort as they had “four more quarters down, with 12 to go” in their quest for a state…

Eden Prairie senior Zander Hemmesch learned he would be the starting quarterback 24 hours before the Eagles’ opening-round playoff game against Osseo on Friday. Senior David Ivey, the Eagles’ regular starting quarterback, had been nursing injuries after Eden Prairie’s win over Woodbury in the regular season finale, paving the way for Hemmesch to make the first start of his high school career on a cold and blustery night at Aerie Stadium. “David (Ivey) is a little banged up,” Hemmesch said. “So I’ve been practicing more with the starters, but I didn’t know officially until yesterday.” Despite the short notice, Hemmesch…

The color purple is ubiquitous in Minnesota. Whether it’s the Minnesota Vikings, the legacy of Prince, or the rhododendron blooms in April, all are awash in the distinguished, royal hue. But for Laurie Obiazor of Eden Prairie, purple was never a shade she found herself embracing. That has all changed for the mother of four college students; two of whom are Power Five football players who developed their skills on athletic fields across Eden Prairie. Obiazor’s eldest son, Namdi, is a standout junior linebacker at Texas Christian University (TCU), while her youngest, Chiddi, is a freshman defensive end at Kansas…

More than anything, you think about 8-0 and being undefeated. And that’s a special season.”Eden Prairie head coach Mike Grant Eden Prairie head coach Mike Grant was reflective after the Eagles’ 29-7 victory over Woodbury on Thursday night to close out the regular season schedule. His team has shown balance on both sides of the ball throughout the 2023 campaign, but perhaps never more than in their road win to finish with a perfect 8-0 record. The Eagles possess considerable depth and talent, which Grant has cultivated, providing players up and down the roster with opportunities to build on their…

On a wet and wind-swept Friday at Aerie Stadium, the Eden Prairie Eagles celebrated their senior night amid temperatures in the 40s and gusts in numerous directions, upwards toward 20 mph. But for Eagles head coach Mike Grant, the weather was never a factor in their 49-23 win over Rochester Mayo. “Well, this was nothing,” he said with a shrug after the game. “It wasn’t cold enough. The wind is the most important thing and that was kind of a weird wind tonight. Out of the east now, it’s turned and comes out of the north.” Grant was correct in…

There was 1:08 remaining in the third quarter Thursday night when Eden Prairie took possession of the ball on their own 8-yard line. Third-ranked and undefeated Minnetonka had just scored the second of its two third-quarter touchdowns to draw within seven points of the top-ranked and undefeated Eagles. Eden Prairie cruised to a 21-0 halftime lead at Einer Anderson Stadium in Minnetonka. But the Skippers stormed back in the second half to steal momentum and make the contest a one-score game. “Well, it’s always a tipping point,” Eagles head coach Mike Grant said. “They get a good kickoff return to…

The Eden Prairie coaching staff took up temporary residence in a large lobby on the north end of Wayzata High School’s massive campus on Friday night. The Eagles football game with the host Trojans had been suspended for well over an hour after the skies had opened and ushered in severe weather at approximately 7:35 p.m. The storm arrived with thunder, lightning and heavy rain on the coattails of 60-mph winds, sending players, coaches, students and fans running for cover. Athletic directors from both schools conferred with officials, as everyone studied radar on their mobile devices to track the storm.…

At the conclusion of every football game, Eden Prairie head coach Mike Grant gathers his team on or around the 30-yard line to share his thoughts on their performance and impart a few words of wisdom before they disperse. But the coach’s postgame speech was interrupted on Friday night by the strains of The Spaniels’ 1953 hit single, “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight,” coming over the public address system at Aerie Stadium. The serenade could have been directed toward the Eagles’ opponent, No. 3 Shakopee, who left Eden Prairie in defeat after a 42-28 dismantling compliments of the top-ranked home team. The…

Wall Street may want to take notice; those high-finance types just might learn something. Crowd-funding? That’s for amateurs. The Eden Prairie Lacrosse Association (EPLA) and the EPHS Girls’ Lacrosse Booster Club have discovered the best way to raise money for their program: have fun. That was the strategy at the Land of 10,000 LAX tournament, an annual event, which attracts over 40 teams from schools all across the state. Players came together on a beautiful Sunday in September for a day of friendly competition on the fields in and around Aerie Stadium on the Eden Prairie High School campus. “It’s…

It happened quickly. With Eden Prairie leading 14-7 and five minutes gone in the third quarter on Thursday, Luca Ratkovich’s punt landed in the arms of Prior Lake’s Jaxson Barrett at the Lakers 33-yard line.  Barrett returned the ball to the Prior Lake 40-yard line. Three plays followed, and in a flash, the Lakers went 60 yards in 1:22 to tie the game at 14. Eagles head coach Mike Grant wasn’t surprised his team would be in for a battle, given both teams’ size and strength, with Prior Lake featuring several players weighing in at 300 pounds or more. “Physical,…