After a slow start, the Irish dominate the Trojans

The game could not have started any worse for the undefeated Rosemount Irish Friday night against the Wayzata Trojans. A place in the 6A quarterfinals was on the line, and the favored Irish were trailing not even five minutes into the game. Even when the Trojans tied the game before the half, the Irish did not panic. They leaned on one of the best defenses in 6A and used an explosive second half running game to put that poor start well into the rearview mirror. Twenty-eight unanswered second half points later, they advanced to the state quarterfinals with a comfortable 42-14 win. Faced with a third and long on their first possession, Rosemount tried to pick up the first down through the air. Wayzata's [player_tooltip player_id='313339' first='Alex' last='Hart'] had other ideas. He picked off the pass and returned the pick into the end zone for a quick 7-0 Trojans lead. The Irish defense set their offense up with a golden opportunity to tie the game when Rosemount defensive back Abid Alam recovered a fumble in Wayzata territory. However, keyed by Wayzata defensive lineman Dylan Schultz's stuff of an inside run, Rosemount faced a fourth and 11. The Irish tried a fake field goal, but the trickery came up one yard short. The Irish defense gave up some yards, but – as they would nearly every opportunity the rest of the game – they got stingy when it counted most. The Irish running game finally got some traction with a 77 yard run by [player_tooltip player_id='313243' first='Will' last='Priest'] to set up a first and goal. Wayzata's defense nearly got off the field without giving up points, but on fourth and goal from the one, [player_tooltip player_id='368541' first='Landon' last='Danner'] burrowed his way into the endzone on a quarterback sneak. The defense was finding its footing too. The Irish defenders forced a punt, quickly giving the ball back to the offense. The Rosemount offense started moving the ball on the ground again. The go-ahead drive was topped off by a run by Priest for 40 yards right up the middle to take a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter. Just as Rosemount looked like they were about to take over the game, Wayzata put together their best drive of the game. Using the running game, the Trojans moved into the red zone. With the clock running under a minute, the Trojans faced a fourth and one from the Irish sixteen. With everyone expecting a run, Wayzata quarterback Thse Feldmann threw a pass outside to Tyler Milkis for six yards and a first down. With time for just a play or two before the end of the half, Feldmann completed his second huge pass of the drive – to [player_tooltip player_id='313340' first='Eli' last='Lenort'] in the front corner of the end zone. The score sent both teams into the locker room, tied at 14. Rosemount showed its home fans why they were undefeated in the third quarter. They dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage. After forcing a Trojans' punt, the Irish put together an 85 yard touchdown drive – mostly behind the running of Priest and Jake Schimmel. A second successful quarterback sneak by Danner gave Rosemount a lead they would not give up. The Irish defense would not let Wayzata back into the game. Rosemount forced a fumble at mid-field to give the ball right back to the offense. The pounding the offensive line put on the Trojans' line, and linebackers started to pay off. They opened a huge hole for Priest just two plays after the fumble, and Priest didn't stop running until he was in the end zone. Down 28-14, Wayzata felt they needed to gamble to stay in the game. They rolled the dice on 4th and six at the 30, but the coverage by Maki Whelen resulted in an incomplete pass - giving the ball back to the Irish. Rosemount put the game away on the first play after the 4th down stop. Priest took a handoff right up the middle for a 71 yard touchdown run. Priest would add a fourth touchdown run – this one from 67 yards out – late in the fourth quarter, and the defense would stop a late scoring threat from the Trojans to finish out the 42-14 win.

The game could not have started any worse for the undefeated Rosemount Irish Friday night against the Wayzata Trojans. A place in the 6A quarterfinals was on the line, and the favored Irish were trailing not even five minutes into the game. Even when the Trojans tied the game before the half, the Irish did not panic. They leaned on one of the best defenses in 6A and used an explosive second half running game to put that poor start well into the rearview mirror. Twenty-eight unanswered second half points later, they advanced to the state quarterfinals with a comfortable 42-14 win.
Faced with a third and long on their first possession, Rosemount tried to pick up the first down through the air. Wayzata's Alex Hart Alex Hart 5'9" | 165 lbs | DB Wayzata | 2023 MN had other ideas. He picked off the pass and returned the pick into the end zone for a quick 7-0 Trojans lead.
The Irish defense set their offense up with a golden opportunity to tie the game when Rosemount defensive back Abid Alam recovered a fumble in Wayzata territory. However, keyed by Wayzata defensive lineman Dylan Schultz's stuff of an inside run, Rosemount faced a fourth and 11. The Irish tried a fake field goal, but the trickery came up one yard short.
The Irish defense gave up some yards, but – as they would nearly every opportunity the rest of the game – they got stingy when it counted most.
The Irish running game finally got some traction with a 77 yard run by Will Priest Will Priest 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Rosemount | 2023 State MN to set up a first and goal. Wayzata's defense nearly got off the field without giving up points, but on fourth and goal from the one, Landon Danner Landon Danner 6'2" | 215 lbs | DL Rosemount | 2024 State MN burrowed his way into the endzone on a quarterback sneak.
The defense was finding its footing too. The Irish defenders forced a punt, quickly giving the ball back to the offense. The Rosemount offense started moving the ball on the ground again. The go-ahead drive was topped off by a run by Priest for 40 yards right up the middle to take a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter.
Just as Rosemount looked like they were about to take over the game, Wayzata put together their best drive of the game. Using the running game, the Trojans moved into the red zone. With the clock running under a minute, the Trojans faced a fourth and one from the Irish sixteen. With everyone expecting a run, Wayzata quarterback Thse Feldmann threw a pass outside to Tyler Milkis for six yards and a first down. With time for just a play or two before the end of the half, Feldmann completed his second huge pass of the drive – to Eli Lenort Eli Lenort 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR Wayzata | 2023 State MN in the front corner of the end zone. The score sent both teams into the locker room, tied at 14.
Rosemount showed its home fans why they were undefeated in the third quarter. They dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage. After forcing a Trojans' punt, the Irish put together an 85 yard touchdown drive – mostly behind the running of Priest and Jake Schimmel. A second successful quarterback sneak by Danner gave Rosemount a lead they would not give up.
The Irish defense would not let Wayzata back into the game. Rosemount forced a fumble at mid-field to give the ball right back to the offense. The pounding the offensive line put on the Trojans' line, and linebackers started to pay off. They opened a huge hole for Priest just two plays after the fumble, and Priest didn't stop running until he was in the end zone.
Down 28-14, Wayzata felt they needed to gamble to stay in the game. They rolled the dice on 4th and six at the 30, but the coverage by Maki Whelen resulted in an incomplete pass - giving the ball back to the Irish.
Rosemount put the game away on the first play after the 4th down stop. Priest took a handoff right up the middle for a 71 yard touchdown run. Priest would add a fourth touchdown run – this one from 67 yards out – late in the fourth quarter, and the defense would stop a late scoring threat from the Trojans to finish out the 42-14 win.