Friday night lightning: Edina shocks Eden Prairie in football semifinal
Much of the pregame chatter before Edina's Class 6A semifinal game against No. 1-ranked Eden Prairie was about what many saw as Eden Prairie's seemingly unencumbered path to a state championship.
Edina clearly wasn't listening.
The Hornets pulled off the biggest shocker of the 2023 football state tournament so far, beating Eden Prairie 28-7 to advance to the championship game and their first-ever Prep Bowl.
Edina (9-3) has been a markedly different team since its three-game early-season losing streak, which began with a 36-14 loss to Friday's opponent. The Hornets have won eight in a row since their last loss.
The Hornets showed right away they had no intention of being the latest victim of Eden Prairie's relentless, grinding offense.
After stopping Eden Prairie (11-1) on downs the first time the Eagles had the ball, the Hornets turned the tables. They embarked on a long, statement drive of their own, going 72 yards in 10 plays and taking a 7-0 lead on an 11-yard scoring pass from quarterback Mason West to Sonny Villegas.
They added to the lead following back-to-back interceptions the next two times Eden Prairie had the ball, one by Owen Kemper and another when Trill Sorrell picked off a pass tipped by teammate Liam Holmberg.
Sorrell surfaced again soon, catching West's second touchdown pass of the game. Edina had moved downfield quickly, thanks to a 55-yard completion from West to Meyer Swinney.
Three plays later, West rolled right and lofted a 20-yard pass to Sorrell in the back of the end zone for a 14-0 lead.
Flush with confidence, Edina bumped its lead to three touchdowns when workhorse running back John Warpinski scored on a 3-yard burst with just nine seconds to go.
The Hornets led 21-0 at halftime.
Edina increased its lead to 28-0 when West hit Swinney in the corner of the end zone on third-and-13.
Eden Prairie showed signs of life thereafter, scoring on a 13-yard run by Jeremiah Fredericks following a 74-play drive, making the score 28-7.
But as it has throughout the winning streak, Edina rode the legs of Warpinski to run time off the clock. He carried the ball on eight consecutive plays, bringing Edina into the Eden Prairie red zone.
Edina stalled, but scoring more points wasn't the goal.
Warpinski finished with 194 yards rushing, and West threw for 170. Edina finished with 351 yards of total offense.
