It doesn’t seem possible.

How can a team look so sharp – flawless even – in its season opener?

Offense, defense, goaltending – No. 7-ranked Wayzata was dominant in all phases in its 14-1 steamrolling of No. 14 Orono. The only possible downside of the Trojans’ bludgeoning of the Spartans (yes, this is going to sound ludicrous) is the notion that maybe, just maybe, they might have peaked too early.

After all, improving on Monday’s victory at Orono High School is going to take some doing. The Trojans’ showed incredible patience on their possessions, firing crisp passes for multiple minutes before repeatedly unloading pinpoint shots into the net’s corners and crannies.  

“It was just clicking for us, and we were finding the open guys,” said Wayzata junior midfielder Grant Long, one of three Trojans who scored three goals. “Everyone was ripping and getting their shots, so we were scoring really quickly, which was nice.”

Trojans coach Chad Herr said it helps that many of his players are three-year starters. The Trojans understand the playbook, and they proved Monday they can execute it, too.

Just as impressive as Wayzata’s offense was a defense that held an Orono team loaded with proven scorers and Division I recruits to a single goal – none in the final three quarters. The Spartans’ fabulous trio of Parker Gross, Chandler Sampson and Blake Leischow struggled to simply possess to ball, much less find cracks in Wayzata’s defense.

The play of Wayzata junior goaltender Aaron Peterson might have been the most significant of all. He turned aside at least a half-dozen shots ticketed for the back of the net, including one stop late in the fourth quarter on a Gross shot that traveled all of one foot.

“Their goaltender tonight was unbelievable,” Orono coach Josh Scott said. “We did put a couple of shots into his chest, but some of those doorstep goals that he saved … what do you do when you run into a hot goalie like that?”

Wayzata’s victory, on an emtion-filled night when Orono paid tribute to former goaltender Jake Anderson (the University of Minnesota freshman died last December), avenged an overtime loss to the Spartans in last year’s Section 8 championship game.  

“It was stuck in our heads the entire night,” Long said about the playoff loss to Orono. “I actually told the guys to watch the video from last year. And it kind of got people fueled for the game.”


Orono's Parker Gross, right, couldn't find much room to maneuver against Wayzata's defense. Photo by Rick Orndorf

First Report

Senior Brian Machut and juniors Grant Long and Adam Grooms each scored three goals as Wayzata roared past Orono 14-1 on Tuesday at Orono High School to avenge a section championship loss to the Spartans last year.

After a pregame ceremony to honor former goaltender Jake Anderson, a University of Minnesota freshman who died last December, Orono scored first. Senior Max Karon put the Trojans on the board 4:36 in the first quarter.

And then it was all Wayzata. The Trojans, ranked No. 7 in the preseason coaches’ poll, got two goals from Machut, also a hockey standout, in the opening quarter as it surged to a 4-1 lead. Grooms and Amar Batra scored in the second quarter as the Trojans took a 6-1 lead at halftime.

The onslaught continued in the third quarter, when Long, also a starter on Wayzata’s football and basketball teams, was among the goal scorers who put the Trojans ahead 10-1 entering the final quarter.

Wayzata benefitted from precision shooting on many of its goals, and Trojans junior Aaron Peterson was just as good at the other end. He made at least a half-dozen brilliant saves to frustrate the Spartans. 

Orono, ranked No. 14 to start the season and working with a revamped defense, rotated goaltenders Eric Foley and Robert Fellers, neither of whom saw significant playing time last season.