When it comes to high school sports dynasties in the state of Minnesota you might think about the Edina girls' tennis team, the Hopkins boys' basketball team or the Cretin-Derham Hall football team. But one team that should definitely be a part of the conversation is the Wayzata girls' soccer team.
The Trojans qualified for the state tournament for the 21st time in school history last week and have been absent from the big stage only three times ('98, '05 and '07) since 1990.
The Trojans punched their ticket to this year's state tournament with a 2-1 victory over Robbinsdale Armstrong on Friday, Oct. 23.
"We talked about it a bit before the game that it's really nice to have the tradition and know what teams have done, but this is a brand new team and this is a new experience for them," Trojans head coach Tony Peszneker said. "The teams that have laid the groundwork down before you - they aren't going to help put in any goals for you. It certainly gives them something to aspire to be like, but they have to do the work out here and they did today."
All of the scoring came in the second half during a seven minute, 45 second window. Armstrong struck first in the game's 52nd minute with a goal by senior Bridgit Bergquist.
The lead lasted all of one minute and 31 seconds as the Trojans evened the match in the game's 54th minute.
Senior Kathryn Dryer sent the ball into the box on a corner kick and the team's leading scorer, junior Taylor Wodnick, was there to head the ball into the back of the net.
"It's very important obviously to get a goal back as quickly as you can," Peszneker said. "I didn't think we really started to play with any urgency or intensity until they finally scored and then our girls finally woke up and said we have to get going."
A little more than six minutes later, Dryer was at the corner again. This time her high arching kick found the head of senior Kaitlyn Lauer for the game-winning goal.
The Trojans have scored a significant number of goals this season off corner kicks and Dryer has been a huge factor in that.
"Kathryn has done the best job on corner kicks that we've had in years," Peszneker said. "Kaitlyn Lauer's goal tonight is her eighth of the year, all headers, and that's largely due to Kathryn's service. She's been so consistent and that makes a big difference."
While the Trojans will enter the state tournament undefeated with a 15-0-5 record, the question everybody seems to be asking is whether anybody can beat Woodbury.
Woodbury has won the Class 2A state tournament four times since 2003. They enter the state tournament as the No. 1 seed with a record of 19-0-1. They are also currently the No. 1 ranked team in the country according to the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.
"Woodbury is clearly No. 1," Peszneker said. "They are the No. 1 team in the country, and that says a lot for Minnesota soccer and for the Woodbury soccer program, but like any team we believe that we can beat them."
The Trojans would not have to face Woodbury until the state championship game, should they get that far.
The Trojans are seeded No. 3 and will open the state tournament against Elk River at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 at St. Cloud State University.
The Elks made into the state tournament despite winning only three games during the regular season. Wayzata handed Elk River one of its 11 losses during the regular season when they topped the Elks 4-0 on Sept. 1.
If the Trojans advance past Elk River, it's likely that they could meet up with Classic Lake Conference rival Edina in the semifinals.
The Trojans and Hornets met twice during the regular season with both games ending in a tie.
The semifinals and finals are schedule for Nov. 3 and 5 at the Metrodome.
Boys' team upsets Armstrong
After 13 regular season matches, the Wayzata boys' soccer team appeared to be headed for its worst season in recent history. At that time the Trojans were 3-6-4 and going nowhere.
At the beginning of this week the Trojans are now 10-6-4 and one of eight Class 2A teams still playing this season.
The Trojans topped Robbinsdale Armstrong 2-1 in the Section 6-2A final on Friday, Oct. 23, for their seventh straight victory.
"We've peeled off seven in a row now, and we're excited about it," Trojans head coach Dominic Duenas said. "We're excited for the state tournament. The guys have worked hard and they've earned it."
The Trojans took a 1-0 lead midway through the first half when junior Michael Kirsch scored off a corner kick by sophomore Ellis Andrews.
"We said we wanted to get up on them early and that would put us in a little more comfortable position," Duenas said. "I felt we were more relaxed once we got that one goal lead."
The score remained 1-0 until late in the second half when both teams scored goals.
The Trojans added to their lead with 8:45 remaining in the match when Andrews sent a crossing pass through the box that found the foot of senior Andrew Zaragoza, who deposited the ball into the back of the net.
The Falcons tried to fight their way back into the match as they were awarded a penalty kick with 4:35 remaining after the Trojans committed a foul in the box.
Falcons' senior Jamie Marshall capitalized on the penalty kick, but that ended the scoring.
The victory for the Trojans caps off a tremendous turn-around from a team several games under .500 to a state championship contender.
"We got off the bus against Minnetonka when we lost over at their house 2-1 and at that point we had a three game losing streak," Duenas said. "But we just talked about it and said honestly we've made a few mistakes that have cost us some matches, but we didn't feel that there was anybody we had seen in our section that we didn't think we could beat."
The Trojans did not receive one of the four seeds in the state tournament so they were placed randomly into the bracket.
They will play No. 3 seed Bloomington Jefferson at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at Park of Cottage Grove High School.
The semifinals and finals are scheduled for Nov. 2 and 5 at the Metrodome.
