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Wayzata erupts with four late goals to push aside St. Louis Park

By Drew Herron, SportsEngine, 10/17/17, 10:00AM CDT

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The Trojans won the Class 2A, Section 6 title after defeating the Orioles.



Wayzata's Patrick Weah pushes through two defenders to the ball. The sophomore forward had a goal and an assist as the Trojan's advance to the state tournament with a 5-1 decision over the Orioles. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

Upsets brew in the section playoffs.

However, Wayzata, ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A coaches' poll, saw that nothing festered on its home turf against a determined and scrappy St. Louis Park squad. 

Ethan Wagner netted two goals over a five-minute span, helping spark a four-goal bonanza that buried the Orioles late 5-1, clinching a trip to the state tournament for the Trojans.

Wayzata (17-0-2) went wild just after midway through the second half, turning a tense 1-1 tie into an eventual route. 

“We’ve been down before this season, and our guys have been able to respond by sticking to our game plan,” said Wayzata coach Dominic Duenas.

When St. Louis Park (12-5-2) was able to hang around, and then level the score at the 45-minute mark on a sweet goal by Orioles’ sophomore Thomas Salamzadeh, it could have shook the heavily favored Trojans one way or the other.

Wayzata went to work.

“That was a top-notch hit, and it really put them back in the game,” Duenas said. “But I am proud of the way our guys responded. We kept moving the ball upfield, we generated corner kicks and long throw-ins. In sections, set pieces are all the more valuable, and we felt like if we kept working, we’d get one.”

Patrick Weah scored the go-ahead goal 61 minutes in, and then assisted on the first of two goals by Wagner as Wayzata’s work started to pay off in droves.

“Our heads were down a little bit right after they scored,” Wagner said. “But it didn’t last. Once we went back to work, and once we got one back, we took the momentum for good.”

The Trojans are excited to advance to the state tournament, set to open next week at US Bank Stadium. Wayzata returns looking to improve on its runner-up finish a year ago. 

“We are all really excited about this,” Wagner said. “We’ve reached this goal as a team, and now we will take it one game at a time.”


Thomas Salamzadeh (26) leaps in celebration after scoring the Orioles' only goal early in the second half. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

First Report

Wayzata shed the threat of a brewing upset with four goals late in the second half to knock off St. Louis Park 5-1 Tuesday night in the Class 2A, Section 6 final.

Trojans’ leading scorer Patrick Weah netted the game winner (his 16th of the season) off a corner kick midway through the second half that eventually sparked the rally.

A pair of goals followed from Ethan Wagner and Jack Sonstegard as the Trojans (17-0-2), who are ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A coaches’ poll, make a return trip to the state tournament after finishing as runner-up a year ago.

The lone goal for St. Louis Park (12-5-1) came from Thomas Salamzadeh in the 45th minute.

Wayzata outshot St. Louis Park 13-7 for the game.
 

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