Eden Prairie football's rushing attack leads it to victory over Stillwater

Photos: Forest Lake football falls to Lakeville North 31-14

How the top 25 Minnesota high school football teams fared in Week 8

The No. 5-ranked Eden Prairie Eagles (6-2) traveled to No. 3 Stillwater (7-1) Wednesday night for what was considered the game of the week in Minnesota high school football, yet it was a one-sided affair with Eden Prairie dominating Stillwater 35-14.

Stillwater received the opening kickoff and Max Shikenjanski quickly threw an interception on the first drive. Eden Prairie converted on a long fourth down on the ensuing drive and punched in a 4-yard touchdown by Tyler Walden with seven minutes, one second left in the first.

Eden Prairie scored next with 8:54 left in the second quarter on another Walden touchdown, this one for two yards. Stillwater responded with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Shikenjanski to Joseph Hoheisel to bring the Ponies within seven points. 

Eden Prairie had the lead at halftime 14-7.

The Eagles received the second half kickoff, and Walden capped the drive with another short 1-yard touchdown, and Eden Prairie was ahead 21-7.

Eden Prairie scored quickly in the fourth quarter on a 20-yard touchdown run by Walden, and it put the Eagles ahead 28-7 with 11:51 left in the game. The Eagles would score another touchdown on a 5-yard touchdown run by Devin Jordan, and they were up 35-7. 

Stillwater kept its starters in the game and mounted a late drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Isaac Johnston with 1:03 left in the game.

Eden Prairie running back Walden dominates

the senior, 6-foot-2, 215 pound running back Walden was a force on the ground for Eden Prairie Wednesday night. Walden found the end zone four times and continually punished the Stillwater defense by grinding out tough runs and back breaking first downs.

The Ponies defense was pushed around by the Eagles offensive line all game, and they have struggled against teams with great running games like Centennial and Forest Lake.

Eden Prairie lost its starting quarterback Nicholas Fazi during the game and leaned on the running game even more as the Stillwater defense could not find an answer for Walden and the myriad of other running backs the Eagles threw at the Ponies.

Shikenjanski and the Stillwater offense shut down

Senior quarterback Shikenjanski was under duress by the Eden Prairie defense all night. Shikenjanski was sacked multiple times and only threw for one touchdown. He has averaged 3.4 touchdowns per game this season-- through the air and on the ground. This output was the lowest on the season for him and the Stillwater offense.

"We’re going to go right at you, and we’re going to score, and then we’re going to go right at you and you’re not going to score," Stillwater head coach Beau LaBore stated. "That’s what they did to us. It’s big boy football.”

Stillwater should be able to advance easily early in the section playoffs, but it has clearly struggled putting together a full game the last few weeks. Stillwater was tied with Mounds View last week at half time 7-7, and eventually went on a run to win 35-7, but showed some vulnerabilities. The Ponies could not get any ground game going tonight and played right into the game plan of the Eagles.

Time of possession heavily favors Eden Prairie

Eden Prairie played keep away from the dangerous Stillwater offense the entire game. The Eagles continually kept drives alive by converting multiple third and fourth downs.

“Everything’s ahead of us, and we can beat anyone in the state,” Eden Prairie head coach Mike Grant said.

This game proved that Eden Prairie truly has an opportunity to advance to the state championship if it plays like it did tonight.

Injuries mount for Eden Prairie

Starting quarterback Fazi left the game early and did not return. He was on crutches after the game. Junior David Ivey took over at quarterback for the Eagles and essentially handed off the ball every down.

Eden Prairie may not need Fazi for a game next week, but the Eagles will undoubtedly need his ability to keep defenses honest with the pass as they progress deeper into the playoffs.

Junior linebacker Dominic Heim said after the game they “will probably play possibly three different teams,” and that they were confident that they can go far into the playoffs.