As we prepare for another exciting Friday under the lights, we have asked Minnesota high school students to preview one of the week’s key matchups.
Grace Streed
Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie’s football team will face Edina at the Eagles’ home turf, Aerie Stadium, at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 14th. The Hornets are coming into Friday’s game riding the high of their two-game win streak after losing their first four games of the season.
Eden Prairie’s quarterback, Nick Fazi, and Edina’s quarterback, Fin McElroy, have different stories as to how they earned their spots on the starting rosters. These two seniors both started a number of games in the 2021 season. However, Fazi ended the season with two times as many games played.
In a sport like football, experience leads to confidence. Fazi sees that growth in himself, and his teammates see that confidence too. Jacory Bates, his teammate, said that Fazi “looks more relaxed out there. He’s having a lot more fun, he makes better decisions, and he doesn’t panic as much.” This confidence has created success proven by Eden Prairie’s 4-2 record.
Fazi stated that “you get to learn each game, and it’s a big difference between starting one year.”
Fullback Toby Frost said that the quarterback is “the leader that everyone looks to.” A quarterback who can foster success, trust, and confidence in his teammates is important. These traits can only be learned through experiences on the field, so quarterbacks who are on the starting roster for the second time will have the advantage. This factor could give Fazi an edge in his game against Edina’s less experienced McElroy.
On top of Eden Prairie’s experience and confidence, they have what every team desires: chemistry. Last year, Eden Prairie’s players fought hard together and made it to the Class 6A semifinal, but they fell to Maple Grove. Frost noted, “losing like that in the semifinals was hard. So, it really brought us all together, and I’d say that it just made us a more tightly-knit group.”
Eden Prairie’s returning players have bonded through what they have experienced together, and they have gained confidence and trust in each other. The Eagles like to say ‘state championship or bust’ to display their dedication to the 2022 state championship title. They want to use the experience of their quarterback and the other starters, cultivate confidence, and translate that into the title.
Each week, we ask students to publish stories about their high school's football game on social media using the tag #studentsonthesidelines.
If you are a student journalist, get off the sidelines and share stories about your school’s high school football game. Just post your story on TikTok and tag us #studentsonthesidelines.
