Late third quarter. Trojan Stadium. Wayzata 21, Minnetonka 7. The Trojans control the momentum and are going in for the kill shot of this young Minnetonka season. A road loss to a good team is nothing to scoff at, but even in Game 2, Minnetonka knows what this rivalry loss could mean for their success down the road. At this moment, most teams fold. Not Minnetonka. The Skippers drive down the field, scoring a crucial touchdown on an impossible 4th and 16, then recover a fumble on the one yard line before marching down the field to take the lead on a touchdown pass and two point conversion. The Skippers never flinched, and never looked back, as the night ended with a 22-21 comeback win and ringing of the Bay Bell rivalry trophy in front of a screaming Minnetonka student section. Make no mistake. This was a game for the ages. But for Minnetonka, it could be the start of something much more special.
Despite ranking 18th in the preseason state power rankings by MaxPreps (lower than all but one team on the schedule), Minnetonka has no shortage of talent on the roster. In a sport where nobody consistently returns talent year to year, the Skippers return 15 starters from last year’s team, including their leading passer, rusher, receiver, tackler, interceptor, and kicker. Basically everyone. And to Tonka football head coach Mark Esch, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of being Senior led “Our guys have gotten a whole extra year of mental and physical maturity. So not only are we bigger, faster, and stronger, but the game is slowing down mentally too. Those factors create much more confidence for us.”
Along with “experienced”, when asked to use one word to describe these Skippers, Esch used “dynamic”. Anonymous players added “hungry”, “family”, and “together”. Even more importantly, though, this team is confident. The 2022 Skippers had some dominating wins, but never could string multiple together. Esch said, “We lost our confidence last year, and we never fully regained it. I think starting the season off well goes a long way towards building that up.” It’s important not to let confidence overflow into cockiness, but coach Esch doesn’t see that happening with this group, “We focus on playing one play at a time. Just do your best no matter who the opponent is, and that way, we can perform against any opponent no matter the circumstances.”
For Minnetonka fans, however, one question remains: Why will this team be any different? We’ve seen talented, veteran teams get plenty of preseason hype in the past, but ultimately, they’ve flamed out in the postseason. To Esch, this year could be different because of this team’s leadership, saying “These guys are super close. The seniors did a great job of bringing the juniors into the mix and showing them what Minnetonka football is all about.” As to the importance of leadership, Esch added, “The best teams I’ve coached haven’t needed coaches by the end of the year. They are player led, and that’s what makes a great team.”
So, what do the Skippers need from us? Esch said, “Pack the stands and be loud, because we need you.” They also need to stay together, stay hungry, and stay healthy. Because if everything goes according to plan, this is a dangerous team going forward. Minnetonka has momentum, and now, it’s time for the Skips to roll.
