Playoffs offer football teams the opportunity to repurpose themselves after the regular season. In the very competitive Class 5A District 2, the four- and five-seeded teams played on Oct. 22, with the winner advancing to face the number one seed the first weekend of the playoffs.
Chaska (4-4), the fifth seed, faced number four seed Waconia (4-4) on Tuesday night in Waconia. On what had been a pleasant fall day in Carver County, by game time had turned into a blustery evening that impacted the flow of the game.
Winds were out of the north at 16 mph with gusts up to 30. This made any ball movement in the air a challenge for both teams and limited the passing game.
The first quarter saw both teams’ offenses moving the ball carefully, using mostly a run game. After a 0-0 first quarter, Waconia had the wind at their back and the first chance to put points on the board with a 27-yard field goal attempt, but it went wide to the left.
The score remained 0-0 going into the third quarter until Chaska got a 52-yard field goal from Quinn Meyer with 5:38 left in the third quarter.
Colton Wacker picked off a Waconia pass on their subsequent possession. This provided Chaska with excellent field position and set up Meyer for a 25 -yard field goal, putting Chaska up 6-0 at the end of the third quarter.
Waconia got on the scoreboard at 7:48 left in the fourth quarter on a 26-yard run from the line of scrimmage. The extra point was no good, making the score 6-6. Both teams traded possessions throughout the fourth quarter. At the end of regulation, the game was knotted at 6-6.
The overtime coin toss went to Chaska getting the ball first with the strong wind at their back. Matt Welter took the ball in for a touchdown on Chaska’s third play from the 1-yard line, with Meyer getting the extra point.
Waconia then got the ball and Nick Theis scored on a 3-yard run. Waconia’s extra point was no good, giving Chaska a 13-12 win in the quarterfinal.
The Class 5A-District 2 semi-final game will be Saturday against District 112 rival Chanhassen on their home field.
Matt Welter was four-of-six passing for 27 yards. Welter also led Chaska in rushing with 49 yards on 13 attempts. Aniebiet Udofot contributed 45 yards rushing on 15 attempts. Receiving yards (which were hard to come by on a windy night) were gained by Jabez Jobirra with two receptions for 12 years and Tyler Forrest with one reception for 11 yards.
Mason Davis, Sam Summer and Michael Gillette led Chaska’s defense with five tackles apiece. Josh Wedel added to the defensive effort with a sack.
“The wind very much impacted our approach to the game.” Coach Bryan Dahl commented after the game. “Waconia is a good team and played us tough. The wind impacted both sides of the ball. We got some good field position to start the game and just had a problem getting over the goal-line in the first half. Our kids hung in there and made plays when needed, giving us the opportunity to move on.”
