Game On! Wayzata Football, Volleyball Set To Play As Defending State Champs

Wayzata’s Tyler Magnusun has committed to Syracuse & will help lead the Trojans O-Line this year.

 
In an about face, the Minnesota State High School League’s Board of Directors is allowing football and volleyball teams to compete this fall.

The reversal comes after a vote on Aug. 4, when the board approved postponing football and volleyball until a spring season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The football season officially begins Monday, Sept. 28 when teams can start practicing.

Teams will play a six-game regular season beginning the week of Oct. 5.

“The High School League made a decision to re-evaluate and look at everything going and decided we are going to play and we are excited about that,” said Wayzata Football Head Coach Lambert Brown via Zoom video now available on Wayzata.com.

Meanwhile, practices begin for volleyball teams on Monday, Sept. 28 as well.

Volleyball matches begin on Oct. 8.

“(The) decision, based on what we currently know and with the unknowns of what spring will bring, is based on the belief that playing now provides us the best opportunity to play a football and volleyball season,” said Board of Directors President Blaine Novak.

“Our volleyball student-athletes are really excited to have a season,” said Wayzata Head Volleyball Coach Scott Jackson.

One element that will be missing from volleyball matches this season is the fans in the stands. This is one of the tradeoffs to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Our parents have been really supportive of their daughters and their coaches,” said Jackson. “They, of course, wish to be allowed to be in-person spectators of our matches, but they realize and accept that isn’t a possibility currently. All teams will have to create their own energy without fans present.”

2019 was a magical year for both the Wayzata Trojan football and volleyball teams.

The football team under the direction of Head Coach Lambert Brown marched through the season capping it off with a win over Champlin Parkin the state championship.

Meanwhile, the volleyball team had an equally stellar season. That squad won its first state championship by defeating Eagan.

Can these teams repeat? We’ll know sooner than later.

 Football Schedule (home games in bold):

10/9 Prior Lake

10/15 @ St. Michael-Albertville

10/23 Eden Prairie

10/30 @ Minnetonka

11/6 Shakopee

11/11 @ Burnsville

Volleyball Schedule (home games in bold):

10/8 @ Edina

10/12 @ Hopkins

10/14 St. Michael-Albertville

10/22 @ Eden Prairie

10/27 Buffalo

10/29 Hopkins

11/2 Edina

11/4 @ St. Michael-Albertville

11/10 Minnetonka

11/12 Eden Prairie

11/19 @ Buffalo

11/24 @ Minnetonka 

 

Football - 

 

Volleyball -  

UPDATE: Wayzata Muni To Open By Friday (Oct.9)

The Wayzata Bar and Grill (Muni) is temporarily closed, but should open back up by Friday, Oct. 9 according to City Manager Jeff Dahl.

During the closure, contract tracing of recent positive COVID-19 tests among staff has been conducted.

The restaurant will also be thoroughly sanitized.

The liquor store has remained open.

Buon Appetito! - Source: Italian Restaurant Replacing Bellecour

Sources tell Wayzata.com that an Italian restaurant is moving into the property that recently housed Bellecour Restaurant.

Bellecour closed its doors in July after more than three years in business.

Wayzata’s Bellecour To Close Permanently

Owner Gavin Kaysen stated that the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic fallout contributed to the closing.

Wayzata.com has learned that several businesses expressed interest in the property, some identifying that Wayzata is a prime spot for an Italian restaurant.

The location has a storied history here in Wayzata.

The building was constructed back in 1920.

Through the years, the location served as a candy story, an auto dealer and several restaurants many may remember – Chouette, Muffuletta and Blue Pointe.

Details about the new restaurant are limited at this time, but it looks like doors could open in a few months.

Stay with Wayzata.com for the latest on this new business coming to town.

Wayzata Resident Tells Harrowing Tale Of Manhunt Suspect In His Home, Family Dog Helps Police Arrest Suspect

Investigators were on a manhunt in Wayzata’s Holdridge neighborhood Tuesday morning.

Photo courtesy Bruce Biser

According to the homeowner, Eric Olness, the suspect was wanted for a car theft. The suspect was taken into custody along the 1700 block of Crosby Road.

What happened before the arrest was something out of a movie.

It started around 9 a.m. when Minnetonka Police were involved in a short pursuit that ended in the suspect fleeing a reported stolen vehicle.  

Police agencies from several jurisdictions were involved in setting up a perimeter and searching for the suspect.  

Much of the activity took place in the Crosby Rd./Holdridge Rd. area near the Wayzata and Minnetonka border. 

Olness recapped the harrowing ordeal exclusively with Wayzata.com.

“I was on a conference call this morning,” said Olness.

“At around 9:15 a.m., the police came to my door to alert us that that there was a perp on the loose who had stolen and crashed a vehicle on Ringer Road and was on the loose and dangerous.”

“They asked us to stay inside and lock all doors.”

Olness boys

His sons were already in the loop.

“My boys had already heard the news via text and stated that the basement doors were locked.”

“We observed the police from several areas including the Sheriff’s Department comb the area and scour through my back yard with the K9 unit looking for the missing person.”

Little did they know that their canine, a 110-pound, 16-month-old Bernese mountain dog named Monty, would play a major role.

“While observing the action from our back window my boys and I hear the chime which goes off whenever an exterior door is opened or shut.”

“I went around the first floor checking the doors and determined that they were all locked.”

Meanwhile, investigators were combing the neighborhood.

“Law enforcement wasn’t leaving the area which told me that the person of interest was close so I went out the deck door to check the basement door from the outside to make sure it was locked.”

“It in fact was so I went back inside.”

“About 5-7 minutes passed with the authorities still not leaving my back yard and I got a weird feeling that I needed to check the basement from the inside and enter the furnace room where we do have an exterior door.”

Monty

“I went down with my dog Monty and my two teenage boys trailing behind.”

Moments later, Olness realized the suspect was inside.

“Reaching the end of the hallway I opened the door into the furnace room to observe the perpetrator standing inside the door to the outside and as soon as our eyes met, Monty charged through the opened door and chased the man who opened the door to the exterior and began to run.”

“He ran out and up a path on the side of our house and darted into the woods with Monty on his heels.”

“We yelled for the police that we had found the fugitive and they charged up the hill in back of the house.”

Investigators quickly closed in on the suspect.

“By the time they got up to where the assailant had run off into the woods we could hear him yelling for help.”

“We couldn’t see him as the woods was pretty thick but he was crying out for help and law enforcement entered the woods weapons drawn.”

Despite being a hero, Monty returned in a nonchalant fashion.

“I yelled for Monty to come out and he trotted out covered in burrs but otherwise no worse for the wear.  The police apprehended the culprit and called for an ambulance as he apparently had injured his ankle during his flight.”

“The rest is history, but Monty will be getting a big juicy steak for dinner this evening!”

Good dog, Monty.

Finish Line: Lake Street Construction Reaches End

Like a marathon runner eyeing the finish line with a couple of miles left, the completion of the bulk of construction on Lake Street is close at hand.

 

The city anticipates Lake Street will be open to both directions of traffic by Friday. That was supposed to be the start of James J. Hill Days until COVID-19 stopped the event in its tracks.

The construction project began March 30 - roughly 24 weeks ago.

Parts of the project got ahead of schedule early on, passing some milestones in quick fashion. 

According to Stahl Construction, the 600 block of Lake Street opened to some traffic more than two weeks ahead of the original schedule.

But due to several obstacles, parts of the project fell behind pace mid-way through.

“This project has had ups and downs, as they all do, but the expanded team has evolved its strategy with the changing environment,” said Stahl Construction President Jessie Houlihan.

Stahl and the city worked with the Met Council as light pole footings were installed over a sewer main that runs along Lake Street. Getting approval pushed the work back by weeks.

Precast benches and walls also set the project back. The city’s decision on which benches and walls to use was delayed and so was the product delivery and installation.

 

“We are all pleased that we’ve been able to minimize the impact of the challenges we encountered and chase down opportunities for improvement while trying to keep everyone informed,” said Stahl.

The construction project was a test on residents and business owner’s patience and resilience.

“I am very relieved,” said Wayzata resident Dan Goldman.  “The noise, the dust and the inability to walk along Lake Street was not fun.” 

“The City Council and staff really appreciates residents, businesses, and visitors who have put up with burden of Panoway construction this past year,” said City Manager Jeff Dahl. “We have very understanding and patient community members who have been through a lot over the past several years, not to mention all of the implications that COVID has had on the community. We hope that this new amenity will be worth the hassle---downtown will be safer, more walkable, connected, greener, with more outdoor gathering space for the community. We think it will be worth the wait.”

Throughout the disruption of the construction project, Lake Street businesses hung in there.

“I am so grateful for them (businesses),” said resident Katy Miketic. “With the double-hit of construction and the pandemic, it's been a rough season for Wayzata. Thanks to them and I hope that they bounce back!”  

The city made efforts to inform the community about each step of the project, but admits, communication could have been better.

“Because of the quantity of info and how quickly things were changing, signals got crossed a few times,” said Dahl. “There were some lessons learned but I think we are at a good place now. The businesses, Chamber, and the team at Stahl really helped us a lot with getting the word out.”

And the word is that Lake Street will be open for both lanes of traffic on Friday.

It has been a trying five months for residents and businesses.

Come Friday, the endurance runner will cross the finish line exhausted and relieved.