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Edina rallies behind Rallis

By MN Football Hub staff, 09/01/11, 9:08AM CDT

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Hornets rally from halftime deficit, score 13 unanswered points in victory over Andover

In a game that could almost be described as having the intensity of a playoff game, the Edina Hornets kicked off their season-opener Thursday with a 21-14 win over the Andover Huskies.  

“[Winning the first game] it starts us off on the right foot,” said Edina coach Reed Boltmann, who is starting his third year as head coach of the Hornets. “We know we have a tough schedule and these guys were 10-1 last year.”
 
After scoring the first touchdown of the game in the opening quarter, the Hornets allowed Andover to rally back with two unanswered trips to the end zone.
 
One of those scores came when senior defensive back Tyler Bridgeman blocked a punt that was recovered by fellow senior defensive back Ben Wenberg who then ran it in for a touchdown.  
 
“Last year, the same thing happened to us against Eden Prairie,” said Boltmann. “This time we came back and won—last time we didn’t. I think there are some guys now, that are seniors, that realize that they can make plays and, if given the opportunity, they can come back.”
 
That comeback was made possible by senior Nick Rallis, who plays quarterback, running back and linebacker.
 
Rallis, a Gopher commit whose older brother Mike is a linebacker for the University of Minnesota, ran 70 yards on pass to score the game-winning touchdown.
 
“We played bad in the first half, but we came out in the second half, “said Rallis. “I was like, this is unacceptable. That’s not how we play football. “
 
Despite the win, coach Boltmann saw room for improvement from his players.
 
“We’ve got to shore up our special teams,” he said. “We can’t afford a blocked punt. We can’t afford to miss the extra point, and we can’t afford to fumble when we run the clock out. We had opportunities. We could have put the game away and we didn’t. So, those are things we can work on in practice and gives us something as coaches that we can harp on.”
 
And true to his word, Rallis didn’t accept the unacceptable. When asked what he thought of when he saw that open field in front of him, he said with a laugh that all he could think was, “run.”
 
-- Jennifer Brook, MN Football Hub

Hot Child in the City

It was a sticky first match of the season for Andover and Edina in more ways than one.

High summer invaded football season as the temperatures soared into the 90s and the tropical dew points contributed to the slow start for Edina coach Reed Boltmann’s crew.

“It’s hot and humid and the kids are a little lethargic,” said Boltmann.

The heat may have also contributed to the high number of players from both sides dropping like flies on the field throughout the game—at least five players had trouble returning to their feet after a play.

“I was preaching the last few days to hydrate,” said Boltmann. “But for the most part, I think the guys listened to me and were drinking a lot of water, trying to stay hydrated.”

One of those players affected was the No. 1 star of the game, Nick Rallis, who briefly went down in the fourth quarter after a drive.

“The right calf is a little tight from the cramping,” said Rallis. “Hopefully my calf doesn’t cramp up on the bus ride home, it’s kind of a long ride."

 -- Jennifer Brook, MN Football Hub

Game Recap

Edina rallied to score 13 unanswered points in the second half to defeat Andover, 21-14, during the Week 1 matchup on Thursday, September 1.

The Hornets closed out the third quarter with the play of the game -- a 70-yard reception by senior Nick Rallis from junior quarterback Mark Handberg.

Handberg would finish the game going 6-of-11 with 137 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Rallis never seemed to leave the field except for a brief moment in the fourth quarter when he suffered from cramping due to the heat. The Hornets' co-captain ended with nine rushes for 33 yards, one reception for 70 yards and solid play on defense.

Senior fullback John Bryan added 62 rushing yards on 10 attempts for the Hornets with 34 of those yards coming on a quick hand-off and sprint for a touchdown.

Andover play was led by junior quarterback/wide receiver Tyler Evans who rushed for 23 yards on six attempts, caught three passes for 28 yards and one touchdown as well as passed for 49 yards going 8-for-15 with one interception.

The Huskies' defense forced four fumbles and senior defensive back Ben Wenberg had a night to remember returning a blocked punt for a touchdown in the second quarter and recovering a muffed punt in the third quarter.

Edina hosts Minneapolis Southwest at the Edina Community Center on Sept. 9, at 7 p.m.

Up next for Andover is a short road trip to Anoka, also on Sept. 9, at 7 p.m.

-- Michael Murakami, MN Football Hub staff

Statistics, Summary

Three Stars

1. Nick Rallis, Edina
What more can be said for the senior co-captain who appeared to be involved in every play for the victorious Hornets? On offense, Rallis rushed for 33 yards on nine attempts and had one reception for 70 yards and a touchdown that would eventually prove to be the game-winner. On the defensive side of the ball, the linebacker made several tackles and broke up passing plays.

2. Mark Handberg, Edina

The junior quarterback got his 2011 season off to a great start throwing for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Handberg was 6-for-11 on passing attempts and did not throw an interception despite heavy pressure by Andover. His 70-yard touchdown pass may have been the play of the game but his 14-yard fade pass to junior wide receiver Marley Allison in the endzone wasn't too shabby either.

3. Ben Wenberg, Andover
With a different result, Wenberg may have vaulted to the top star as the senior defensive back was directly involved in the biggest special teams plays of the night. Along with several tackles, Wenberg recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown in the second quarter that gave the Huskies a 14-8 lead going into halftime and also recovered a muffed punt for excellent field position in the third quarter.

-- Michael Murakami, MN Football Hub staff

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