When Edina is in goal line situations with the game on the line this season, coach Derrin Lamker isn’t going to try to trick anybody.

He’s going to give the ball to senior running back Matt Cavanagh, who will run right behind Notre Dame-bound offensive tackle Quinn Carroll.

It worked Thursday. Cavanagh tucked in behind Carroll and crossed the goal line from one yard out with 32 seconds left to lift the seventh-ranked Hornets past upset-minded Lakeville South 13-8.

“Every time. Every time with those two guys,” Lamker said. “If they stop us we lose and if we score we win. It will be that way the rest of the year.”

The formula helped the Hornets gain 283 rushing yards. Cavanagh, who had a career-high 201-yard outing last year against the Cougars, finished with 173 yards. Senior John Deutsch added 92.

Edina (1-0) stalled four times in South territory in a scoreless first half before finally putting together an 80-yard scoring drive to start the third quarter. Senior quarterback Ethan Hufendick slipped a pass between two defenders to junior wideout Malim Hamza for a 13-yard touchdown. 

“We’re very young and the kids were deers in headlights,” Lamker said. “Some of those kids really grew up in the second half.”

The Cougars (0-1) looked poised to pull off the upset after quarterback George Brekke found Tavian Laden for a 23-yard touchdown with 5:34 to go. Senior back Jared Stewart turned the corner on the ensuing two-point conversion to put South up 8-7.

The Hornets responded with a 12-play, 60-yard drive that set up Cavanagh’s touchdown.

Senior running back Matt Cavanagh plunged into the end zone with 32 seconds left to lift seventh-ranked Edina past upset-minded Lakeville South 13-8 in Thursday night’s season opener.

Edina (1-0) got the ball back trailing 8-7 after the Cougars drove the length of the field for their lone touchdown and running back Jared Stewart converted a two-point conversion run with 5:34 to go.

The Hornets drove the ball into South territory four consecutive drives that ended with fourth-down stops. Cougars junior Dean Cardis halted another Edina possession at the 20-yard line when he pounced on a fumble just before halftime.  

The Hornets finally finished off a drive to start the second half. Senior quarterback Ethan Hufendick kept it alive with his first completion of the game on third down. Six plays later he slipped a pass between two defenders to junior wideout Malim Hamza for a 13-yard touchdown. 

Check back later for more on the game.