Author: Ryan Williamson

As the baseball season gets underway, the Eden Prairie Baseball Association (EPBA) is getting some help from one local business. Suburban Chevrolet in Eden Prairie announced on April 15 that the dealership would be partnering with the EPBA and Chevrolet’s national youth baseball and softball program. That partnership will mean new equipment, a monetary donation and access to instructional clinics. Though the partnership is through the local Chevrolet dealer, this is connected to Chevrolet’s national work to help youth baseball and softball players. The program is now in its 17th year, with more than 1,100 dealerships across the country participating…

Editor’s note: EPLN Sports Editor Ryan Williamson asked each EPHS spring sports coach to give us a breakdown of their team and what’s to come. Here’s what this coach had to say. From baseball coach John Buteyn: We returned a lot of guys (12) from our varsity roster last year, having graduated only six seniors. We struggled in 2021, going 6-14 in the regular season. However, we learned a lot and were playing our best baseball in the section tournament, losing competitive games 4-3 in extra innings to Jefferson, who was the No. 1 seed, and 2-0 to Shakopee.  Much…

For the first time in nearly 30 years, the EP boys’ hockey team has a new coach. On April 5, the Eden Prairie High School athletics department announced the hiring of Mike Terwilliger as the school’s next boys’ hockey coach. He takes over for Lee Smith, who retired after 29 seasons behind the bench for the Eagles. Terwilliger accepted this position following four years as the head coach of the Bloomington Jefferson High School team. He finished that time with a 40-54-2 record. As for his connection to EP, there is plenty. He is a former teacher at Cedar Ridge…

Editor’s note: EPLN Sports Editor Ryan Williamson asked each EPHS spring sports coach to give us a breakdown of their team and what’s to come. Here’s what this coach had to say. Here are some notes from EP softball coach Dan Rubischko as the softball season begins: The Eagles finished second in both the Lake Conference and the Section 2AAAA tournament last season.Kari Welter, a junior pitcher, returns to the circle and is expected to handle the majority of the innings for EP this season.Behind the plate is fellow junior Grace Streed. She earned the team’s most improved player award…

Editor’s note: EPLN Sports Editor Ryan Williamson asked each EPHS spring sports coach to give us a breakdown of their team and what’s to come. Here’s what this coach had to say. From EP girls’ lacrosse coach Brooke Jones: Super excited for the season to start. Here’s what I’m looking forward to from our girls: We return a lot of players from the team that went to state last year — including seven seniors and our leading scorers (captains Taylor Kotschevar, Josie Lillquist). We also have some leaders on defense returning, like captain Ellie Pearson.  We have a really strong,…

Editor’s note: EPLN Sports Editor Ryan Williamson asked each EPHS spring sports coach to give us a breakdown of their team and what’s to come. Here’s what this coach had to say. From EP girls’ golf coach Marty Teigan: The Eagles are anxious to get going with the 2022 season, knowing that they have work to do to repeat the success of the 2021 season. The team finished first in the Lake Conference, won the Section 2AAA tournament, then went on to finish fourth in the state tournament. All of the players from that team are returning for the 2022 season.…

Just a little more than a month after Eden Prairie boys’ hockey coach Lee Smith coached his final game for the Eagles, EP is now looking for a new girls’ hockey coach to go along with the boys’ vacancy. On March 31, Shakopee announced that former Eagle coach Jaime Grossman would be taking over the Saber program via Twitter. Grossman had been with EP since taking over prior to the 2011-12 season. The move comes as Grossman recently took on a new full-time job in the Shakopee school district starting this past fall. The district is where his family lives,…

Walking out of Aerie Stadium on a chilly October evening in 2003, tears slowly began to flow down my face as my mom accompanied me out and on our way home. As we drifted closer to home and away from the stadium, the roar of the visiting Lakeville crowd grew. The Panthers were about to defeat the highly-ranked Eden Prairie football team and end its 59-game Lake Conference winning streak. It was the first time I, a big Eagles football fan, had ever seen that team lose a game. With my tears getting bigger, my mom stopped me. Her words…

A 22-4 run by Eastview to close out the first half was enough for the Lightning as they took down Eden Prairie, 67-51, in the Class 4A state tournament quarterfinals on March 22 at Target Center. This state tournament matchup started out with the two teams trading buckets early. The Eagles’ leading scorers throughout were Miles Smith and Chiddi Obiazor. Smith knocked down four 3-pointers in the game while Obiazor continued an impressive run as he tallied 15 points for EP. Around the halfway mark of the first half, Eastview began to widen its lead to double digits with standout…

Facing the No. 2 team in the state on the road after losing to Shakopee in the regular season, Eden Prairie certainly had its work cut out for itself in the Section 2AAAA final on Friday against the Sabers. However, the Eagles made it happen. Thanks to a big night from Chiddi Obiazor, EP upset top-seeded Shakopee on its home court as the Eagles advanced to next week’s Class 4A state boys’ basketball tournament with a 75-60 win. Playing in front of a packed gym, EP kept up with the Sabers early on. Late in the first half, the Eagles…