Minnesota’s Week 1 boys top performers

The opening weekend of boys high school soccer in Minnesota was overshadowed by numerous postponements and/or cancellations due to weather delays, but there were still some big-time matches featuring big-name players. Top-ranked Wayzata proved why it sits atop the rankings, knocking off then-No. 2 Edina and then-No. 5 St. Louis Park in their first two matches of the season while Maple Grove shocked preseason No. 3 Champlin Park. Here are PrepSoccer’s top performers from the opening weekend. <strong>Goalkeeper</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Peyton Olson, Minnetonka, Class of 2023</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="2">The Skippers goalkeeper started out his season with eight saves, one goal conceded, and one clean sheet over two matches. His clean sheet came against Eastview, with whom they drew 0-0. Minnetonka was ranked No. 4 in the preseason coaches poll.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <strong>Defenders</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="12561" first="Peter" last="Melquist"], Wayzata, Class of 2022</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="2">Melquist scored a crucial second-half goal for the Trojans in their 3-2 comeback win over No. 2-ranked Edina. Melquist then followed up that performance with an immaculate clean sheet on Matchday 2 against No. 5-ranked St. Louis Park, winning 2-0.</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Carter Sheard, Maple Grove, Class of 2023</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="2">The Crimson defender scored the game-winner in their 3-2 upset over No. 3-ranked Champlin Park. The Crimson scored two first-half goals to level it at the break, but Sheard’s goal gave Maple Grove the win.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <strong>Midfielders</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="12566" first="Ryan" last="Mahabadi"], Wayzata, Class of 2022</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="2">The senior midfielder scored two goals and added an assist over the first two games of the season, scoring an important second-half goal against Edina and the dagger against St. Louis Park</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Anthony Banderas-Infante, Hill Murray, Class of 2022</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="2">The senior midfielder scored twice and assisted a third in the Pioneers' 4-0 win over Duluth-Denfeld. He registered four shots on target, proving to be clinical in the final third of the pitch.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <strong>Forward</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Jack Moore, Blaine High School, Class of 2022</strong> <ul> <li aria-level="2">Moore scored both of Blaine’s goals in a 2-1 victory over crosstown rivals Centennial, including a last-gasp winner with less than 60 seconds to spare. Moore only scored three goals in his 2020 campaign, but he came up big for the Bengals to move 1-0 on the season.</li> </ul> </li> </ul>