Page 12 Fall Football Preview • Friday, August 29, 2025 sunthisweek. com
Talented returners help the Lightning strike
by Dominic Bisogno SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The last few years have brought their share of changes for Eastview football, but the Lightning are continuing to embrace the program’ s transformation as new and returning leaders shape the roster and mentality for 2025.
Third-year head coach Wade Buckley is ready to take the Lightning forward after some difficult learning experiences in his first two years. A more familiar, family unit is expected to make this year a strong opportunity to build on 2024 and play increasingly more competitive football.
“ I think the learning process excuse is kind of gone now. My staff and I know the kids, know the strengths and weaknesses. So, it’ s about knowing how to work with that and leverage the best output from the group,” Buckley said.“ It never felt like there were training wheels on by any means, but it does feel like, OK, this is your group now. … We had some adversity last year and didn’ t respond quite the way we wanted to. We learned a lot about ourselves and things we can improve on. We have a tough opening schedule and, at the end of the day, eight teams that want to win games. There’ s no easy games in 6A football and if we want a record that is reflective of our ability, we have to earn that.”
The transition from 2023 to 2024 brought challenges for Eastview, who earned two regular season wins over Roseville and Burnsville, before ending their season in the first round of the Class 6A tournament to Shakopee. The program’ s four wins in 2023 were the most the Lightning had won in six years at the time.
The Lightning are confident in their ability to improve, Buckley feels that is in large part due to the experienced core they can build on for this season.
“ We have quite a few seniors that have done more than just get their feet wet at the varsity level and they know the level of challenge that comes with that. I think leaning on those guys now as seniors has been really beneficial so far,” he explained.“ They’ ve become better leaders and we’ ve asked a lot of them, but they’ ve
Eastview
Team will define 2025 success on and off the field
Schedule
( All games 7 p. m. Friday unless noted) Aug. 28: at Farmington Sept. 5: Rosemount Sept. 12: at Eagan Sept. 19: Roseville Sept. 26: Coon Rapids Oct. 3: at Hopkins Oct. 10: Eden Prairie Oct. 15: Park of Cottage Grove risen to the challenge. … We want to see all the kids grow this season as people and football players. We want to see this team continue to grow and really take on an identity. I think success looks like growth this year. We’ ll face some pretty tough games this season, game seven against Eden Prairie is going to be tough and we’ re excited to face our former head coach in that one. They’ re perennial state contenders of course. … The growth will need to be in those games, but also games like Roseville and Hopkins where one side is going to want to get some revenge on the other from last season.”
Amid the optimism, one of the key areas of focus for Buckley is in his team’ s mental and emotional preparedness.
“ One of the areas I’ ve always been most interested in as a coach has been neural development. A lot of research has shown that calculated risks and manageable adversity helps kids grow and helps them become capable adults who can think critically. I think presenting kids with high expectations that are still meetable sets them up for success. That’ s what we as coaches all want to see.”
The most recent shift in MSHSL lines sees Eastview stay in the Metro-Maroon Conference, but with some new faces. Burnsville and Buffalo have left, replaced by Coon Rapids, Roseville, who the Lightning beat, and Hopkins, who beat Eastview by one point in 2024, will remain alongside Park.
Captain’ s perspective
The positive outlook extends far beyond Buckley. Eastview put strong responsibilities in the hands of young players last season, and the payoff of that is clear this year as players like senior lineman and two-year captain
Photo by CJ Wrzesien
Captain Aiden Petter takes part in the final exercise of a recent day of practice, meant to challenge the team’ s endurance and focus. See Lightning, 15
Photo by Dominic Bisogno
Eastview players practice different offensive plays during a recent preseason practice.