Minnetonka quarterback Caden Gutzmer was disappointed.

Not in how he played in the No. 2 Class 6A Skippers’ 47-21 thumping of No. 5 Moorhead. Gutzmer, a junior in his first year as Minnetonka’s field general, had the best game of his career, completing 16 of 19 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown.

It certainly wasn’t his team. Minnetonka made a strong case for being the state’s best team, dominating the Spuds on offense and stifling their many playmakers on defense.

No, the source of Gutzmer’s frustration was more personal. While he was having a fine evening at the office, his counterpart on the Moorhead side, prolific All-Minnesota junior quarterback Jett Feeney, was relegated to shorts and a T-shirt. He had injured his shoulder in victory at Woodbury last week and was held out of the game.

“I was mad when I heard he wasn’t going to play,” Gutzmer said. “I wanted him to play. I want the competition. Let us go head-to-head.”

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With Feeney out, Minnetonka quickly wrested control of the game and never let usually-potent Moorhead get established.

The Skippers scored the first time they had the ball. Gutzmer orchestrated a six-play, 80-yard drive that ended with running back Caleb Francois scoring on a 3-yard run.

Four plays and 3:27 later, Minnetonka stretched the advantage to 14 points. An interception by linebacker Brady Young gave the ball back to the Skippers, and they punched it in quickly on another short Francois run.

Minnetonka bumped its advantage to 20-0 in the second quarter when Gutzmer threaded a pass to Francois, who was running a post. Francois outran the defense for a 46-yard score and the rout was on.

Moorhead tried to rally, leaning on its two star position players, running back Taye Reich and receiver David Mack, but whenever the Spuds generated momentum, Minnetonka found a way to counteract it.

Francois threw for a touchdown. Gutzmer ran for another. And receiver Kiron Vogel returned a punt 90 yards for a score.

Before the game, Skippers coach Mark Esch stressed to his players that no matter whether Feeney played, their focus should be on their own performance. His players certainly heeded his words.

“We were gonna play the same way whether he was there or not,” Esch said. “Our players are really buying in right now. We’re not letting up. Not until we win that 13th game this season.”