stillwatergazette . com Stillwater Ponies Football Preview • Friday , August 23 , 2024 Page 3

Ponies hoping to extend sub-district , section winning streaks behind strong returning cast

2023 Metro East standings

Stillwater results Lakeville North 35 , Stillwater 14 Stillwater 28 , Woodbury 25 Stillwater 28 , East Ridge 20 Stillwater 21 , Mounds View 17 Stillwater 21 , Forest Lake 17 Stillwater 38 , White Bear Lake 14 Edina 14 , Stillwater 7 Stillwater 58 , Park 20 Stillwater 56 , Hopkins 6

Section playoffs Stillwater 56 , Hopkins 6 Stillwater 49 , Rochester Mayo 31

State quarterfinals Edina 49 , Stillwater 21

BY STUART GROSKREUTZ THE GAZETTE

It wasn ’ t an easy road a year ago when the Stillwater football team captured its fourth consecutive sub-district championship .

The undefeated run through the Metro East Sub-District included three games decided by four points or less and an eight-point victory over state qualifier East Ridge . Stillwater also qualified for its second state tournament in a row before getting stopped by eventual state runner-up Edina .

The Ponies have won 26 conference / sub-district titles in program history , but have a chance to win five in a row for just the second time — which would match a similar string put together by teams from 1992 to 1996 .

Since losing to Woodbury early in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season , the Ponies have reeled off 18 straight sub-district victories .

“ We were wearing masks the last time we lost a conference game ,” Stillwater coach Beau LaBore said .

The Ponies ( 5-0 ME , 8-3 ) were less experienced a year ago than fellow contenders Forest Lake ( 3-2 , 6-4 ) and Woodbury ( 3-2 , 5-5 ), which each finished two games back in the standings . It showed in a season-opening loss to Lakeville North , but the Ponies showed marked improvement the rest of the way .

“ Nobody would have picked us to go 5-0 in the sub-district ,” LaBore said . “ We had to grind some games out and we had to make some plays .”

This is the second year of the of the existing scheduling cycle , so Stillwater faces the same teams as last season but at reciprocal sites .

The Ponies open the season at reigning state qualifier Lakeville North , which bull-dozed its way to a 35-14 win at Stillwater a year ago .

All three of Stillwater ’ s losses last season came against state tournament teams , including the Panthers ( 9-2 ) and then two losses to Edina .

This will mark just the fourth meeting for these programs , with North holding a 2-1 advantage .

The Panthers defeated Stillwater in the section finals in 2015 and the Ponies returned the favor with a section finals victory in 2022 .

North is expected to return four-year starting quarterback Riley Grossman , but he will be working with many new faces on offense — especially on the offensive line .

Stillwater football coach Beau LaBore enters his 14th season leading the Ponies , who finished with an 8-3 record last season and captured the program ’ s fourth straight sub-district championship and advanced to state for the second year in a row .

Leading rusher Sawyer Wilkie also departed , along with numerous starters on defense and some talented two-way players .

“ They did graduate a bunch , but they ’ ve got some skill back and they ’ re never weak up front ,” LaBore said .

Stillwater opens sub-district play by hosting Woodbury in Week 2 . These teams did not play in 2021 and 2022 and the Ponies ended a five-game losing streak against the Royals with a 28-25 victory last fall .

Woodbury will have some big shoes to fill with the graduation of quarterback George Bjellos and two-way standout Quentin Cobb-Butler , along with several other important contributors .

It might be a rebuilding year for the Royals , but they are 21- 10 since 2021 when they last qualified for state .

Stillwater held Week 3 opponent East Ridge scoreless in the second half while rallying for a 28-20 victory a year ago to improve to 7-5 all-time against the Raptors .

East Ridge won just two regular season games , but upset Anoka and Minnetonka in the playoffs . The Raptors also led Lakeville South by 12 points in the fourth quarter before falling to the Cougars 35-34 in the state quarterfinals .

Five of their seven losses were by eight points or less . The Raptors ( 1-4 , 4-7 ) graduated all-state quarterback Tanner Zolnosky and dangerous pass catcher Deontae Flemino , but also return one of the top receivers in the state in Kyle Frendt .

See Outlook , Page 4

Stillwater Ponies 2024 Football Preview

Contents Season outlook .................... 3 Roster .................................. 4 Metro East schedule ............ 5 2023 statistics .................... 6 Offense ............................... 7 JV / 10th schedules .............. 8 Defense / special teams ..... 10 Ponies records ................... 12 Notebook .......................... 13

Cover design by : Lisa Smith Photos by : Stuart Groskreutz Stories by : Stuart Groskreutz