stillwatergazette. com Stillwater Ponies Football Preview • Friday, August 22, 2025 Page 11
Notebook
( Continued from page 10)
It seems like yesterday when the 1975 Ponies football team( 12-0) upset No. 1-ranked Richfield 20-17 before an overflow crowd( 14,600) at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis. That was a year and a night that I will always remember because it validated the program that we introduced in 1971.
Well, it wasn’ t yesterday. In fact, it was 37 years ago but it’ s still fresh in the minds of the players, staff and fans because it resonated with the Twin Cities media and dear old SHS enjoyed elevated coverage.
Many firsts occurred that season as locals won the first Suburban title in 22 years, the first-ever state grid title, firstever parade through ISD 834, huge banquet at the Lowell Inn with the Minnesota Vikings and the first time in the history of
the territory that a mayor( David“ Choc” Junker) called off school to celebrate a football victory.
My staff that year consisted of the sage Jerry Foley, Denny Meyer, Steve Forseth, Donn Drommerhausen and Sam Miller, trainer Gene“ Taco” Bealka, AD Connie Knoche and physicians Dr. Paul Quinn and Dr. Bob Meisterling.
Even though we were undefeated, it wasn’ t as easy as it looked. We beat Henry Sibley 21-20 in the first overtime game in school history when Danish exchange student Soren Gam kicked the winning PAT and the players carried him off the field— he didn’ t have a clue what happened. Neither did our fans as we showered before they left the stadium.
After crushing Hastings 41-6 and Woodbury 44-0, we ran into a buzz saw at White Bear Lake. Lucky for us, Matt Eastwood intercepted a pass and ran 18 yards for a TD on the first play of the game and we held on for
a 7-0 win.
A week later, Perry Monpetit intercepted two passes and Joe Eichten returned a punt 66 yards for the winning TD in a 14-7 win over Tartan. Next came a 7-6 white-knuckler over North St. Paul when Mike Nolan hit Bobby de St. Aubin on a 66-yard pass that set up the winning score. The Polars went for two after they scored, but were stopped short by Buck Beutel, Tim Kumerow, Dave Rogers, Mark Nelson and company.
In the playoffs, we rolled over Kellogg 35-14— with solid games by Eastwood, Schmidt and Jeff Rosell— and Harding 31-7 behind the solid running of Terry Richert( Mr. Inside) and Todd Butterfield( Mr. Outside).
The stage was set for the showdown with the Richfield Spartans. Following is the account provided by the Pony Express:
Week 12: Stillwater 20, Richfield 17
In one of the greatest championship games in history, the
Ponies overcame a 7-0 first-half deficit to take the lead 13-7 early in the fourth quarter. Richfield came right back with a 56- yard TD pass and then added a field goal to take the lead 17- 13 with 3:41 remaining in the game. Nolan led the Ponies on a 77-yard drive highlighted by a quick pass to de St. Aubin, who raced 26 yards to the Richfield 5. After two running plays and a pass attempt fell short, the Ponies faced a fourth-and-goal from the 6 with 18 seconds on the clock. On their final try, Butterfield found de St. Aubin on a halfback option pass in the end zone for a score and the win.
On the ride home, we were escorted by a huge car contingent of fans and police. The biggest thrill for the players was running all the red lights, led by Stillwater’ s finest. Who could forget the big white sign with red lettering that said:“ Russia’ s not the only one with a Big Red Army.” Hundreds of adoring fans lined up on Hwy. 36.
Gazette sportswriter Jim McLaughlin had a field day with stories and pictures galore— and we enjoyed the letters to the editor through the holidays that praised the team’ s efforts, and nice tributes from Maple Manor and VFW Post 323 were among the many.
Thanks for letting me remember this special time in my career. Back in 1975, Nolan quoted d-back John Uppgren saying as a sophomore that as seniors the Ponies would go all the way. Nuff said.
College players
Several former Stillwater players are competing for college football programs, including at least seven members of last year’ s squad. That list includes: Landon Huber( St. John’ s), DK Gora( Augustana), John Karkula( St. John’ s), Cal Nitti( Concordia-St. Paul), Riley Runk( Bethel), Dominic Slaughter( Morningside) and Siwan
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