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stillwatergazette. com Stillwater Ponies Football Preview • Friday, August 22, 2025 Page 9
Team
( Continued from page 8)
The Ponies will miss many of their top players on defense from last season, led by Nitti with a team-high 57 solo tackles and 160 defensive points. The Ponies also graduated Jack Mellgren( 121 defensive points), Silbernagel( 114), Karkula( 112), DK Gora( 85), Joe Fredkove( 85), Henry Zollar( 84) and Cash Cerar( 62).
Gus Gregg helps lead the charge for a largely inexperienced group of linebackers. The senior captain started against Edina and saw spot duty in additional games while collecting 16 total tackles, including two for a loss, and a fumble recovery.
“ He played well and he’ s going to anchor our defense at middle linebacker,” LaBore said.
Junior Cael Spates( 5-11, 195) is expected to join Gregg at middle linebacker with juniors Alex Martens( 6-1, 190) and Sawyer
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ERRY’ S BODY
2024 Ponies football defensive points
Top 15
Player
Points Cal Nitti............................... 160 Khalid Afuye........................ 122 Jack Mellgren..................... 121 Ryan Silbernagel................. 114 John Karkula....................... 112 DK Gora................................ 85 Joe Fredkove......................... 85 Henry Zollar.......................... 84 Cash Cerar............................ 62 Andrew Olson........................ 48 Roman Sylvers...................... 47 Gus Gregg............................. 33 Riley Runk............................. 20 Evan Uddin............................ 16 Jack Runk............................. 10 Wyatt Wells........................... 10
Johnson( 5-10, 185) also in the mix. At outside linebacker, Senior Henry Siedschlag( 5-10, 200), juniors Clark Ciccone( 6- 2, 215) and Zach Schmoeckel( 6- 2, 205), and sophomore Elijah
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Meyer( 6-2, 180) are competing for playing time. With his size, Ciccone also provides another option on the defensive line.
The secondary is an area with the most uncertainty coming into the season. The list of candidates for those spots include, among others, seniors Aiden Anderson( 5-10, 170), Isaac Sainsbury( 5-10, 165) and Luke Bentzin( 5-9, 160) and juniors Teague McGlynn( 5-10, 180) and Liam McGlynn( 6-0, 170).
“ Khalid and Olson are big and otherwise we have some gritty and greasy guys that are going to do a great job of rallying around each other,” LaBore said of the defense.
Like a lot of teams concerned with depth, staying healthy will be important for Stillwater to stand tall on defense.
Special teams
The Ponies have big shoes to fill in the kicking department following the graduation of Landon Huber, who was also an all-conference goalkeeper for the Stillwater boys soccer team.
Huber, who finished last season 10 for 10 on field goals, set a school record with 78 consecutive extra-point kicks from midway through the 2022 season until the streak was snapped in a victory over Mounds View last fall.
In three seasons, he connected on 13 of 16 field goals( 81.3 percent) and 114 of 116 extra-point kicks( 98.3 percent). Huber’ s 153 career kicking points surpassed the previous team record of 122 held by Joe Stormont since 2006.
Huber also averaged about 35 yards per punt.
“ Kicking wise, we’ ve had an unbelievable run the last five years or so,” LaBore said.“ The kicking has been great.”
The Ponies are mostly inexperienced, but do have options to sort through in the kicking and punting game this season.
Seniors Joel Fahs and Colin Johnston, and juniors Emmett Valley and Levi Winters have each shown potential in the kicking department.
Stillwater is confident in longsnapper Nolan Von Behren, who enters his third season in that important role. Juniors Alex Martens and Cael Spates and sophomore Cole Drommerhausen are also capable of handling those duties if needed.
“ It’ s rare to have a three-year starter at snapper,” LaBore said.“ Von Behren is very reliable.”
Owen Egge’ s departure also creates opportunity for new contributors in the return game. Egge averaged more than 10 yards on a team-high 12 punt returns a year ago.
“ That leaves a bit of a void so it’ s pretty wide open on punt return and kick return,” LaBore said.
Bjorn Naatjes has experience in both, but Emilio Rosario-Matias can also add some big-play potential back there. Seniors Isaac Sainsbury, Chase Edstrom and sophomore Jaylin Rosalez could also line up for return duty.