REPLAY: Ponies Lose a Heartbreaker to Mounds View 19-18

For the fourth consecutive season, Mounds View ended Stillwater’s season, but on Saturday night, it was in heartbreaking fashion.

Quinn Madsen caught Mike Kerfeld’s pass in the corner of the end zone as time expired for a 2-yard touchdown and a 19-18 Mustangs victory.

It also marks the fifth straight time Mounds View has beaten the Ponies and the second time this season.

With all the losses Stillwater has suffered, this one could be the hardest.

It had an 18-13 lead and forced the Mustangs to go 72-yards.

With about a minute left in the game, known for its rushing attack, Mounds View was solid going through the air as Kerfeld and Madsen connected four times on the final game-winning drive for the win.

Mounds View got the ball down to the Ponies 5 when Kerfeld threw a pass intended for running back Tyler Hansen.

Instead, the ball popped up in the air and gave Stillwater a chance to pick it off and end the game, but Mounds View was able to come down with it.

“We threw the ball in the seam and Tyler (Hansen), it was in his hands, the kid drilled him and it went up in the air,” Mustangs coach Jim Galvin said. “I didn’t even see what happened and one of our kids came down with it.”

For Ponies coach Beau LaBore, the description was even simpler.

“They came down with it and made the next play,” he said.

How the game got to its dramatic fashion was typical of how a rivalry game played out.

With the sectional finals on the horizon, there were some nerves at the start.

On the first snap of the game, Ponies running back, Nick Anderson fumbled and Mounds View took over at the Ponies 37.

Later, Austin Smestad punched in a touchdown from the 2 to give Mounds View a 7-0 lead.

On the next Ponies drive, they got the ball into Mounds View territory, but Nate Ricci, playing running back, coughed up the ball and the Mustangs were able to pounce on it for their second recovery in as many drives.

After getting the ball to midfield, Kerfeld and his center could not get the snap properly and Cartier Alexander recovered it and Stillwater was back in business.

Stillwater drove the ball into the red zone, but Ricci’s halfback pass failed on fourth down.

Again, Kerfeld and his center bobbled the snap and the Ponies recovered it again.

“We played pretty well in the first half, we just hurt ourselves,” Galvin said. “I don’t think we fumbled a snap all year and we fumbled two.”

On the next play, from the 10, Ricci took the pitch to the right, raced to the corner and dove into the end zone for the touchdown.

However, what ended up being a difference in the game, Stillwater missed the extra point.

Another fumble by Mounds View game the Ponies the ball at the 10 again.

Stillwater was stuffed on three run plays and decided to go for it.

Quarterback Aaron Romportl rolled to his right and hit Zach Krenz for the score.

Unfortunately for the Ponies, another missed extra point only gave them a 12-7 lead, which is what the score ended up at the half.

Tough defense compiled most of the second half until Redmond and the Mustangs took the lead on a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth.

Stillwater answered on the next drive, this time with Ricci at quarterback, drove the Ponies for a scoring drive, highlighted by a nine-yard carry where it appeared he would be sacked.

He alluded the rush, cut back to his right and got down to the 1.

Ricci snuck it in for the score to take the lead.

For the third time, Stillwater could not convert on the point after, this time going for two.

This ended up dooming the Ponies in the end.

Stillwater did have a chance to ice the game after Charlie Register intercepted Kerfeld’s pass.

With the ball near midfield, the Ponies could not run out the clock.

Anderson appeared to have scored a touchdown, but a the first of two illegal procedure penalties ended that drive and were forced to punt the ball to Mounds View.

This gave the Mustangs time to drive the field, which they did and ended Stillwater’s season and advanced to the 2AAAAA championship game against Totino-Grace.

“They are pretty dang good,” Galvin said. “I thought they were more physical tonight. Their defense was more physical than our defense.

“It was sloppy, but our defense kept us in the ballgame. In a one score game, anything can happen.”

“Our guys played really hard,” LaBore added. “We left a few plays on the field that could have made a difference, but when it comes down to it, our guys played really hard, made some big plays and just needed to find a way to make a few more.”

The two teams have played each other eight times in the last four seasons and have become very familiar with each other in big games.

Even though Mounds View has had the upper hand in most of the recent games, they have been close and hard fought.

“A lot of history between these two teams,” LaBore said. “Both sides are going to scratch and claw for every inch and that is what the game came down to.”

For the year, Stillwater finished with an 8-3 record, its losses to Cretin-Derham Hall and two to Mounds View.

It was LaBore’s first season as head coach for the Ponies after six years with Woodbury.

He said he learned a lot from his players in his first year at Stillwater.

“It’s a great group of guys, great group of football players, but even better guys,” LaBore said. “They kind of helped me understand the important things about Stillwater football, so that I could embrace Stillwater football. At the same time made it easy for me begin things that I think are important. They will always have an important place, at least with me. They are a great group of young men.”