Familiar Foes: Ponies, Mustangs to Meet in Section Semis

Stillwater hits the road Saturday to take on the team that has ended its season the last two years and won the last four meetings between the teams.

THIS WEEK

at Mounds View in the Section 2AAAAA semifinals.

LAST WEEK

Stillwater (8-2) defeated Tartan 35-7, and Mounds View (9-1) got past Roseville 21-7.

THE FIRST TIME AROUND …

Big plays were abundant , with four of the five touchdowns in Mounds View's 21-14 win covering more than 30 yards. Tyler Hansen scored on 31- and 79-yard runs for the Mustangs, and the Ponies got a 45-yard interception return from Charlie Register and a 43-yard touchdown pass.

PONIES WIN IF …

They can establish their running game this time around, something they struggled with in the first meeting. Stillwater had 101 yards rushing on 37 carries last time, and will need that average (2.7 yards per carry) to be a lot better if they're going to have a chance Saturday.

MUSTANGS WIN IF …

Their defense can be its usual stingy self. Mounds View has held seven of its nine opponents to seven points or fewer this season, and is averaging just 7.5 ppg. allowed. Stillwater is one of the two teams that managed to score double digits on the Mustangs, but 14 points is not exactly an offensive explosion.

2010 PLAYOFFS

Stillwater lost to Mounds View in the section championship, after beating Tartan 32-16 in the semifinals.

SECTION 2AAAAA SCHEDULE

Quarterfinals

Tuesday

Mounds View 21, Roseville 7

White Bear Lake 28, Irondale 7

Totino-Grace 30, North St. Paul 7

Semifinals

Saturday

Stillwater at Mounds View, 7 p.m.

White Bear Lake at Totino-Grace, 7 p.m.

Finals

Friday, Nov. 4

Semifinal winners, at high seed