Stillwater endures opening buzzsaw

Oh, what a wonderful winter sports season it has been for the Stillwater Ponies. The girls' hockey team won the Class 2A state championship at Xcel Energy Center last weekend and the boys' hockey team is one victory away from playing at state in the same building next week. But this week is wrestling week at the X and out came the Pony grapplers on Thursday in the Class 3A team competition ... knowing they were going to get absolutely thumped.

Stillwater's fate was sealed when the quarterfinal pairings were announced. The opponent was Apple Valley, which has won nine of the past 10 state titles and is certain to add another one this week.

So, how does a team react when it sees Goliath on the other side of the bracket?

"We knew we didn't even have a chance," said senior 160-pounder Tom Powers.

Well, they had a chance, just like that snowball's chance in you know where. And the Ponies did win three matches, all by pins. Powers got one, senior Cody Madsen got one at 125 and sophomore Brock Horwach recorded the third mat-slapper at 285.

So, young Brock, is getting a pin against Apple Valley a little extra special, even in the midst of a 62-18 team defeat? (Yes, the team score really was 62-18.)

"Yeah, I guess," he said. "It makes you feel better, because they are No. 1 in the state." And then he smiled ever so slightly and admitted: "It's sweet."

Apple Valley is more than No. 1 in Minnesota; the Eagles are ranked third in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News.

"I thought we battled them hard tonight or this morning or whatever heck time it is, this afternoon," said Ponies coach Rich Keller, finally landing on the correct time of day.

The other 3A matches also went according to form. No. 2 seed Albert Lea beat Centennial 36-20, No. 3 Cambridge-Isanti beat Wayzata 41-15 and No. 4 Bloomington Kennedy beat St. Cloud Apollo 38-27.

The Ponies paid special attention to the Kennedy-Apollo match, knowing they would meet the losing team in today's consolation bracket.

"We've been focusing on the next team, Apollo or Bloomington Kennedy," Powers said. "It's very intimidating wrestling [Apple Valley] right away, because all their names are known."

Destin McCauley, Justin LaValle and Tyler Lehmann are defending state champs and three other Apple Valley wrestlers are ranked No. 1 in their weight class. The Eagles had nine pins against the Ponies, seven in the first period.

Some perspective: Stillwater wrestlers have won seven individual state titles while Apple Valley owns a state-record 52; the Ponies are making their school's fourth trip to state as a team, the Eagles are here for the 27th year in a row.

Apple Valley had nine individuals qualify for state and they went 9-0 in Wednesday's first round. Stillwater had four guys make it as individuals: Madsen, Powers, Duncan Secor at 152 and J.C. O'Keefe at 189. All four lost Wednesday.

But what's done is done. Stillwater will meet St. Cloud Apollo today.

"I think the next one," Madsen said with a smile, "will be a little closer than 62-18."

Well done, Ponies.

John Millea • jmillea@startribune.com