On a night Stillwater's defense was forced to fill unanticipated holes, the offense kept the Ponies undefeated.
Stillwater is all sorts of perfect in victory over Forest Lake
The Ponies reached 6-0, lifted by QB Max Shikenjanski, who completed his first 12 passes.
October 8, 2022 at 4:34AM
Senior quarterback Max Shikenjanski and junior running back Sam Young co-authored a 27-14 victory Friday at previously undefeated Forest Lake. They accounted for all four Stillwater touchdowns.
Five of Stillwater's defensive players, three starters and two regulars, missed the game for disciplinary reasons. Friday marked the first time in Beau LaBore's 18-year coaching career when he started three sophomores on defense.
Fourth-ranked Stillwater received a near-perfect performance from Shikenjanski. He completed his first 12 passes through three quarters. The diminutive Young, listed at 5-6 and 150 pounds, tore through No. 8 Forest Lake's defense. He tallied season highs with 189 yards on 30 carries.
"Sam is super strong, super fast and really explosive," LaBore said. "In high school football, you don't judge guys by how big they are. He plays bigger than his stature."
Despite two previous performances of at least 125 yards, Young sensed the Rangers defense wasn't prepared for the Ponies' rushing attack. Young certainly was prepared. He had salivated since learning of the game plan on Monday.
"You're ready for it when you know you're getting the ball," Young said. "The running game is fun because you have those long drives where you just pound them."
The game started as a showcase for each offense. Stillwater struck first with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Shikenjanski to Joseph Hoheisel. Forest Lake (5-1) answered with a Leyton Patzer 30-yard scoring run.
The 7-7 tie didn't last. The Ponies scored on their next drive, capped with a short Shikenjanski touchdown run.
Forest Lake, which entered the game 5-0 for the first time since 1986, flinched first. A snap over quarterback Keagan Zeidler's head led to a turnover on downs in the second quarter.
Stillwater embarked on a third touchdown drive. Shikenjanski's second 2-yard scoring run of the game gave his team a 20-7 halftime lead.
"We understand that we hurt ourselves in some phases of the game, and they did some things to hurt us as well," first-year Forest Lake coach Brad Beeskow said. "Continuing to get better is what really matters."
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
