Stillwater Area High School senior Austin Buck was awarded the 10th annual Ponies Touchdown Club Scholarship. The award ceremony, returning for the first time in three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, took place on Monday, May 9, 2022 in the auditorium. Buck received an individual award and his name will be engraved on a plaque which hangs in the athletic hallway. Previous recipients include Aaron Romportl (2013), Jake Olson (2014), Nick Johnson (2015), Kevin Jones (2016 four-year) and Josh Wille (2016 two-year), Ben Peterson (2017), Charlie Richman (2018 four-year) and Carl Tomlinson (2018 two-year), Will Gleason (2019), Trey Kruse (2020), and Ian Hanlon (2021). In 10 years, the PTC has awarded $12,000 to college-bound alumni.

The Ponies Touchdown Club Scholarship, created in 2012, recognizes superior, holistic achievement as a student-athlete with special emphasis placed on contribution to the Stillwater Ponies football program.

First, the student-athlete is regarded as someone who invested thoroughly in academics, athletics and activities, and community service. The recipient is well-rounded, gained a diverse, co-curricular education. The recipient shares their time and talent generously and believes “giving is receiving.”

Second, the student-athlete made a significant impact on the football program while using the experience to become a better person. The player promoted, influenced, and furthered the objectives of the program, which includes having fun; growing as a person; representing our school and community with class; and helping us become the best team possible. The Ponies Touchdown Club Scholarship recipient is an ideal representative of the Stillwater Ponies football program.

Austin, and his identical twin brother Mason, were recruited out of the weight room to play football when they were in ninth grade. Head Coach Beau LaBore said “the Bucks have positively impacted our program in all phases. In particular, Austin distinguished himself with his essay about conquering fears and using repetition to develop technique.

“I learned my most effective way to grow through my tackling journey,” Austin Buck said. “I have applied this to life - I can tweak my approach to improve based on the specific task - in order to find success in everything I do.”

Buck has challenged himself with four advanced placement or college level courses and boasts a transcript that is nearly perfect.

As a free safety, Buck was a safety valve over the top of the defense but also ran the alley for the Metro Maroon North Champions. Buck is a starter on the Suburban East Conference leading Ponies baseball team, is involved with a pile of activities, has held down numerous part time jobs, and is Co-founder and producer of a revenue-generating YouTube channel, BushBros Outdoors. 

Buck will use the scholarship at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire to study biology and secondary education.

Senior Captain Connor McCormick, who will attend Gustavus-Adolphus College where he will play football and run track, was the recipient of the eighth annual Richard (Dick) N. Olsen Memorial Scholarship to honor his extensive contributions to the SCVAA and St. Croix Valley.

Other recipients include Josh Godbout, Jake Simcik, Jackson Dunleap, Tommy De St. Aubin, Zach Cowley and Holten King, Nate Simcik, Nick Simcik, and Andrew Langenberger, and in 2021 Michael Cowley and Ian Hanlon. This memorial scholarship seeks to award student-athletes who contributed to Stillwater football, volunteered in the community, contributed positively to their faith community, and worked to the best of their abilities in the academic setting.

McCormick, who led students as a member of Student Council and was active in his church, volunteered at the Pony Youth Football Camp, VAA Football, Adaptive Football Day, and our food drive while maintaining a 3.7 GPA.

McCormick transformed himself from a ninth grader wanting more opportunities to a senior captain scoring touchdowns. “No one would have thought I would contribute under the lights as a freshman, but through a lot of hard work, time, and effort, I proved you can never count me out. Football showed me the importance of hard work and if you give it your all, you can do whatever you want to.”

Coach LaBore agreed the odds seemed long for McCormick in ninth grade. “Connor had a long way to go physically,” LaBore said. “He didn’t miss a workout for three years. Coupled with great character and desire, he developed and earned everything that has come his way.”

Other Ponies football players earning scholarships include Mason Buck, Zachariah Hunter, and Cade Koenig.