The decision by the Minnesota State High School League to change this year’s 6A Football playoffs has had the intended effect.  Teams that are not traditional playoff rivals are playing each other in exciting games.

Last week, the #4 seed Ponies came out on top in their match-up, beating #5 seed Champlin Park 23-0 to advance to the quarter final round of 16 teams.  It was only the sixth time in history that the two teams played each other and the first matchup in 16 years.

This Friday, the Ponies travel to Lakeville North to face the Panthers.  This is the first time that the Ponies have faced a team from Lakeville, either before or after the school district was divided into North and South high schools. 

The Panthers, who finished the regular season in a three-way tie for first place in the East Suburban Sub-District White, have been ranked among the top 10 teams in the state for most of the season.  For the playoffs, Lakeville North received the #1 seed in their bracket, and last week defeated #8 seed Buffalo at home, 34-24.

“Their defense is good,” said Ponies Football Head Coach Beau LaBore. “They swarm to the ball with fast players and play an attacking style.  Their defense is a big reason they’ve been to the state tournament in four of the past five years.”

The Panthers pair their strong defense with an equally-capable offense, which ranked third in total points scored among all 6A teams during the regular season.

“They run the ball effectively, and have success converting first downs and big plays in the air,” said LaBore.  “Plain and simple, the winner gets to go on to the state tournament, and every team left is good.  We know we need to play great if we want to be one of the final eight teams.”

The Ponies student body is celebrating Pony Pride by wearing red, black, and white.

Kickoff is at 7:00 pm at Lakeville North High School Stadium.  Fans attending the game should plan on a 45-minute trip from the Stillwater Area High School.  The address is 19600 Ipava Avenue, Lakeville, MN 55004.

A full bracket of the remaining teams in the 6A football tournament can be found on the MSHSL Web Site.