This game is a milestone in the Pony football program because it was our first state playoff game and our first trip to O’Shaughnessy Stadium on the campus of the University of St. Thomas. Both teams, sporting 9-0 records, battled fiercely throughout the contest with the winner advancing to the state semifinals, while the loser would be checking it in on the following Monday. The Pony defense was led by linebackers Al Schmidt and Dave Rogers along with linemen Dale Beutel, Tim Kumerow and Mark Nelson up front. The secondary was spearheaded by the stellar play of seniors Joe Eichten, John Uppgren and Perry Monpetit. Co-captain Mike Nolan guided the Pony attack from his quarterback position establishing the option with pitches to running backs Terry Richert and Todd Butterfield. When the aggressive Charger defense came up to stop the option, Nolan was successful in hitting senior receiver Mark Schultz with the flanker dump. The win kept the Ponies’ undefeated season alive and advanced them to the state semifinals against St. Paul Harding at Parade Stadium where they defeated the Knights by a score of 31-7.