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Stillwater edges North St. Paul to win Class 2A, Section 4 title

By Peter Odney, SportsEngine, 10/18/16, 7:00AM CDT

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Miguel Caravias scored with 7:27 remaining in the game to help send the Ponies to the state tournament.

 

 


Both teams put up a fight with no score in the first half. Photo by Trevor Rodriguez, SportsEngine.

When North St. Paul’s Ata Claremond lined up for a free kick within scoring distance of the Stillwater net with just 55 seconds remaining to play in regulation, Ponies coach Jake Smothers knew exactly where his heart was.

“It (was) in my throat,” Smothers admitted after Tuesday night’s Class 2A, Section 4 final at Stillwater High School.

Claremond’s shot was near-perfect, hugging the turf in the form of a screaming line drive that seemed destined for the back of the net. The junior forward has a knack for converting similar shots with 38 goals heading into Tuesday’s game.

But this one wasn’t meant to be.

Stillwater senior defender Patrick Allan, a Minnesota High School Soccer Coaches Association Mr. Soccer finalist, managed to corral the rebound and clear the ball, quashing the Polars’ last chance and securing the 2-1 victory for the Ponies.

It was the type of thrilling roller-coaster ride Smothers believed would be in store for his team.   

“This was exactly what we anticipated when we saw were going to draw North,” Smothers said. “Honestly, it was a team we wanted to play, exactly for this atmosphere."

Stillwater edged North St. Paul 3-2 on Sept. 17, but the dress rehearsal didn’t help the Ponies corral Claremond. 

Junior defender Nick Smetana drew the assignment of marking Claremond and was a nuisance at times.

“I don’t know if we slowed him down, but we got in his way a little bit,” Smothers said.

Senior midfielder Kohei Adams said Stillwater sometimes struggled with the pressure applied by North St. Paul's offense. “But we kept our cool and were able to pull some goals out,” he added.

The first goal came from senior midfielder Colman Farrington, who gave the Ponies (19-0) a 1-0 lead before North St. Paul’s Kenlove Solon knotted the game 1-1 with just 15 minutes left in the second half.

Junior goalkeeper Kearby Larson made eight saves for the Polars (16-3), ranked No. 7 in the Class 2A coaches' poll.

Adams assisted on the game-winning goal, getting the ball to the team’s leading scorer Miguel Caravias and letting the senior’s powerful shot do the rest.

Caravias has 20 goals this season, with four coming in the postseason for the No. 1-2A Ponies.

“I’m really proud of me and my team, and I’m just focused on (winning),” Caravias said.

"I can't wait to play in the state tournament," he added with a giddy smile.

First Report

Senior forward Miguel Caravias scored with 7:27 remaining in the game to lift Stillwater to a 2-1 victory over North St. Paul in the Class 2A, Section 4 championship Tuesday night at Stillwater High School. 

Caravias secured a bouncing ball in front of the Polars net before drilling a shot past junior goalkeeper Kearby Larson, helping send the Ponies to the state tournament.

Senior midfielder Colman Farrington tallied the first goal for Stillwater (19-0), ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A coaches’ poll, directing a pass from Weston McGinley past Larson midway through the second half.

Ponies junior goalkeeper Fred LeClair turned away eight of nine shots while Larson made eight saves.

Junior attacker Kenlove Solon scored the lone goal for No. 7-2A North St. Paul (16-3) in the game’s 64th minute.


Stillwater players celebrate their championship win. Photo by Trevor Rodriguez, SportsEngine.

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