<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3vFMUV_0kzv2DZ300" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3vFMUV_0kzv2DZ300" width="625" height="810" > COTTAGE GROVE — East Ridge finished first in six events, including all three relays, but the Stillwater boys swimming and diving team used a balanced approach to take top honors in the Suburban East Conference JV Meet on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Oltman Middle School. The Ponies totaled 408 points to outdistance East Ridge (368) while Mounds View followed in third with 243 points. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Stillwater placed third in this meet a year ago, but captured the program’s 21st JV conference title in the past 25 seasons. East Ridge handed the Ponies their only varsity dual meet setback of the season on the way to capturing the varsity league title. “The entire team, including me, was really excited to pull off that first place,” Ponies coach Brian Luke said. “It bodes well for our younger kids who are getting better and paying attention and trying to do things correct. We have a ways to go to catch East Ridge on the varsity side, but it was fun to do. “The kids swam well and did a really super job. It was fun.” The Ponies swept the top three places in the 200 individual medley, led by Bodie Sheffer (2:30.51) with Noah Vu (2:31.10) and Jack Howell (2:51.93) following in second and third. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Vu added a victory in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:07.91 while Sheffer followed in third at 1:12.34. “That was a 12-second drop (for Sheffer) and Noah was third so that was a good event for us,” Luke said. “They reversed positions in the fly so those were two pretty good races.” The 500 freestyle was another strong event for the Ponies led by Jonathan Stanton (6:13.54) and Lincoln Wanderer (6:22.83) placing first and second. Stanton also placed second in the 100 breastroke with a time of 1:20.86. Peter Severson (1:11.59) and Noah Danker (1:13.47) placed first and third for the Ponies in the 100 backstroke. Grady Flynn finished first for the Ponies in diving with a score of 130.75. It was at that point, the Ponies started to feel like they could win the meet. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> “I was checking the scores for sure,” Luke said. “I told the kids after diving, we could win this thing if we hang in there. We did have two DQs, but luckily they did not haunt us.” The coach enjoys this meet because the spotlight is on the kids who are often overshadowed during much of the season while providing the building blocks for future success. “To those kids, it was their culminating meet,” Luke said. “They did a great job and the varsity was there cheering them on and when they announced the results everybody was standing and cheering. It was very cool. “I love the whole concept of the meet and I’m glad we do it. It gives these kids the chance to be the one, two, three swimmers and you want to find out how they can step up and being able to perform when they have to. It was very exciting.” <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> The Ponies finished first in five events, but East Ridge won all three relays, the 50 free, 100 free and 100 breastroke. Stillwater placed second in 200 medley relay and finished third behind the Raptors in the 200 free relay and 400 free relay. Only one relay scores per team and up to four individuals per event. “The relays were solid,” Luke said. The rest of the team not competing in the JV conference meet is scheduled to compete in the Section 4AA Meet at Stillwater Middle School on Feb. 24-25. The meet was originally scheduled for three days, but due to the winter storms will begin with swimming preliminaries on Friday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. Section diving was moved to Saturday, Feb. 25 at 11 a.m., followed by the swimming finals at 5 p.m. The state meet is scheduled for March 2-4 at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Team standings 1. Stillwater 408; 2. East Ridge 368; 3. Mounds View 243; 4. Forest Lake 213; 5. Irondale 201; 6. White Bear Lake 152; 7. Park 108; 8. Roseville 92; 9. Woodbury 85. Contact Stuart Groskreutz at stuart.groskreutz@apgecm.com <nbtemplate data-content="eyJhcGlLZXkiOiAiZDgxM2Q5Yzg3NTI3N2IzNWU0YzRmZDM0NTAyMjJkNmQiLCAiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiAiU3Vic2NyaWJlIHRvIFN0aWxsd2F0ZXIgR2F6ZXR0ZSIsICJldmVudCI6ICJtcF9zdWJzY3JpcHRpb25fYnV0dG9uX2NsaWNrX2V2ZW50IiwgInVybCI6ICJodHRwczovL2FwZzA0Lm5ld3p3YXJlLmNvbS9zczcwdjIvZWNtL2NvbW1vbi90ZW1wbGF0ZS5qc3A_c2tpbj1zdmgmaW5pdD1zdGFydCZpbml0RWRpdGlvbj1TVEwiLCAibWVkaWFJZCI6IDE1OTMyOTQsICJ0aXRsZSI6ICJCb3lzIHN3aW1taW5nIGFuZCBkaXZpbmc6IFBvbmllcyB0b3AgZmllbGQgYXQgSlYgY29uZmVyZW5jZSBtZWV0In0=" data-id="MediaPlatformAmplitudeButton"></nbtemplate></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

COTTAGE GROVE — East Ridge finished first in six events, including all three relays, but the Stillwater boys swimming and diving team used a balanced approach to take top honors in the Suburban East Conference JV Meet on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Oltman Middle School.
                The Ponies totaled 408 points to outdistance East Ridge (368) while Mounds View followed in third with 243 points.
                Stillwater placed third in this meet...