10 years ago this week...

This is a look back at some of the people and teams making news in the St. Croix Valley 10 years ago, as reported in the Stillwater Gazette.

Football — Eden Prairie football coach Mike Grant pulls former Ponies coach George Thole out of retirement to join his staff as an assistant coach for the South Team in the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Tackle Cancer All-Star Game to be played at St. Cloud State University in late June. He will be on the opposing sideline from current Stillwater assistant coach Mark Elmer and Peter Palecek, an all-state offensive lineman for the Ponies and SCSU recruit.

Nordic skiing — Seniors Vessa Pearsall and Davis Gray are chosen the Most Valuable Athlete(s) for the Stillwater girls and boys Nordic skiing teams. Pearsall helps power the Stillwater girls to conference and section titles before a fourth-place finish at state. Gray contributes to a Stillwater boys team that captures a Suburban East Conference title before placing second in Section 4.

Colleges — A onetime contributor to Stillwater’s girls hockey state championships in 2007 and 2009, Cassandra Salmen receives NCAA Division III CCM All-American First Team honors following her senior season at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Salmen is also chosen the WIAC Player of the Year after scoring a league-high 18 goals and adding nine assists.