With unfinished business from last year, boys lacrosse is building momentum for a highly anticipated season opener against Edina, who denied them in the championship last June.

The 2025 season came to a disappointing end for the Ponies after a 9-7 loss, allowing the Hornets to claim their first-ever state title. Preseason rankings from outlets such as Minnesota Lacrosse Magazine have ranked both teams first in their respective conferences: Stillwater in the Suburban East and Edina in the Lake. 

Senior defenseman Isaac Sainsbury said that last year’s loss has been on the team’s minds during practices, but they have remained focused. 

Ambition has fueled preseason training and commitment to preparation ahead of tryouts, which begin the last week of March. The team has been consistent, with captains’ practices several days a week and weightlifting at Training Haus. 

Trainer Rocco Huppert said his biggest piece of advice for the team has been “to control your controllables.” He added, “We can’t control the result, but we can control the process. This requires us to show up consistently and be intentional in all that we do. Consistency breeds results.”

New senior captains have stepped up in their leadership roles, as preseason training has been open to players as young as middle school. Other players to highlight are those planning to play at a collegiate level, including seniors Easton Abrams, who is committed to Westminster University, and Aiden Sargent, who is committed to Lewis University. 

Gallery • 7 Photos

Photo by Moses Schollett

Boys lacrosse goalies Derek Mork and Roman Bobroski work with tennis balls to improve both hand-eye coordination and reaction time. Both of which are pivotal in the goalie position. Drills like this are good in the early season and were used at this early March captains' practice.

“Nothing is guaranteed, so we just can’t really take a practice off,” Sargent said. He added that this was the key takeaway from last season’s defeat, and it has become a major motivator now.

Ultimately, the team has its priorities straight to follow up their 18-1 record last season and achieve a third consecutive section 4 title. With a strong core of returning leaders, they aim to translate last year’s success into another deep playoff run.

Sainsbury speaks for the team when he said the sole objective is simply “to win state”. 

With a blend of experience and determination, the Ponies are not just ready to compete, but to prove they belong at the top of Minnesota lacrosse. The East v. West showdown will be hosted by Prior Lake on April 11, where Stillwater plans to set a dominant tone for a successful season.