Four Stillwater players served one-game suspensions for a picture posted to Facebook, Stillwater Activities Director Ricky Michel confirmed Wednesday. The players served the suspension during a 5-4 victory over Mounds View and are back for the Ponies as they prepare for section playoffs.
Before a game against White Bear Lake, an image was posted of a teddy bear wearing No. 34 and with a noose around its neck.
White Bear Lake senior Crysta Lowell, No. 34, was lost for the season with a torn knee ligament during the game — on a collision that observers said came in the flow of play and didn’t appear malicious.
“There was a dumb decision made, and put some consequences to it. We told them that’s not the way we want people to use Facebook," Michel said. “College coaches deal with this all the time. It just seems to trickle down. High school coaches are having to deal with it more and more, too. It puts another burden on them, which is not good to see.”
Stillwater and White Bear Lake could meet in the section playoffs, but Michel doesn't anticipate any bad blood should that happen.
"I think it’s an isolated incident," he said. "The girls involved feel absolutely awful."
Stillwater will face North St. Paul on Saturday in the second round of the sectional playoffs. The Ponies are seeded No. 3 in Class 2A, Section 4, the same section as White Bear Lake. The No. 1 seeded Bears take on the winner of tonight's game between St. Paul and the Minneapolis Novas on Friday. Stillwater and White Bear Lake would only play each other if they reach the Section 4 final Friday, Feb. 18.