VINTAGE VIEWFINDER ATHLETES OF THE MONTH

*Athletes chosen by press staff

Will Degonda Liberty Quast

Stillwater Track & Field

Will Degonda was one of the top scorers for the Stillwater track team as the Ponies captured the Section 4AAA true team title on May 9. Degonda, a senior, placed first in the 800 run with a time of 1:58.72, and second in the 1600 with a time of 4:23.41. At last year’s state meet, he placed sixth in the 800 with 1:56.42, earning a place on the medal podium. Last fall, Degonda helped the cross country team place seventh in the state, running fifth in the section meet and 40th at state.

Stillwater Track & Field

Liberty Quast, Stillwater sophomore sprint- was a big factor in the Ponies capturing the Section 4AA true team championship May 9. Quast won the 200 dash in 26.43 and placed second in both the 100 with 12.74 and triple jump with 35-4. Four days earlier, at the Edina Invitationals, she was second in the 100 and 200, third in the triple, and helped the 4x100 team win. Quad was also one of the standouts on Stillwater’s gymnastics team that placed fourth in the state.

Avery Mueller Malachi McKinnon

Forest Lake Softball Forest Lake Boys Hockey-Tennis

Avery Muellner is a standout veteran on the Forest Lake softball team, even though she is still just a freshman. Through May 14, Mueller had a 7-1 pitching record and 1.03 ERA for the Rangers (14-3) with 73 strikeouts against just 11 walks in 48 innings — and was hitting .541 (20for-37) with 13 RBI’s. On last year’s state champion team, she was 9-3 (one state win) with a 1.30 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 75 innings. She had a 4-0 mark in seventh-grade on a state runner-up team, with wins in the section finals (a shutout) and at state.

Malachi McKinnon, Forest Lake sophomore hockey and tennis player, was taken by the Fargo Force with the 30th pick in the United States Hockey League draft on May 3. McKinnon had a huge freshman season with the Rangers in 2021-22, logging 34 goals and 18 assists. This winter, he had eight goals and 10 assists in 18 games when he left for the East Coast to join the Long Island 16U AAA team — and helped the Gulls capture the Tier I national tournament. In tennis, McKinnon was a state qualifier in singles last as a section runner-up. This year, heading into the playoffs,