Athletics Archives

Beth Larson ’08, 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee

September 13, 2024

Launched in 2023 as a way to celebrate MPA’s rich athletic tradition, MPA is proud to announce the 2024 Hall of Fame inductees: the 2006 State Golf Team; Beth Larson ’08, alum athlete; Daniel Ethier, teacher and coach; and Mike Scinto, teacher and coach. Please take a moment to read about Beth Larson ’08!

What was your greatest accomplishment in during your time as an athlete at MPA?
Winning the state doubles championship twice with my partner, Amber Washington, and winning the team state championship.

How did your time at MPA shape your future?

Being a student-athlete while simultaneously being deeply involved in music helped me develop a well-rounded set of interests that I continue to pursue today.

In what ways did the school support you during your time at MPA?
I learned so much about myself and the role that I wanted to play in the world. MPA helped me understand that I want to devote my life to giving back and improving a world that has privileged me with many gifts.

Who at MPA had the greatest influence on you?
It is hard to choose just one. Ms. Wantock for always supporting me, and helping me and teaching me valuable life lessons through music; Ms. Conway for pushing me to make a difference and enact lasting positive change on those around me; and Mlle Ruud for introducing me to Senegal and the wonders of the Francophone world.

What is something about you or your time at MPA that few people know?

After an 8-year hiatus from softball, I started back up as a member of a Canadian softball team in Dakar, Senegal, which participated in the annual West African Invitational Softball Tournament. I now play on several championship recreational slowpitch teams in Baltimore, MD, and on numerous USTA tennis teams that have competed nationally.

Mike Scinto, 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee

September 13, 2024

What was your greatest accomplishment in your 38 years as a coach and physical education and health teacher at MPA?
I was hired at MPA in 1987 to teach Physical Education and be the brand-new girls varsity soccer coach. My task as the varsity coach was to begin a new program that had not previously existed. It was a very exciting time and very challenging too. I was honored to be the person they chose and wanted to share my passion for the game that had meant so much to me growing up. I enjoyed working with so many students/athletes and coaches over the years that were very dedicated and put their heart and soul into the program. I worked with many great people who contributed to the success of the program from the beginning of my tenure until the end.

What is your happiest memory of your time at MPA?
Winning the Section 4 Soccer Championship in 2002 and qualifying for the state tournament! After losing some tough semi-final games the previous two years, we finally made it to the section final against a powerful Simley High School that had been pretty much unbeatable the previous two years. Our kids were super prepared and motivated for the game and we ended up winning 1-0 in a great game. It was very exciting for the team, parents, and coaches! On our bus ride home, the boys soccer team was also in the section final against St. Thomas Academy and ended up winning on penalty kicks. (We found this out because someone on our team had what was called a cell phone and got a call from her parents, who also had a son on the boys team). So, both MPA teams qualified for the state tournament which was very much a highlight for our school.

What is one piece of advice that you would share with MPA athletes?
If you want to be great at a specific sport, you have to train and practice each day like it’s a game (no days off). Because of the work they put into practice, they are fully prepared. Once the game begins, they are on “auto-pilot” because this is the way they practice each day–it truly becomes a habit for them. The best players I have ever coached have been motivated to work hard at practice to improve themselves which raises the level of their teammates too.

In what ways did the school support you during your time at MPA?
I had so much support in the early years of MPA! People like Bob Kreischer (Head of School) and Bill Henry (a parent of two in the early 90’s) really made an impression on me. Those two individuals would send me hand written notes to encourage me in those early years that were not always easy. Both were so good at seeing what we were really doing was playing beyond the scoreboard. It wasn’t about wins and losses; it was about developing relationships with students/athletes and applying the life lessons you learn through sports.

What impact do you hope you had on others at MPA?
When it comes to athletics, my hope is that all students/athletes who played for me had a fun high school sports experience in either soccer or softball. When they get older, they will probably not remember all the games they played or what their season record was, but they will remember if they had fun. My hope is that I was a positive teacher, role model, and contributor to many life lessons students/athletes learn while competing in athletics that are carried into their adult lives.

Daniel Ethier, 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee

September 13, 2024

What was your greatest accomplishment in your 29 years as a teacher and 24 as a coach at MPA?
Hopefully, having a positive influence on the many students and athletes I have worked with. I have probably taught or coached close to a thousand students and athletes in my 29 years of teaching and 24 years of coaching. If I have had even a little positive influence on each of them, that adds up to a large positive influence on the world.

What is your happiest memory of your time at MPA?
The 2008 Boys Cross Country Team qualifying for state. That moment when they learned that they had qualified for state was so incredibly joyful. They had worked so hard for that moment and it was incredibly satisfying to see them realize that audacious goal.

What is one piece of advice that you would share with MPA athletes?
Success in cross country, like success in anything, requires challenging yourself consistently over a long period of time. There are no shortcuts. And the only way to see what you are ultimately capable of is to commit and make the journey.

In what ways did the school support you during your time at MPA?
The success of the cross country team over all these years was never just my doing. I worked with great assistant coaches who made it possible to have every runner doing a workout that was right for them. Our athletic directors (Joe Kordosky and Dan Haase) always made sure we had the resources we needed and took care of a lot of details like fees and buses so I could focus on the coaching. Especially during COVID, Dan Haase had to do a LOT of extra work to allow our athletes to be able to do their sports.

What is something about you or your time at MPA that few people know?

It is really an accident that I got into running at all. In ninth grade at Cleveland Junior High, a friend asked if I was going out for track. I didn’t know what track was! But I signed up. A few days before our first meet, the coach said there were five of us,including me, who had not signed up for an event, and there was nobody signed up for the 4×200 relay or the 800-meter run. He said the five of us would sprint down the block and the first four would be the relay and the fifth would do the 800. I was fifth. The 800 went pretty well for me. During our last meet, the Johnson High School cross country coach approached me and got my info. And that is how I got into running and coaching.

2006 State Golf Team, 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee

September 13, 2024

The 2006 MPA Boys Golf Team, coached by Tom Cotter and Greg Lundgren and led by senior captain Peter Kieselbach, seniors Peter Croonquist and Mike Anderson, and ninth graders Will Lage, Tom Hammer, and Matt Caswell, achieved a remarkable 7-3 record in the highly competitive Tri-Metro Conference. Their journey to victory was defined by key wins over strong opponents such as Concordia Academy, St. Anthony, Blake, St. Paul Academy, DeLaSalle, St. Bernard’s, and St. Agnes. In a thrilling Tri-Metro Conference Championship, MPA triumphed by a one-stroke margin over Breck and SPA, securing the conference title.

Building on their regular season success, MPA’s dominance extended into the postseason, where they claimed a Subsection victory by an impressive 7 strokes, followed by a Section Championship win with a commanding 10-stroke lead. Their momentum carried them all the way to the MSHSL state tournament, where they captured the prestigious state team championship.

“I have many happy memories from my time at MPA, however, my favorite has to be when we won the state tournament during my senior year,” said Michael Anderson ’06. “It was a magical season. We were not the favorites to win, but we put everything together at the right time in the sub-section, section, and state tournaments.”

In addition to the team’s triumph, Peter Croonquist showcased his individual ability by winning the state individual championship, further cementing the 2006 team’s legacy as one of MPA’s finest.

Join MPA’s Grade 7-12 Sailing Team

August 29, 2024

Did you know that MPA has a highly competitive and successful sailing team? While sailing is not an MSHSL sport and is run as a club at MPA, our sailors have competed at the regional, national, and collegiate levels annually for many years. No experience or boat is needed to join, and all are welcome from grades seven through 12. In fact, it’s free for the first week! Sailing is a lifelong sport that is both technical and physical, and it is a great way to make friends from MPA and other schools.

Details:

Practices are held September 3-October 24 (weather permitting) at White Bear Sailing School.
Attendance is free September 3-5—come try out the sport!
MPA’s team is coached and practices alongside sailors from Mahtomedi Public Schools, White Bear Public Schools, and other area schools.
Practices are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:30-6:30 PM.
Potluck and parent night Saturday, September 7 at 7 PM.
Parent information meeting slides can be found here.
Regattas are optional but encouraged and held on Saturdays on lakes throughout the Twin Cities.
Sailing is a spring and/or fall sport and students can participate in one or both seasons.
Some personal gear is required to ensure safety on the water—some gear may be available to borrow.
The cost is $550 per season and includes coaching and the use of boats and other equipment.

Registration and more information can be found here. If you have any questions, please reach out to MPA’s sailing team advisor, Natalie Waters Seum at nwatersseum@moundsparkacademy.org. We hope to see you on the water!

Bringing Home the Gold: MPA’s Top 5 Athletic Achievements

July 17, 2024

Mounds Park Academy has an incredibly rich history of athletic success. To highlight some of that success, take a look back at the top five athletic achievements by Panther athletics!

Boys Golf: Four Years of Dominance at the MSHSL State Tournament

The boys golf program exhibited remarkable success over four years, being state participants in 2017 and winning the state championships in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Girls Tennis: Five Years of Dominance at the MSHSL State Tournament

The girls tennis program demonstrated exceptional performance over five years, finishing second in state in 2005, 2006, and 2008, and securing state championships in 2007 and 2009.

Boys Tennis: MPA’s First Team MSHSL State Championship (2005)

The boys tennis team clinched MPA’s first team state championship in 2005. Team members included Jake Sheehan, Paul Shapiro, Dan Mammel, Dan Stag, Dan Melum, Brendan Byrne, Bryan Kelly, Nate Eigenfeld, Ben Yates, Andy Brown, David Croonquist, Connor Brown, and Connor Hart, with Maddie Irvine as the team manager. The team was coached by Michelle Olson.

Girls Track and Field: MPA’s First Conference Championship (1994)

In 1994, the girls track and field team secured MPA’s first conference championship in the Tri-Valley Athletic Conference. The team was coached by MPA Hall of Fame coach Bev Docherty and Martha Connors.

Girls Golf: MPA’s First Individual MSHSL State Champion Stacey Geiser (1990)

Stacey Geiser became MPA’s first individual state champion in 1990, achieving this milestone while the school competed as an independent, not affiliated with any conference.

Did your top moment make the list? Do you know a coach, athlete, or Panther supporter who should be a part of the Mounds Park Academy Hall of Fame? Help us nominate them!

Reflections From Parents Of The MPA Class Of 2024 Lifers

July 12, 2024

Parents of Lifers are those who chose MPA for their children every year for all 13 years of their education. Right before they graduated from MPA, we interviewed the Class of 2024 Lifers in a group reflection on their MPA journeys. After hearing their touching reflections, filled with gratitude for MPA, advice, and optimism for the future, led us to further expand on the conversation to their parents.

How has MPA’s community supported and shaped your child?

Lisa (Nora ’24): For my kids, I think the opportunity to do a substantial amount of fine arts. They both played in instrumental groups as well as choirs. Athletics has been just a great opportunity–one child did three sports and the other did two.

Katie (Ben ’24): It’s being able to do everything. I felt a fair amount of pressure in high school–which happened to be public high school–and I thought I got a really fabulous education, but I had to do more picking. It was kind of like, “Well, you’re either devoted to this program or you’re going to be devoted to this program.” And I feel like Ben has gotten an opportunity to do a lot of different things. There’s flexibility and a willingness, too. That’s helped make him more well-rounded. In other places, he would’ve dropped off some of these things and really lost out on what is going to end up being life-changing, and now things that I would’ve never imagined him continuing to do in college, he’s going to try to continue to do in college.

Mike (Molly ’24): Being a younger sibling and the kid of an employee, Molly doesn’t remember ever not coming here. She was carried here certainly before she was walking. In her particular case, the community shaped her even in all the time she wasn’t yet a student here. It’s the place where she was always known and looked out for. We’ll take a lot of what happened outside the classroom as much as anything would happen inside.

Mark (Hunter ’24): I think the size. Hunter had the opportunity to do pretty much whatever he wanted and it was good to know that people are always looking out and saying, “Keep moving forward,” because I know kids can get lost in the shuffle.

Jeremy (Jay ’24): Jay’s been able to do so many things. A lead in a play, choir, jazz band, and multiple sports. I always tell him being able to be a big fish in a little pond sometimes is a good thing, because you get to be able to try everything. That has been very special here, those opportunities.

Kristi (Jay ’24): The opportunities he’s had across the board. I don’t think he would’ve been in a school play if he was at a different school. And selfishly, I already knew that there were outstanding teachers here–some of them that I had!–so I knew from the get-go what he was getting into and how it was going to help him flourish in school, because I feel like that’s a huge piece too–knowing how supportive and invested all these outstanding teachers are. Read More

Eddie And Megan Snider Punch Tickets To State!

June 3, 2024

Congratulations to Eddie ’25 and Megan Snider ‘27 as the pair of Panthers punched their tickets to state during the two-day Section 4A track and field championships held on May 30 and June 1 at Bethel University! The siblings secured spots in the Class A state track and field championship meet in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter races.

Megan was the first to grab a bid, racing in the 3,200 on the first day of action during the section meet. She kept her stride strong to finish the race in 11:34.30, earning her the silver medal and a trip to St. Michael-Albertville High School for the upcoming state showdown. Eddie’s turn to try to take a trip to the coveted tournament came after Megan’s triumph. Leaving no doubt that he would join his sister, Eddie blazed to a 9:51.51 to take first place in the meet, winning by .23 seconds over the second-place finisher from West Lutheran.

With bids secured, the pair wasn’t done there. Heading into Saturday hungry for more, Megan again had the day’s first opportunity, taking to the 1,600. She upgraded her showing from the first day of sections, claiming the top spot on the podium and finishing the race in 5:20.66.

Like the prior occasion, Eddie’s chance to match his sister was shortly thereafter. The boys 1,600 featured a tight race with the top four runners all neck and neck and Eddie right in the mix. Though Eddie claimed a bronze medal in the meet (4.24.90), with the top two automatically advancing to state, he advanced to state by meeting the state track and field standards (4.28.41). The showing was a personal best performance for Eddie!

The two will now prepare for the trip to the MSHSL Class A state track and field championships! Both will race in the 3,200 on Thursday, June 6, before returning to STMA for the 1,600 the following night. Good luck, Eddie and Megan!

More Strong Results For The Panthers
Nearly matching Eddie and Megan with a state berth of his own was Ben Murr ’24 and his performance in the 800. Ben burned to a personal best at 2:00.99 to place third in the meet (top two go to state). He also added a sixth-place finish in the 1,600 via a time of 4.28.97, a personal record.

Ben’s showing at sections wasn’t done there as he teamed up with Jay Green ‘24, Bryan Wong ‘24, and Alex Larson ’26 in the 4×400 relay to help the relay to fifth place. The quartet ran a 3:35.86 for the placement. The girls 4×400 relay, made up of Nora Pederson ’24, Annika Binstadt ’25, Delaney Cunnington ’25, and Rowan Mulrooney ’25, nearly matched the other side of the team’s performance by taking sixth place at 4:19.29. Nora took sixth in the high jump (4-10), Jay added eighth in the high jump (5-11), Delaney chipped in an eighth of her own in the long jump (16-4.5), Josh Murr ’27 raced to eighth in the 3,200 (10:45.95), Rowan placed ninth in the 300 hurdles (51.86) and the 4×800, consisting of Trevor Lien ’24, Oliver Frey ’24, Odin Foote ’25, and Soren Winikoff ’26, finished ninth (8:58.32).

The Panthers’ combined efforts helped the team finish 10th place in the section meet for both boys and girls. Go, Panthers!

Future Collegiate Athletes Share Emotions

May 30, 2024

Congratulations to the six MPA students who were celebrated on College Athlete Recognition Day! Izzy Espinosa, Jay Green, Else Kunze-Hoeg, Ben Murr, Nora Pederson, and David Steinberger will all continue on to the collegiate level to compete in their respective athletics. Aiming to capture some of the emotions shown through on the day of celebration, the six shared sentiments from the day.

Jay Green
School: Macalester College
Sport: Football, track and field
Why did you choose Macalester College? “I chose Macalester because, right away, I think I’m going to be able to play, and the academics are really good.”
What are some of the emotions you are feeling today? “I’m feeling really excited and good about it.”
Who would you like to thank for helping you get to this position? “I want to thank my parents, family, and all my coaches. They always pushed me and got me to where I wanted to be.”

Ben Murr
School: Luther College
Sport: Cross country, track and field
Why did you choose Luther College? “It felt like a really good fit for me. The opportunities to have a flexible cross country program where I could still pursue academics and my other interests pretty heavily is something that really interested me and made me want to choose the school I did.”
What are some of the emotions you are feeling today? “It’s pretty exciting. This is something I wasn’t expecting going into my college search, and it’s pretty incredible that I get to do it.”
Who would you like to thank for helping you get to this position? “I’d like to thank my parents for always encouraging me to do running and track and my coaches, coach (Adam) Pettipiece, Declan (Dahlberg ’18), and Ms. (Bev) Docherty, especially, for really pushing me through these past couple years of cross country despite the pandemic messing with things.” Read More

Reflections From The MPA Class Of 2024 Lifers

May 20, 2024

Near the end of their final year at MPA, we had the honor of interviewing many of the MPA Class of 2024 Lifers about their time at MPA, the only school they’ve been at for their entire academic career. A group of dedicated athletes, talented musical artists, Peer Leaders, and proud self-proclaimed robotics “nerds,” each of them shared memories and reflections of MPA past and present, looking toward the future well prepared by MPA. Devneet Biring, Jay Green, Greta Hanson, Sylvia Hawley, Micah Hudock, Khushi Jain, Else Kunze-Hoeg, Logan Miller, Ben Murr, Nora Pederson, Hunter Scheible, David Steinberger, and Molly Vergin will graduate on June 8 and join MPA’s Joanne Olson Club, reserved for students whose entire K-12 or PreK-12 journey has taken place here at MPA.

Choosing a school for 13 years means you’re growing up within a strong community that ensures every child here is known. So we asked: How has MPA’s community supported and shaped you over the years?

Jay: Everything I do pretty much revolves around sports, so what’s been really helpful for me is the community. If I’m in the hallway and I see a parent or a teacher, they always ask me how my game was, and that’s something that I really have enjoyed in my time here because it makes me feel seen. That was very consistent from even when I was in kindergarten, just playing in gym class versus now, when I play three sports at a time. That’s something that’s shaped me into a better person. I think now my focus is trying to give that same opportunity to the younger kids that I see and am coaching. I think the community does a very good job of supporting everyone in it. From my perspective, I feel like I’ve been very well-supported by pretty much everyone around me.

Khushi: I agree with that. Being both a tennis athlete and a nerd in robotics has pushed me to do more of what I love. Through tennis, I’ve learned more about myself, about mental health, and other things. Through robotics, I’ve learned how to be a leader, how to speak up, and how to get the team together. Through all these different clubs and activities that MPA has, I’ve learned different skills from each.

Micah: There are a lot of people who have a lot of different interests in a lot of areas. Everyone’s kind of encouraged to do their own thing and have their own interests, and no one is trying to fit into a category. Everyone’s cool to do whatever they want.

Ben: Elaborating on that, I’ve really enjoyed being able to know my class. To actually know people—having a small, very close-knit group—has really helped us understand each other on a deeper level than just, “There’s a person from my class in the hallway.” I find that nice.

Nora: I like how integrated everybody is, whether in sports or other things. For example, in basketball, we did this kid’s camp with the boys’ and girls’ teams where we got to work with Lower and Middle School students, so now when I see them in the hallway I can say hi. And with different classes like choir and orchestra, you get to know people in all grades. With track, since it’s a co-ed sport, I get to talk and know people that I wouldn’t normally. It’s just interesting knowing more than one grade.

Sylvia: The relationships we’re able to build are pretty unique to this school because of the small class sizes. Throughout all my years here, I think all the teachers really make an effort to build a relationship outside of the classroom, to know you on a more personal level. That has allowed me to feel comfortable sharing non-class material with them and getting to know them as people. I think that has shaped my love for learning but also made me want to do more. Read More