The sixth-man advantage

The pregame huddle is a sacred thing. Teams pray, scream, dance; anything to get pumped up and focused before a big game. So it says a lot when the Mounds View High School boys' basketball team runs over to link arms with the dedicated seniors in the Mustangs' student section to share a few inspiring words before every game. The Senior Stable is part of the team. At least, that's how the loyal student fan base is valued at Mounds View. "They're like the sixth man," said Mounds View High School Activities Director Bob Madison. "They're a part of that team, they impact the team, and the team respects them. Obviously, most of them are friends." The Senior Stable is a long tradition of loyal senior fans that regularly attend Mounds View basketball games. Madison said the group picked up a lot of steam in the 1990s, especially in 1999 when Nick Horvath, a future Duke Blue Devil, led the Mustangs to a Class AAAA state championship. "I think it's become a trend, at least around the metro," Madison said. "I think it's a way for the kids to be organized and show unity, dressing the same and doing cheers in unison. It's just awesome, and it creates a wonderful atmosphere. I think we were probably one of the first to display that kind of crowd unity and wear creative shirts, and many have followed." There are approximately 425 students in the Mounds View senior class, and Madison said just about every one of them owns a Senior Stable T-shirt, which can be ordered through the student council with a number and nickname printed on the back. The Senior Stable functions a lot like a team or an organization, with captains chosen prior to each season. The captains -- Robbie Searles, Andrew Bethke and Chris Mason - are relied on to promote the team at school, raise attendance amongst the student body and start cheers at games. And when geared in an appropriate way, there's nothing wrong with a little intimidation. "As fans, we try to get in the other team's head as much as we can," said Stable member Matt Stoltman, whose nickname is 'The Dean.' "We try to be clever, while keeping the cheers classy." Good sportsmanship is a big part of the ongoing tradition, and a major reason the Senior Stable has been around for so long. "They're, in many ways, self regulating," Madison said. "The captains know what they can and can't do, in terms of showing sportsmanship. We want people to walk away saying, 'not only is that a good basketball program, that's also a great student body.'" The Senior Stable can even be found at road games. On Jan. 19, the Mustangs pulled off a tough come-from-behind win at Forest Lake in overtime. Although they had a smaller student section, Bethke and about ten others loudly willed their team through the adversity. "I think that was the most fun I've had at any game," Bethke recalled. "It definitely felt like we helped just because we were there." Not only were they there, the Senior Stable was a part of the team.