Cougars improve to 10-1 with 45-6 quarterfinal win over Bridgeport, to host Plainview Pirates Friday, Nov. 14
Sandy Creek, seeking their third straight Class D-1 state semifinal match-up in as many years, secured yet another home date in the “final four” of the state football playoffs, this time after clobbering the Bridgeport Bulldogs 45-6 in one of four quarterfinal round match-ups in the class.
The Cougars’ defense played a pivotal role in the victory, holding Bridgeport to only six points and making several crucial fourth-down stops.
Following a key defensive stop of the Bulldogs on the opening drive, Sandy Creek began their first possession with positive field position at the Bridgeport 24-yard line, following a failed fourthdown attempt that the Cougar defense shut down.
Within a few plays, sophomore quarterback Kamerin Sealey, scored on a 13-yard touchdown run, with Logan Tomky securing the two-point conversion, giving Sandy Creek an 8-0 lead with 9:22 remaining in the first.
The Cougars took over at their own 36-yard line after a punt by Bridgeport, and Sealey would do it again with his legs, this time from 21 yards out for the score. Wes Biltoft grabbed a two-point conversion pass from Sealey, giving Sandy Creek a 16-0 lead.
Sealey recorded his third rushing touchdown of the game following a long drive by the Cougars, resulting in a six-yard touchdown run that brought the score to 22-0 with 10:29 remaining in the second quarter.
Towards the end of the first half, it was hectic. The Cougars turned the ball over on an interception, and Bridgeport tried a trick play that backfired into a fumble. Junior Jackson Gerdes pounced on the loose ball at the Bridgeport 11-yard line.
One play later, Sealey found Tomky in the end zone for the touchdown to make it 28-0 Cougars with 11 seconds left in the first half.
The Cougars then started with the ball after the halftime break, and Sealey ran it in from two yards out. Tomky caught the two-point conversion to make it 36-0 with 9:55 left in the third quarter.
On the Cougars’ next possession, Gerdes’ night became even bigger for the Cougars, as he made a pivotal defensive play, recording a tackle in the end zone, for a safety to extend the Sandy Creek lead to 38-0.
The Cougars got the ball after the safety and Sealey would swing it out to Kaeden Schmidt, who in turn ran it in from 15-yards out for the touchdown. Ben Burger added an extra-point kick to make it 45-0 with 2:37 left in the third quarter.
With 6:26 left in the game, Bridgeport would get on the board with a three-yard touchdown run to take away the Sandy Creek shutout attempt, setting the final score at 45-6.
SANDY CREEK BY THE NUMBERS
Sealey, coming off a perfect passing night in the Cougars 51-6 win over Wisner-Pilger in the second round, where the sophomore went 14-14 passing for 211 yards, completed 17 of 26 passes covering 153 yards and two touchdowns.
A total of seven Cougars grabbed at least one Sealey pass in the win, led by Wyatt Hemberger, who made five catches for 47 yards, and Schmidt, also grabbed five passes for 36 yards and one touchdown.
Biltoft and Tomky both made two catches, with Biltoft covering 27 yards, and Tomky 19 yards and a touchdown.
unior Jackson Gerdes (58) wraps up a Bridgeport running back in the first half of the Cougars’ 39-point win over the Bulldogs. Gerdes finished with eight tackles, including two for losses. Also shown on the play for Sandy Creek are Alston Clark (7), Christian Shaw (55), and Kaeden Schmidt (8). TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
Sophomore receiver Wyatt Hemberger looks to avoid Bridgeport defenders Nik Weibert, left, and Logan Levick (23) after securing one of his five catches in the 45-6 win over the Bulldogs. Hemberger averaged 9.4 yards per catch, as he covered 47 total yards during his five grabs. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
Senior running back Kaeden Schmidt runs through a gaping hole made by Christian Shaw and Sam Watts during the Cougars 39-point win over Bridgeport. Schmidt grabbed five passes for 36 yards and one touchdown and ran for another 42 yards on four carries. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
Alex Watts and Evan Swartzendruber both had one catch for seven yards.
The ground game chewed up 189 total yards on 21 carries, led by Sealey with 147 yards on 17 totes and four touchdowns, while Schmidt carried the ball four times for 42 yards.
Clark had a huge night defensively, collecting 11 tackles, five of which were solo stops.
Jackson Gerdes and Josh Spray made eight tackles each, with Gerdes making three solo stops and Spray, four. Spray also impressed the home crowd on the hill with three sacks and caused two Bridgeport fumbles. Gerdes had a pair of tackles for loss, while Biltoft gained one quarterback sack.
Clark, Biltoft, and Christian Shaw were in on seven tackles each, including three solo tackles for the trio.
Alex Watts was in on five stops total, while Sealey made four.
Score by Quarters
Sandy Creek...........................16 12 17 0-45 Bridgeport..............................0 0 0 6 -6 SC B
Rush Att-Yds....................21-189 Pass Comp-Att-Yds....... 17-26-153 Total Offense..................... 342 --
PIRATESTO INVADE Next up for the Cougars is the Plainview Pirates who come to “The Hill” Friday, Nov. 14, for a 6 p.m. shootout with the Cougars.
The Pirates started their playoff run after completing a 7-1 regular season, with their lone loss coming to Crofton, falling 38-26 during week three of the 2025 season.
Crofton, who is also a semifinalist this year, will head to Shelby-Rising City, who dealt the Cougars their lone loss, 32-24, during week two of the regular season.
Plainview opened the post-season with a 43-8 win over Alma, then throttled Thayer Central 51-22, before taking out second-seed Dundy County/Stratton, 64-44.
The Cougars, who have allowed just 26 points in three playoff games, began the postseason with a 60-14 win over EMF, swamped the Gators of Wisner-Pilger, 51-6, before taking out Bridgeport, 45-6.
