School is fully underway, and with the start of a new school year, it also brings the start of the 2026 fall sports season for all three of our schools in the county.
We start off with a big bang next week, as Sandy Creek, the two-time defending Class D-1 State Championship football team, heads to the northeast part of the county to take on rival Sutton to open the 2026 season for both teams.
Both teams look poised to have strong season’s in the D-1 field, and they’ll certainly test each other to open the year on Friday, Aug. 28, on Sutton’s home field Harvard football returns to the six-man scene and has a long road trip on their hands to start the new season, as the Cardinals take a nearly 150 mile trip to challenge Humboldt- Table Rock-Steinhauer (HTRS) in their opening tilt.
Volleyball season opens for the Fillies at Adams Central and at the Centennial tournament opening weekend, as Sutton is at Adams Central Aug. 27, and heads to Utica Aug. 29.
For Sandy Creek volleyball, the Cougars open the year at Meridian High School, taking on Blue Hill and Meridian Aug. 27, before returning home to host Sutton and BDS in triangular action, Sept. 1.
Harvard volleyball opens their season at Newman Grove/St. Edward, where they will take on NG/SE and Grand Island Lutheran Aug. 27, before heading to HTRS for dual action on Aug. 28.
The girl’s golf season starts this week for the Sutton girls, as they hit the road for action at Central City this Thursday, Aug. 20, before traveling to the Indianhead Golf Course in Grand Island for the Doniphan- Trumbull Invite, Aug. 25. Sandy Creek will start their girls’ golf season at the Doniphan-Trumbull tournament with the Fillies squad.
The cross country season for Sandy Creek gets its initial start at the Auburn Invite, slated to be Aug. 28, while the Harvard cross country teams won’t see action until Sept. 3 at the Gibbon Invite.
New to the scene this season is a cooperative softball program between Adams Central and Sandy Creek. The AC/SC team will make its debut Saturday, Aug. 22, when the squad travels to Lexington for tournament action.
I swear that each year starts earlier and earlier. It feels like we just wrapped up the 2025-26 school year yesterday and already the 2026-27 school year is here.
I’ve said it before in the Bull, and I’ll say it again, the older I get, the faster time flies.
ANOTHER MILESTONE
This past week, I read so many social media posts about students returning to school, and heading off to college for the first time, including my baby sister’s post about my nephew Rowen starting a new adventure of his own.
Rowen moved into his dorm room at Iowa State this past weekend, which doesn’t even seem possible to me. Again, the older I get, the faster time flies.
I, in fact, remember sitting in a Lincoln hospital the day Rowen was born, and honestly, that seems like it happened yesterday.
The reality is, however, it’s time for me to realize that it has been 18 years since the day that he was born.
I’m sure there are many moms and dads out there feeling this same sentiment, “where did the time go?” I missed a ton of Rowen’s high school years and activities because of my workload here at the Clay County News, which I hate, but that’s just the nature of the beast when in this business.
Sure, we miss things around here as well, but missing the bulk of his growing years at Fremont-Mills High School in Iowa wasn’t fun for me. As a matter of fact, as I look back on it, I certainly have some regrets regarding to missing so much of Rowen’s activities. But, unfortunately, that is the way it goes.
I have no doubt that my nephew will fly through these next four or five years at Iowa State, and down the road, I’ll be sharing the same feelings as I do this week, “Where did the time go?”
It’s time to wish all the mom’s and dad’s, grandma’s and grandpa’s out there good luck as we all start off yet another busy season of activities in our schools, from sports to many other extracurricular activities, to parents that wake up each morning getting used to their homes being a little more quiet each day with a student running off to start their next endeavor in life, college.
Good Luck and have a great start to the school year, no matter what age, or grade, or post-secondary school stage your student is in.
It’s a hard adjustment to make, but it’s a sign that life does move forward, even if we all have to make adjustments in our daily lives.
Growing up is never easy, and whether or not you’re 18, or soon to be 62, like me, each day brings on change, we just have to go with the flow.
Good Luck and have a great week ahead.
