Sutton rushing attack leads to 36-12 win

Mustangs roll past Cross County 36-12, earn 1st win of the season on the road

Following a tough 42-20 loss to Sandy Creek to open the 2026 football season, the Sutton Mustangs looked to bounce back in a big way during week two, as the Mustangs hit the road to challenge the Cross County Cougars.

Sutton took full advantage of the night, picking up the much-needed victory, cruising to a 36-12 win behind a typically strong rushing attack.

The Mustangs totaled 309 yards on the ground on 43 total carries, an average of 7.2 yards per carry.

Carrying the major load of the ground yardage were seniors Connor Hinrichs and Griffin Bergen. Both surpassed the 100-yard mark, with Hinrichs gaining 170 yards on 23 carries and three touchdowns, while Bergen toted the ball 15 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

Adding to the rushing total was senior quarterback Ian Spearman. He gained 23 yards on four keepers, while senior DJ Hajny gained three yards on one carry.

Defensive leaders on the night were juniors Juan Reyes and Max Huxoll, as Reyes finished with 15 tackles, including seven solo tackles and one tackle for loss, while Huxoll gained 14 tackles, with six of those being solo tackles.

Also reaching double figures in tackles were Hinrichs, Spearman and Aydin Banta, as Hinrichs made 13 stops, including six solo tackles, Spearman gained 12 tackles, while Banta had six solo stops and four assists to chart 10 total tackles.

Banta also had a pair of quarterback sacks, while Bergen made one sack.

Senior Creighton Jones claimed the lone fumble recovery on the night for the Mustangs.

Sutton held Cross County’s offense to 162 total yards, an average of just over three yards per play. The Cougars gained just 138 yards on the ground on 50 carries, and completed just two passes for 25 yards.

Sutton returns to their home field this week, hosting the Elm Creek Buffa loes for a 7 p.m. kick. Elm Creek and Sutton each bring a 1-1 record, as the Buffaloes opened the year with a 56-22 loss at Lawrence-Nelson before cracking the win column this past Friday with a 65-41 win over Nebraska Christian.

Score by Quarters

Sutton...............................- - - - -36 Cross County......................- - - - -12 Sutton CC

Rush Att-Yds............... 43-309 50-138 Pass Comp-Att-Yds....... 0-0-0 2-25