Sports

As the Sutton Mustangs opened the 2021 football season they had to figure out a way to replace eight key components to the successes of the 2020 team that went 8-2 and advanced to the Class C-2 state quarterfinal round. Sutton, in it’s typical control the game on the ground style, found the key components to fill the gaps with the losses of those eight players from a year ago, as seniors Paxton Olson and Matthew Davis rose to the occasion in a big way Friday night, as the two combined for 301 of Sutton’s 387 rushing yards. Sutton broke open a close game at Grand Island’s Memorial Stadium, where the Mustangs led Grand Island Central Catholic 14-7 at halftime. The halftime talk from the Sutton coaching staff erased a sluggish opening half of play, as the Mustangs outscored the Crusaders 23-0 in the second half to start the new season at 1-0. Olson’s night would produce 220 rushing yards in a workhorse-like fashion.

Josh Dittmer goes high for this volleyball during action in the Triple F Fest sand volleyball tournament Saturday, Aug. 21. ASHLEY D. SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

A two-day Volleyball Camp was held at Sandy Creek this past week, with over 50 third through eighth-grade girls from Sandy Creek. Headed up by camp director Karisa Troester, the girls learned proper techniques and fundamental skills of Volleyball. The two-day camp would work with the third through fifth graders in the morning while the afternoon session, sixth through eighth grade girls hit the court. Sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade camp participants included, in front, from the left: Cailee League, Madison Shaw, Carrigan Rempe, Ashlyn Anderson, Lydia Pearce and Olivia Anderson. Middle Row, from the left; Synee Bennett, Paisley Kennley, Amber Meyer, Khyla Durgan, Kara Dooley and Kyler Hegemony. Third row, from the left: Coach Brandice Petr, Eboney Tripe, Emma Fisher, Morgan Petr, Katelyn Pohlmeier, Paige Biltoft, Izzy Devlin, Hadley Borer, Brielle Lipovsky, coach Karisa Troester and coach McKenna Schuck. COURTESY PHOTOS | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

First game jitters played a big role in Sandy Creek’s season opening challenge on the gridiron, as the Cougars and their home field challenger Schuyler struggled to handle the ball and move the ball up the field.

Sandy Creek, however, did an about face at halftime, as the Cougars came out and broke open a scoreless game at the break to touch up the Warriors’ defense for eight points in the third quarter and 16 more in the fourth to open the season, for the third straight year, with a big win, cruising to 24-0.

Sandy Creek had to get several of it’s younger players into live game mode during the first half, including freshman quarterback Ethan Shaw. Once Shaw got into the flow of live action with Schuyler, the 5-7, 150-pound signal caller guided the Cougars to three scores in the final half of play.

SOUTH CENTRAL UNIFIED’S RETURNING CROSS COUNTRY LETTERWINNERS: From the left: Jacob Hagemeier, Zach Brennfoerder, Itzamna Diaz, Teagan Jarosik, Theo Kathman and Logan Menke.

THE SUTTON MUSTANGS’ RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: In front, from the left: Carson Mau, Devon Griess, Jesse Herndon, Paxton Olson, Colton Haight, Matthew Davis, Adam Griess, Ty Skalka, Owen Schelkopf and Trevin Buescher. In the back, from the left: Cason Peterson, Scott Marshall, Noah Gwennap, Myles Jones, Caleb Ladehoff, Anthony Flores, Garrison Perrien, Alvino Sanchez, Jesse Bergen, Claydon Claus, Vance Smith, Tyson Scheidemann and Greyson Stengel.

HARVARD VOLLEYBALL’S RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: From the left: Dayana Gonzalez, Delainey Gaughen, and MacKenzie Wagner.

SUTTON FILLIES’ RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: In front, from the left: Kennedy Perrien, Kate Griess, Reagan Robinson, Reagan Vavricek and Maddie Baxa. In the back, from the left: Alivia Huxoll, Julia George, Grasha Nuss and Lily McCroden.

HARVARD CROSS COUNTRY’S RETURNING LETTERWINNER: Alyssa Ferguson.

SANDY CREEK FOOTBALL’S RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: In front, from the left: Logan Sanders, Will Claycamp, Jake Shuck, Karson Sherman, Drake Lally and Cale Lovgren. In the back, from the left: Kadyn Clark, Micah Biltoft, Josh Shaw, Jakob MacCann and Ethan Devlin.