Sports

Wed
18
Oct
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Cougars are D1-8 champs

Cougars are D1-8 champs

Junior Hudson Devlin (55) leads junior quarterback Ethan Shaw (2) into the McCool Junction defensive line, while junior Jacob Petr clears out a Mustang defender, during Sandy Creek’s 50-8 win to finish the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record, the first undefeated regular season since the 1972 Cougars finished their year unbeaten and untied. MELISSA WHITEFOOT | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Cougars are D1-8 champs

Juniors Ethan Shaw (2) and Ben Sullivan spurred on Sandy Creek’s 50-8 win over McCool Junction, as the two combined to run for 183 of the Cougars’ 279 rushing yards, with Shaw gaining 86 on nine carries and three touchdowns, while Sullivan scored once, while rushing for 83 yards on just three carries. MELISSA WHITEFOOT | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Sandy Creek finished a perfect regular season, their first since the 1972 Cougars went unbeaten, as the Cougars, behind a 50-8 thrashing of the McCool Junction Mustangs, wrapped up the regular seasonwith an 8-0 record.

The win propels the Cougars into the Class D-1 state playoffs as the second seed in the first round of the west bracket in the class, where they will host the 4-4 Maxwell Wildcats. Game time was set at 5 p.m. by school officials.

The game will be the Cougars’ first home playoff game since the 2011 season, a year that Sandy Creek would go 6-3.

This marks the second straight season that Sandy Creek will head into the postseason. In 2022 Sandy Creek finished 6-4, after opening the postseason a year ago with a opening-round win over Sandhills Valley, before the Irish of North Platte St. Pat’s bounced the Cougars from the playoffs.

D1-8 CHAMPIONS

Wed
18
Oct
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Sandy Creek homecoming royalty

Sandy Creek homecoming royalty
Sandy Creek homecoming royalty

MELISSA WHITEFOOT | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Sandy Creek homecoming royalty

Wed
11
Oct
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Sutton tramples NE Christian

Sutton tramples NE Christian

Freshman Wyatt Pollet rolls into the endzone during Sutton’s 44-35 win over Nebraska Christian threw for 103 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 140 yards and two scores in the win, as the Mustangs improved to 2-5 on the year. ANDI LANDENBERGER | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Sutton tramples NE Christian

Junior Harrison Herndon turns on the jets down the sideline for a long gain during Sutton’s nine point win over Nebraska Christian Friday, Oct. 6. Herndon caught three passes for a team-high 60 yards, and ran for another 61 yards. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Sutton tramples NE Christian

Freshman Creighton Jones stops Nebraska Christian’s Brodey Flynn in his tracks during a kick return in the first half of Sutton’s 44-35 win over the Eagles. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Sutton tramples NE Christian

Freshman quarterback, Wyatt Pollet and junior running back Weston Ohrt powered what became the Sutton Mustangs second straight win of the season by combining for 265 of Sutton 326 rushing yards, as the Mustangs held off a late Nebraska Christian rally to clip the Eagles 44-35 in front of the hometown Sutton supporters, Friday, Oct. 6.

Pollet ran for 140 yards on 22 carries, an average of 6.4 yards per carry, while Ohrt charted his third straight 100-plus yard game with a 125-yard night on 16 carries, an average of 7.8 yards per carry.

Junior Harrison Herndon picked up 61 yards on four carries in the win, as after the Eagles took a 7-6 first quarter lead, Sutton found their game and rallied behind a rushing attack and another 103 passing yards from Pollet to gain the eventual win.

Wed
11
Oct
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SC volleyball wins 2 matches at Fillmore Central triangular

SC volleyball wins 2 matches at Fillmore Central triangular

Sophomore Emma Fisher is on the attack here against Fillmore Central, Oct. 5. Fisher, against the Panthers and High Plains Community had 24 total kills in the two wins at Fillmore Central. ANDI LANDENBERGER | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

SC volleyball wins 2 matches at Fillmore Central triangular

Sophomore Paige Biltoft goes high for this kill against High Plains Community Oct. 5. Biltoft gained four kills against the Storm and Fillmore Central to help Sandy Creek improve to 9-14, as the Cougars have won six of their last nine matches. ANDI LANDENBERGER | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

SC volleyball wins 2 matches at Fillmore Central triangular

Sophomore Emma Fisher makes a pass in action Thursday, Oct. 5 at Fillmore Central, as senior Sophie Dane looks on during the play. Sandy Creek improved to 9-14 with the wins. ANDI LANDENBERGER | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

The Cougars headed to Geneva for the Fillmore Central triangular, Thursday, Oct. 5, with the Cougars coming away with two wins over High Plains in three sets, and Fillmore Central in two sets.

In the opener, Sandy Creek dropped the first set 25-23, but came back in the second and third sets to win 25-23, 25-19.

Sandy Creek won by an outstanding serving performance, as they would have 11 aces and Ella Martin had seven aces in the match, Katelyn Pohlmeier added two, while Lexi Shuck and Paige Biltoft gained one each.

The Cougars were led in kills by Emma Fisher, as she collected 11 of the Cougars’ 21 kills in the match. Biltoft ended with four kills, Martin, three, Karys Lipovsky, two, and Shuck, one.

Biltoft had the only block of the match for the Cougars.

Martin and Pohlmeier ended the match with a combined 21 assists, as Martin led with 11, and Pohlmeier, 10.

Wed
11
Oct
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NSAA announces new winter sports classifications for 2023-24 season

The Nebraska School Activities Association released the 2023-24 Winter Sports classification report late last week, with Clay County teams facing some changes for the upcoming winter season.

WRESTLING

In wrestling, all three county schools will be in the Class D ranks, with Sandy Creek, who is going at the sport on it’s own, without the South Central Unified District, as the Cougars are listed as the 18th largest Class D school in the sport with an enrollment of 44. Sutton comes in as the 48th largest school with an enrollment of 35, while Harvard’s enrollment of 18 for boys athletics, ranking the Cardinals as the 91st largest Class D school.

GIRLS BASKETBALL Girls basketball in Clay County will remain as it was during the 2022-23 season, with Sutton remaining in Class C-2, Sandy Creek in Class D-1, and Harvard in Class D-2.

Wed
04
Oct
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Fillies golf 5th in C-1 district meet

Fillies golf 5th in C-1 district meet

TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS Senior Inga Andersen, shown here during play at the Adams Central Invite, Sept. 26, wrapped up her high school golf career with a 118 over 18 holes in the C-1 District meet, Monday, Oct. 2.

Fillies golf 5th in C-1 district meet

A season of vast growth came to an abrupt end Monday afternoon for the Sutton girls golf team, as the Fillies fell just 13 points short of advancing out of the C-1 District meet into the 2023 Class C state golf championship in North Platte.

On a hot and crazy windy day, the Fillies combined to shoot a 442 to place fifth overall in the final team standings. The top three teams qualify for the state tournament, with Lincoln Christian earning a 22-stroke win over second-place Auburn, 396-418, while Platteview finished with a 429 to claim the final team spot in North Platte out of the C-1 District, played at the Hidden Valley Golf Course in southeast Lincoln.

Lincoln Lutheran held a 432-442 scoring edge over Sutton to claim fourth place over the Fillies, while Sutton had a one stroke advantage over Exeter-Milligan/ Friend in the end.

Wed
04
Oct
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Mustangs reign in McCool, 40-8

Mustangs reign in McCool, 40-8

Junior Gabe Gwennap blocked this McCool Junction punt just two and a half minutes into Sutton’s eventual 40-8 win. Gwennap not only blocked the punt, but he also recovered the blocked kick in the endzone for Sutton’s first touchdown of the game. Gwennap also hauled in two touchdown passes, along with two other passes for 88 total yards in the air. Devon Griess (30) moves in on the play in the background. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Mustangs reign in McCool, 40-8

Junior Billy Marshall (65) and senior Carson Mau (76) call out a play for the offensive line during the second half of Sutton’s 32-point win over McCool Junction, as the Mustangs earned their first win of the 2023 season, Sept. 29. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Mustangs reign in McCool, 40-8

TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS Junior running back Weston Ohrt has been on a running terror the past two weeks, running for 138 yards in the 40-8 win over McCool Junction last week, while tearing up the Sutton turf for 142 yards in an 18-12 loss to Heartland, Sept. 22. Ohrt also scored three touchdowns in the 32-point win over McCool Junction, and led the team in tackles with 13.

The power running attack, fueled by a small dose of the passing game finally got the Sutton Mustangs in the win column for the 2023 football season, as junior’s Weston Ohrt and Gabe Gwennap, along with freshman quarterback, Wyatt Pollet, accounted for 338 of the Mustangs 365 total yards in a powerful 40-8 win over the Mc-Cool Junction Mustangs on the road, Friday, Sept. 29.

Gwennap opened the scoring for Sutton from the defensive side of the ball, as the junior blocked a McCool Junction punt into the endzone at the 9:41 mark of the first quarter, and then fell on top of the block in the endzone for Sutton’s first score of the game.

A missed two-point conversion left Sutton with a 6-0 lead throughout the remainder of the first period.

The scoring remained sluggish in the second quarter, as it took nearly every second of the 12 minute quarter to get Sutton back on the scoreboard.

Wed
27
Sep
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SC honors ‘72 unbeaten team

SC honors ‘72 unbeaten team
SC honors ‘72 unbeaten team

Members of the 1972 Sandy Creek football team that went unbeaten at 10-0 were honored by Cougar fans, young and old alike, during halftime of Sandy Creek’s 70-0 win over the Superior Wildcats. The 1972 team took part in the current Cougars team dinner prior to the game with the Wildcats, telling stories and sharing information about their historic season. MELISSA WHITEFOOT | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

SC honors ‘72 unbeaten team

Coaches for the 1972 Sandy Creek football team included, from the left: assistant coach Mike Taylor, assistant coach John Lucero and head coach Warren Washburn. COURTESY OF SANDY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

SC honors ‘72 unbeaten team

Former Cougar assistan football coach, John Lucero is cheered onto the Sandy Creek football field during halftime of the Sandy Creek-Superior game, Friday, Sept. 22. Lucero helped guide the 1972 Cougar team to the only unbeaten and untied season in school history. ASHLEY D. SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

The only undefeated and untied football team in Sandy Creek school history was honored this past Friday night during the current Cougars D1-8 District battle with the Superior Wildcats.

Honored was the 1972, Class C Sandy Creek squad that would go a perfect 10-0 and win the then Mid Nebraska Conference Championship, against some stellar football programs of the time.

The 1972 team was stacked with excellent players, as five of the 11 starters were named all-conference, three were named as all-state selections, and one as an All-Tribland selection by the Hastings Tribune.

The team’s heart and soul proved to be their defense, as they would only allow 28 points to be scored throughout the entire season. The Cougars themselves would score 257 points behind a heavy power running attack that was led by a tough offensive line.

Wed
27
Sep
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SC girls sweep Gibbon

SC girls sweep Gibbon

Katelyn Pohlmeier sets up this ball for Lexi Shuck during Sandy Creek’s three-set sweep of Gibbon on Thursday, Sept. 21. The Cougars won three of six matches last week to improve to 6-12 on the year. MASON HINRICHS | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

SC girls sweep Gibbon

Senior Sophie Dane reaches for this serve during the Cougars’ straight-sets sweep over Gibbon, Thursday, Sept. 21. MASON HINRICHS | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

The Gibbon Buffaloes would be no match for the Sandy Creek volleyball team, as the Cougars swept the Buffs 25-18, 25-15, 25-13 in action in the Cougars Den, Thursday, Sept. 21.

Sandy Creek played sharp through all three sets, with the service lane being the biggest help for the Cougars, as SC collected 16 aces. Ella Martin had eight of the 16 aces, Katelyn Pohlmeier had four aces, with Paige Biltoft and Claire Williamson having two aces each.

As a team, Sandy Creek was 64-73 serving the ball (87.7%) The Cougars also downed 35 kills in the match, with the leader in kills being Emma Fisher with 13, Martin added seven, Biltoft, four, Lexi Shuck, Brooke Dooley and Pohlmeier had three each, with Ava Hubl and Williamson, having one.

Overall, as a team, Sandy Creek was 58-76 on the attack, hitting .224 as a team. Fisher hit at a .435 clip, as she was 20-23 overall.

Wed
27
Sep
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Fillies slip to 16-8 with split

Fillies slip to 16-8 with split

Senior Carly Skalka goes high on this attack during the Fillies’road battle at Hastings St. Cecilia. Despite the Hawkettes sweeping the Fillies, Skalka gained five kills in the match. ASHLEY D. SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

Fillies slip to 16-8 with split

ASHLEY D. SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS Freshman Kamryn Steinhauer gets one of her team leading 16 digs during the Fillies’three-set loss at Hastings St. Cecilia, dropping the Fillies to 16-8 on the year.

Fillies slip to 16-8 with split

Junior Jacee Haight tips this ball back in action against the Haweketts, Sept. 21, as Kennedy Perrien, partially blocked, and Reagan Robinson (8) watch on during the play. ASHLEY D. SWANSON | CLAY COUNTY NEWS

The pace has slowed down for the number of matches the Sutton Fillies have played to this point during the 2023 volleyball season. The Fillies only had two matches this past week, as compared to the prior three weeks, where as many as six matches were played by the Fillies.

Unfortunately for Sutton, the illness bug affected the Fillies’ play against Exeter- Milligan/Friend, and Hastings St. Cecilia, with the Fillies splitting with the Bobcats and Hawkettes.

During Sutton’s road trip to take on EMF, Sutton earned a four-set win, winning 25-19, 25-23, 21-25, 25-19. A trip to Hastings to take on the Hawkettes gained St. Cecilia a 25-4, 25-20, 27-25 sweep of the Fillies, just five days removed from a Sutton win over the Hawkettes in the final round of the Fillmore Central Invite, which gave Sutton a 25-23, 25-21 win over the Hawketts.

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