Senior running back Connor Hinrichs continued his strong rushing performance for the third straight week, helping guide the Sutton Mustangs to a powerful 54-6 win over the Elm Creek Buffaloes Friday, Sept. 11, pushing the Mustangs’ season record to 2-1 overall.

Through three games, Hinrichs has ran for 562 yards on 50 carries, an average of 11.2 yards per carry and Friday night against the Buffaloes it was his biggest night of the season.

The senior speedster scored three touchdowns, all in the first half, as he toted the ball just 12 times for 200 yards, an average of 16.7 yards per carry.

Two of his three scores came in the first four minutes of the game, as Hinrichs scored on runs of 46 yards with 11:20 showing on the first-quarter clock, with his longest score of 63 yards coming at the 8:17 mark of the first.

Sutton led the Buffaloes 24-0 after the first quarter, with an Ian Spearman to DJ Hajny touchdown pass closing out the scoring in the first quarter. That pass covered five yards into the endzone, lifting Sutton to the early 24-0 lead.

The Mustangs then forced one of two Elm Creek fumbles to open the second quarter, leading to a Spearman touchdown run of 35 yards with 11:02 left to play in the second quarter and giving Sutton a 30-0 lead after a missed conversion attempt.

Sutton went on to score two more times in the second. Hinrichs gained a one-yard score with 5:56 left in the second, while the Spearman to Hajny connection hit paydirt in the final three minutes of the first half, this time the passing touchdown covered 45 yards and put the Mustangs ahead 46-0 heading into the halftime break.

Elm Creek came out in the second half and pushed the ball down the field, scoring the lone touchdown of the game with 8:02 left on the third quarter clock. A missed two-point conversion left Sutton with a 46-6 lead.

Sutton’s backup squad took over from there, led by sophomore Mason Ehly.

Ehly connected on a 40yard pass play with sophomore teammate Everett Yost late in the third quarter, but the Mustangs couldn’t convert the big play into points.

Midway through the fourth quarter, however, Ehly made the Buffaloes pay, as he struck touchdown gold with a 44-yard run, with Harrison Schurman adding the two-point conversion to give Sutton their final eight points of the game and preserve the 54-6 victory.

BYTHE NUMBERS

Following Hinrichs’ big night on the ground was Spearman, who totaled 67 rushing yards on eight carries, while Ehly ran for 47 total yards on four carries.

Griffin Bergen gained 19 yards on six carries, Rexx Meyer claimed 11 yards on four carries, Schurman had eight yards on three carries, Hajny toted the ball once for three yards, Creighton Jones carried once for three yards as well, while Yost carried once for two yards.

As a team, Sutton carried the ball 40 times for 360 yards, an average of nine yards per carry.

In the passing game, both Spearman and Ehly passed for 48 yards. Spearman completed three of four passe, including two touchdown passes to Hajny, while Ehly was 2-3 passing.

Hajny led the receivers for the Mustangs, hauling in the two touchdown passes for 50 total yards, while Yost had one catch for 40 yards, and Schurman made one grab for eight yards.

Defensive leaders proved to be Hinrichs with nine tackles. Max Huxoll was in on eight stops and had one sack, Juan Reyes recorded seven tackles, including two tackles for loss, Aydin Banta had five tackles and a sack, while Aaron Sanchez and Schurman were both in on four tackles.

In all, Sutton had 61 tackles in the win, nine tackles for loss and two sacks.

Score by Quarters

Sutton....................................24 22 0 8 -54 Elm Creek................................0 0 6 0 -6 Sutton EC

Rush Att-Yds.................... 40-360 25-65 Pass Comp-Att-Yds...........5-7-96 8-13-44 Total Offense...................... 456 109

THISWEEK

The Mustangs have a rare Thursday night game this week, where they will travel to Gibbon for their second straight battle with a Buffalo squad, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.

Gibbon comes into the game with a 1-2 record, with their lone win being a 63-46 win over Hastings St. Cecilia in week one. Their two losses were a 68-8 loss to Ravenna, Sept. 4, and last week, a 49-16 loss at Centura.

Sutton finished play with a 175, while the Cougars finished wth a 230. Rounding out the action was H&H with a 252, while Fullerton finished with a 253.

Sutton was led by Shepleigh Ohrt and Molly McCroden, who each shot a 43, Isabella Trejo completed the round with a 44, while Aniston Jasnoch wrapped up play with a 45 and Breckyn Peterson carded a 55. Sutton’s lone junior varsity player, Quinn Robinson was the lone Sutton junior varsity player, wrapped up her day with a 58.

On the Cougars side, Lydia Pearce shot a 48 to lead Sandy Creek. Karsyn Luckey carded a 57, with Kinsli Bolte shooting a 62, and Jocelyn MacCann wrapping up her round with a 63.

Senior Shepleigh Ohrt earned the top individual medal of the tournament, shooting an 87 and finishing the day with a 45 on the front nine and a 42 on the back nine.

Sutton claimed the top four spots individually and also had a seventh-place finish to help the Fillies win the tournament over Sandy Creek, out-shooting the Cougars 383-485. Isabella Trejo finished second, opening with a 45 on the front nine and wrapping up play with a 48 to card a 93. Breckyn Peterson wrapped up the day with a third place finish with a score of 101, with scores of 52 on the front and 49 on the back, while teammate Aniston Jasnoch placed fourth with a 102, opening play with a 52, while wrapping up her day with a 50.

Freshman teammate Molly McCroden placed seventh for the Fillies with a 110, shooting scores of 54 and 56.

Sutton’s junior varsity also got in the action, led by Quinn Robinson’s opening round 62. Ava Francis finished a nine-hole round with a 64, while Ainsley Ferrell finished with a 72, and Claire Ulmer with a 73.

Team Scores: Sutton 383, Sandy Creek 485, Tri County 488, Fullerton 552.

No Team Scores for BDS, Doniphan-Trumbull, H&H, or Shelby-Rising City.

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

For Sutton, the night went spot on, as the Fillies beat the Cougars, 25-23, 25-13, and then took down BDS 25-19, 22-25, 26-24.

For Sandy Creek, however, BDS tripped up the Cougars 25-19, 25-13, before the Fillies claimed the two-set win over the host team.

SUTTONVS. SANDY CREEK During the Clay County clash with the Fillies and Cougars, Sutton held a strong hitting edge over the Cougars, as the Fillies gained 24 kills, with Sandy Creek gaining 14.

Sutton was led by seniors Kamryn Steinhauer and Katie Baldwin, as they combined for 19 of the Filles’ 24 kills. Steinhauer powered down 12, while Baldwin added seven.

Sandy Creek’s hitting leaders proved to be Kesley Sealey and Zarriana Witherspoon, as both gained four kills, while Carrigan Rempe added three, and Morgan Petr, two.

Sutton hit at a strong .221 clip, with the Cougars hitting in the negative at -.070.

Camden Mau and Elsa Andersen both had 11 assists while setting the ball. For the Cougars, Sealey led the team with seven assists, while Collins Hubl put up five assists.

The serving leaders for the Fillies was Dyvet Fonseca, as she was a perfect 12 for 12. Steinhauer gained two of Sutton’s three aces, with Andersen gaining one. Sandy Creek also had three ace serves, with Ava Hubl, Sealey, and Petr gaining one each.

The dig charts for Sutton were led by Steinhauer with eight, Fonseca and Andersen both gained six, while Jadlynn Kinney added five, and Mau, four.

Sandy Creek’s dig leaders were Ava Hubl with 10, Rempe with nine, with Sealey and Collins Hubl both gained four.

Sutton vs. Sandy Creek

Sutton............................................................ 25 25 Sandy Creek................................................... 23 13

SANDY CREEKVS. BDS

The night of action began with Sandy Creek taking on BDS, with the Eagles sweeping Sandy Creek in straight sets.

On the attack, the Cougars had 13 total kills, but hit a sluggish -.014 in the loss. Rempe paced Sandy Creek with six kills, Sealey gained four, and Petr, one. Sandy Creek was 55-69 on the attack.

Collins Hubl put up five of Sandy Creek’s 10 assists, with Sealey adding three, and Ava Hubl two.

In the service lane, Sandy Creek was 30-33 serving (90.9%), with Petr and Ava Hubl gaining one ace each.

The Cougars also had five blocks against BDS, with Petr leading the defensive charge with two blocks, while Collins Hubl, Rempe, and Caitlyn Biltoft had one each.

With the losses, Sandy Creek fell to 0-4 Sandy Creek vs. BDS

BDS................................................................ 25 25 Sandy Creek................................................... 19 13

SUTTONVS. BDS Sutton capped off a perfect night of action for the Fillies with the three set victory over BDS improving it’s record to 4-3 on the young season.

Steinhauer powered the Sutton hitting attack with 13 kills, while hitting .132 in the match. Baldwin followed with eight kills, with Julie Smith adding five, as the Fillies hit just .061 in the win.

Mau and Andersen combined for 26 of Sutton’s 29 assists, as Mau put up 14, and Andersen 12, while Claire Trejo, Fonseca, and Steinhauer had one assist each.

Serving leaders for the Fillies proved to be Andersen with three aces, Fonseca, two, and Mau, one. As a team, Sutton was 65-73 serving (89%).

Defensively, the Fillies had four total blocks, with Kinney, Steinhauer, Smith and Baldwin gaining one block each.

The dig chart was led by Steinhauer with 19, Mau gained 12, while Fonseca and Andersen both had 11, with Kinney finishing with six, Baldwin four, Kierra Ebert three, and Smith two.

Sutton vs. BDS

Sutton.....................................................25 22 26 BDS.........................................................19 25 24

This year, cheerleading is back.

The push to bring the program back began with students who wanted another way to be involved at Sutton High School.

A group of Sutton students put together a proposal showing both the interest in cheerleading and why they believed restarting the program was important, according to Sutton Jr./Sr. High School Principal Jason Cafferty.

That proposal eventually became a months-long effort involving students and adults. Briley Griess, Robin Griess, Shannon Althouse, Kris Althouse and Shelia Hajny were part of the proposal team.

“Relief!” Robin Griess, Briley’s mother, said of her reaction when the program became a reality. “It took several months, lots of meetings, and some hurdles to get cheer started back up.”

“The idea of bringing cheerleading back actually came from our student body,” cheer sponsor Beth Stone said. “We had a group of eager girls who put in countless hours and a lot of hard work to help bring cheerleading back to Sutton. Their excitement and determination really helped get the program off the ground, which makes its return even more special.”

The last Sutton High School cheerleading squad is believed to have been around 1985 or 1986, although the sponsors are not certain exactly when or why the program ended.

For Sutton High School junior Briley Griess, being part of its return is particularly meaningful. Cheerleading is something she has wanted to do since she was young.

“I have wanted to be a cheerleader ever since I was a little girl,” Briley said. “It has always been a dream of mine, even if I used to be a shy person.”

Working with younger cheerleaders over the past few years increased her interest. She had also heard stories from her grandmother and others about their own experiences with cheerleading.

“They would say that some of their best memories were doing cheer in high school,” she said.

Her mother said that longtime interest has made the return of cheerleading particularly exciting for Briley.

“She is on cloud nine about her team, her coaches, and the events they are planning,” Robin said.

Briley was among the students who worked to bring cheerleading back, an effort she said makes being part of the first squad especially meaningful.

“Being a part of the first cheer squad since the 1980s means so much to me,” she said. “We are bringing back old traditions and making people who used to do it back then very proud.”

“I was one of the ones who helped bring back cheer to Sutton, so that is something special,” Briley said.

Eleven girls are part of this year’s squad, with Stone and Kim Moore serving as co-sponsors.

Cafferty said bringing cheerleading back provides another opportunity to keep students involved in school activities while adding to school spirit.

Robin sees that opportunity as one of the program’s biggest benefits.

“It allows another way for students to be involved without having to play sports,” she said.

Stone and Moore weren’t sure what to expect for participation during the program’s first year and have been pleased with the interest. “The girls have been ecstatic to cheer and to be part of something so special, especially knowing they are helping build the foundation for future Sutton cheerleaders,” Stone said.

Both sponsors bring experience with cheer or dance to the new program. Stone was a member of her high school dance team, while Moore cheered in high school and later served as a judge for the cheer and dance competition at the Cornhusker State Games.

The two sponsors are also aunt and niece.

“Getting to take on this opportunity side by side has made bringing cheerleading back to Sutton even more special,” Stone said. “We have a lot of fun together, balance each other well, and are so excited that we get to share this experience while building something special for our girls and future Sutton cheerleaders.”

Briley said the work the sponsors have put into the new program has not gone unnoticed.

“What has surprised me most is the support we have been shown and how much effort our coaches have shown,” she said. “Our coaches work so hard each and every day to make a well-rounded team and to make sure we are feeling confident.”

Starting again after such a long absence has also meant there was no existing blueprint to follow.

“The biggest challenge has simply been the unknown,” Stone said. “With cheer being a new program again at Sutton, there hasn’t been an existing blueprint for us to follow.”

That has meant figuring out uniforms, practices, expectations and traditions along the way. At the same time, starting from scratch gives this first squad the chance to shape what Sutton cheerleading will look like in the future.

“We are learning as we go,” Stone said. “At the same time, that has also been one of the most exciting parts because we get to build the program together and create traditions that can hopefully continue for years to come.”

Briley said the community response has been encouraging.

“The reaction from the community has been great,” she said. “They have been so supportive and have given many compliments. You can tell that they are eager to see what this year brings, and so are we.”

For the sponsors, the goal goes beyond adding cheers to Sutton sporting events. They hope the girls will help build school spirit while developing confidence, leadership, friendships and a sense of belonging.

Robin said the process of helping bring the program back has already provided lessons beyond cheerleading.

“There were lots of tough talks and knowing when and how to approach people,” she said. “She definitely learned some good life lessons, and we are ready to see this year unfold and watch this team grow.”

Briley is already thinking about the students who may put on a Sutton cheer uniform after this first squad has graduated. She hopes the work being done by this year’s team will help establish a program that continues to grow.

“I want this program to grow over the years and to have great opportunities for the future,” she said.

After roughly four decades without a squad, this year’s cheerleaders aren’t simply joining a Sutton tradition. They have the opportunity to help create one.

“My hope is to be building a great team now so in the future it is just as great, if not better,” Briley said.

It’s been a long time coming for the Harvard Cardinals football team, but after 21 straight losses, dating back to a 34-32 win over Dorchester on Sept. 15, 2023, the Cardinals found their way into the win column to open the 2026 season at Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer, crushing the Titans 57-25 Friday, Aug. 28.

The Cardinals earned the win by rushing for 346 total yards and passing for another 157, finishing with 503 yards of total offense in the 32-point blowout victory.

The two teams battled to a 12-12 tie after the first quarter, with Harvard taking a 24-18 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Harvard outscored HTRS 33-7 to secure the big win.

Sebastian Rodriguez-Jauregui had a one-yard touchdown run at the 6:38 mark of the first quarter, while Kaden Esquitin cashed in from seven yards out with 5:26 left in the opening quarter.

HTRS had a 43 yard score on the ground and a three yard score.

Tied at 12, Harvard scored twice in the second, the first on a pass from quarterback Carson Esquitin to Kaden Esquitin from 15-yards out at the 1:51 mark of the second period, with Carson Esquitin hitting Abram Jensen with just 4.8 seconds left in the first half from one yard out, giving the Cardinals the 24-18 halftime lead.

The third quarter earned Harvard a 20-7 scoring edge to claim a 44-25 lead.

Rodriguez-Jauregui scored from three yards out with just 24 seconds gone off of the third quarter clock. At the 8:42 mark of the third, Carson Esquitin hit Kaden Esquitin from 19 yards out for a score, and with the added conversion point, Harvard led 37-18 at the 8:42 mark of the quarter.

Kaden Esquitin then gave Harvard a 44-18 lead with a 48-yard touchdown run at the 6:31 mark of the third, before HTRS could muster up their lone scored of the third with a six-yard touchdown run and conversion, setting the game at 44-25.

The Cardinals closed out the big win in the fourth quarter with a 13-0 run. The Esquitin’s hooked up on a 34yard touchdown pass with 9:53 left in the game, giving Harvard a 51-25 lead.

The final score for the Cardinals came via a 27-yard pass from Jett Zeckser to Ethan Porter with 6:23 left to play, giving Harvard the 57-25 lead, and eventual win.

BY THE NUMBERS

Carson Esquitin passed for 109 total yards, completing eight of 15 passes, while Zeckser was 2-2 passing for 48 yards.

Kaden Esquitin hauled in four passes for 89 yards, Porter grabbed one completion for 27 yard, Zeckser made one catch for 17 yards, while Rodiguez-Jauregui made two catches for 15 yards, with Abram Jensen making two catches for nine yards.

Kaden Esquitin had a monster night on the ground, rushing for 174 total yards on 12 carries, and average of 14.5 yard per carry.

Trae’Vion Nelson carried three times for 60 yards, Rodriguez-Jauregui carried 12 times for 56 yards, with Carson Esquitin gaining 25 yards on three carries.

Rounding out the rushing attack for the Cardinals were Jensen with four carries and 20 yards, Oliver Garcia-Pair gained 14 yards on four carries, while Zeckser carried three times, but lost three yards in the process.

Zeckser led the tackle charts with 11 stops, Kaden Esquitin had nine tackles, Carson Esquitin made eight stops, and Luis Aguilar was in on seven stops.

Score by Quarters

Harvard.........................12 12 20 13 -57 HTRS.............................12 6 7 0 -25 Harvard

Rush Att-Yds.......................................... 41-346 Pass Comp-Att-Yds..........................10-18-157 Total Offense.............................................503

THISWEEK

Harvard will host the Elba Bluejays this Friday night at 7 p.m. The Jays come into the game after a 58-0 loss to High Plains Community last week.

VanderLey was named to the Nebraska AIM All-State Team for the second consecutive year, an accomplishment that reflects more than one strong performance at the range.

AIM, which stands for Academics, Integrity and Marksmanship, is the youth program of the Amateur Trapshooting Association. The program provides opportunities for young shooters to compete locally, statewide and nationally while developing their skills in competitive shooting.

The program includes several age classifications, allowing young shooters to compete against others at similar stages of development. VanderLey competes in the Junior category for shooters ages 16 and 17.

All-State recognition isn’t based simply on one successful competition. Shooters must meet AIM participation requirements during the target year to be eligible, including competing in designated events and recording hundreds of registered singles targets.

VanderLey earned his place on the 2026 Nebraska AIM All-State Team in the Junior category with a 95.43 percent singles average.

Put another way, Vander-Ley was breaking more than 95 of every 100 targets used to calculate that average.

In competitive shooting, where standings can be decided by a single target, maintaining that level of accuracy over the course of a season requires consistency. Being named to the Nebraska team for a second consecutive year shows VanderLey has been able to maintain that level of performance over time.

That consistency was on display again this summer when VanderLey traveled to the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois, to compete at the 2026 AIM Grand.

More than 400 youth shooters participated in the competition. VanderLey competed in the Junior division, which was the largest age classification at the event with 181 shooters.

One of his strongest finishes came in Junior Skeet, where VanderLey tied for 12th place. In a division of 181 competitors, the finish put the Sutton shooter among the top 15 in his age group.

He also competed in sporting clays, finishing 81st out of 200 Junior-level competitors.

VanderLey continued his strong showing in the trap events. In trap singles, he recorded scores of 96 out of 100 and 95 out of 100, giving him a combined score of 191 out of 200 targets.

He added a 92 out of 100 in handicap trap and an 88 out of 100 in trap doubles.

The different events test shooters in different ways. Singles trap presents targets from a standard distance, while handicap competition places shooters farther from the trap based on classification. Doubles requires competitors to respond to two targets released at the same time, adding another challenge to an already precision- driven sport.

The trip wasn’t entirely an individual effort. VanderLey was also able to join other Nebraska shooters from the Grand Island and Omaha areas to form a team, giving the group an opportunity to compete together while representing Nebraska.

For young competitors, the AIM Grand offers the opportunity to see where they stand against shooters from well beyond their home ranges. With hundreds of competitors gathered in Sparta, even a difference of only a few targets can move a shooter considerably in the standings.

For VanderLey, his results showed he could compete in that environment.

His top-15 finish in Junior Skeet, strong trap scores and performance across multiple disciplines made for a successful trip to Illinois. But his second consecutive Nebraska AIM All-State selection provides an even broader picture of what he has accomplished.

Rather than representing one particularly good weekend, the recognition reflects the consistency VanderLey continues to develop as a competitive shooter and gives the Sutton community another reason to follow where he takes aim next.

During his first season in the “big boy’s league,” Smith was one of 11 of the youngest players in the field of 250 or more players to take part in the Nebraska Junior Golf Tour 16 and over division capped this past summer season with not only a state championship, winning the NJG tour championships on Monday, Aug. 3, but he also captured Player of the Year honors by nearly 220 points over second place David Watson of Lincoln.

To take him to the top of his division, Smith, in 16 tournaments over the course of the summer tour, won eight tournaments, he was second three times, and finished in the top 10 of all 16 tournaments.

His scoring average was 72 in all tournament action, with his best coming at the Ashland Country Club, where he won the tournament with a 6-under par 65.

Smith followed up that tournament win in Ashland with a 3-under par 69 to claim the NJG Tour Championship.

When asked about his season in general, Smith shared, “It didn’t come easy. There is a lot of work, practice and time put into not only competing at that level, but to have the success that I had.”

Work isn’t something Smith shies away from, to put it mildly. He shared that he first picked up a golf club at the ripe old age of two. Ever since then, people involved in the golf scene at Sutton’s Fox Hollow Country Club has witnessed first hand how Smith has grown.

During his first season in the oldest age division on the NJG tour, Smith won at Ashland, to claim the tour championship and claimed the Player of the Year title. He also won tournaments at the Table Creek Golf Course in Nebraska City, where he claimed top honors at Indian Trails south of Beemer, he topped the field at Centura Hills near Cairo, and claimed gold at the Lakeside Golf Course just south of the dam on Johnson’s Lake south of Lexington. He cruised to the win at the Elks Country Club near Columbus and captured gold at the Southern Hills Country Club southwest of Hastings, all before winning in Ashland and claiming the tour championship at Quarry Oaks Country Club, also near Ashland to cap the season.

Smith’s runner-up finishes came in action at Indianhead Golf Course in Grand Island, at the Wild Horse Golf Course northwest of Gothenburg, and placed second at the Hidden Valley Golf Course in east Lincoln.

His preparation for tournament play in the highly talented field of players in his age group is primarily the same for each, but Smith admitted, “there are some of these tournaments where the nerves are running really high.”

“The tour championship was especially nerve racking with how it started.”

Smith opened the tour championship with a double bogey, setting him back at two over par, but he quickly got back to even par on the next hole with an eagle to reset his nerves and his game.

“That could have been disastrous for me, but after I had the double on the first hole, I just told myself that I’m not falling apart today.”

He didn’t fall apart, that’s a fact. He was one over par after the front nine holes of play. On the back nine, the Sutton sophomore-to-be, was lights out, trimming off five strokes to shoot a four-under-par 32 on the back nine and finish with a threeunder-par 69 to win the tour title by two strokes over Gretna golfer Drake Peterson, and Elkhorn golfer Grady Fredrickson.

“I felt really confident in my play I’d say after I finished the ninth hole, as I birdied that hole and made the turn to the back nine on a high.”

Smith added, “I went on to eagle the 12th hole. I had a birdie on the 13th, then after a par on both the 14th and 15th holes, I had another birdie on the 16th, not locking in the win, but feeling like all I had to do was play par golf at the worst to capture the tournament, and secure player of the year honors.”

When asked about what it’s like to be one of the youngest players on tour, going against kids that will graduate this coming spring, and eventually wearing a target on his back, Smith was quick to respond, “for me, it was actually pretty cool playing with that kind of target on me. It helped to keep me channeled in and focused on what I knew I could get, and gain not only player of the year honors, but ultimately to win the tour championship tournament and seven other tournament titles.”

Smith estimates, on the low end, that he spends over 40 hours practicing each week, either in Sutton, or on other courses. He usually tried to get to most of the courses he played this year before each tournament. Some of the courses he knew well, some he played for the first time.

His game is at such a high level, that when asked what part of his game requires the most work, putting was his quick response.

“Putting can ruin a game so fast that I work on that part of my game the most, but any part of my game can go south on me if I don’t channel my focus in and stay focused.”

“The toughest part of my game in tournament action is making sure I get out of the gate fast, shooting well early, that’s why I was a little stressed out after the first hole in the tour championship, but after I eagled the second hole, my nerves eased, I was able to get back into a rhythm and go on to win.”

To say that Smith’s inaugural season in the “big boy’s league” is purely an understatement. Smith, who graduates from Sutton in 2029, went up against kids who graduate this year (2027), or next year (2028).

There’s no doubt that there is no limit on what Smith can ultimately do during the rest of his high school career, and during his final three season’s on the Nebraska Junior Golf Tour.

The championship featured competitors from across Nebraska in one of the shotgun sports disciplines. Sporting clays is designed to simulate a variety of hunting situations, with clay targets launched at different angles, speeds and distances. Unlike traditional trap or skeet, no two target presentations are exactly alike, requiring competitors to adapt to each station.

While opportunities to practice and compete in sporting clays are limited for youth athletes west of Lincoln, members of the Sutton S-41 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) team found opportunities to practice throughout the summer.

The state championship included a 200-target sporting clays main event, a 100-target super sporting event, a 50-target FITASC (un-mounted gun) competition, a 50-target 5-stand event and several sub-gauge competitions.

Gavin Vander Ley earned four podium finishes in D Class. He placed third in the main event with a score of 157 out of 200, third in the super sporting event with 88 out of 100, first in FITASC with 43 out of 50 and second in 5-stand with 40 out of 50.

Grethe Andersen won the D Class super sporting event with a score of 91 out of 100.

Leif Andersen competed in AA Class and earned four podium finishes. He placed third in the main event with 176 out of 200, first in the super sporting event with 95 out of 100, second in FITASC with 45 out of 50 and third in 5-stand with 42 out of 50.

Competition continued on Sunday, Aug. 2, at Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, where the Wyatt Gildersleeve Memorial Trapshoot was held.

The 100-target competition consisted of 50 singles targets from the 16-yard line and 50 handicap targets. Sutton S-41 athlete Cord Pope won the D Class championship after breaking 47 of 50 singles targets and 46 of 50 handicap targets from the 24-yard line for a combined score of 93, earning the D Class champion belt buckle.

The Sutton S-41 team will return to competition this weekend at the Zone 5 Skeet Championship, scheduled for Aug. 7 through 9 at Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island.

Those interested in learning more about the Scholastic Clay Target Program or joining the Sutton S-41 team may contact coach Josh Andersen at ja8041@yahoo.com.

Three days later, the small-town squad was celebrating a state championship after defeating some of Nebraska’s top travel baseball programs and leaving more than a few opponents asking the same question: “Where is Saronville?” The weekend didn’t start the way the Shiners had hoped. They lost their first game 8-5 but quickly bounced back with a 10-4 win in their second game to earn a spot in the tournament’s top championship bracket.

From there, they kept winning. The Shiners defeated the Bellevue Bruins 7-1, followed by a commanding 22-4 victory over Nebraska Prime Blue.

Their next game against the Elkhorn Turtles turned into a pitchers’ duel, with neither team scoring until late in the game. Beckett Heitmann scored the game’s first run, giving the Shiners the momentum they needed to earn another victory. Kaige Jones pitched most of the game before Cam Heitmann came in to close it out.

That win sent the Shiners to the championship game, where they faced Gretna Thunder Black, the same team that had beaten them earlier in the tournament.

Gretna scored first, but the Shiners answered in the fourth inning and never looked back. Hayden Schlichtman blasted a grand slam home run, the defense settled in and Jedt Livgren pitched the entire game to help secure the championship.

The final play was one the team won’t soon forget. Kaige Jones made a play at third base before Brooks Ebert completed the game-ending double play at home, touching off the celebration.

The championship wasn’t the result of one player. Big contributions came from across the roster.

Jaden Beam, Conner Aspegren, Schlichtman and Bentley Farmer came up with key defensive plays in the outfield. Grady Arp held down first base, while Kaige Jones, Cam Heitmann, Jedt Livgren, Gage Tuma and Beckett Heitmann anchored the infield. Behind the plate, Brooks Ebert caught two straight games Sunday in the summer heat on turf fields.

The team is coached by Alex Jones, Jeremy Heitmann, Corey Heitmann and Corey Ebert.

The coaches were quick to credit everyone who helped make the season possible, including the parents who supported the team every step of the way.

Shay Jones reiterated that point when she shared, “We couldn’t have made this work without the players, the coaches, the Aspegrens and Eberts for hosting practices in their shops, and the families for making a dream turn into a reality,” the team shared after the championship. “Without them, we are nothing.”

For a program built to give kids from Nebraska’s small towns a chance to play together, winning a state championship was a dream realized.

And now, a few more people across Nebraska know exactly where Saronville is.

South Central trimmed Sutton’s 5-0 lead to 5-3 in the bottom half of the sixth inning with three runs, but that is all the closer the Post 256 Juniors could get, as Sutton’s Post 61 Juniors rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning to secure the 8-3 win and improved to 20-8-1, while South Central’s season came to a close, finishing the season with an 11-12 record.

Remington Behmerwohld gained four of Sutton’s 10 hits in the game, while all four of his singles drive in one run.

Creighton Jones was 2-3 at the plate with a run driven in, while Kellen Ebert drove in a run, while going 2-4 at the plate with a pair of singles.

Adding to the mix were Aidan Banta and Michael Lockhart, as they were both 1-3 in the win.

South Central pounded out eight hits in the game, led by Wyatt Livgren with a trio of singles in three trips to the plate. Brockett Reed was 2-4 and drove in a pair of runs, while Camden Wehrman, Alex Watts, and Wyatt Hemberger all had one single in the game.

Camden Temme earned the win on the mound for Sutton. In six and two-thirds innings of work, Temme walked three, struck out six, and allowed the three South Central runs on seven hits.

In relief, Lockhart walked one, struck out one, and allowed one hit.

Wehrman took the loss for South Central. In five innings of work, he allowed six runs on seven hits, walking four and striking out three.

Wyatt Livgren and Justin Sharp closed out the game on the mound. They combined to allow two runs on two hits, with Livgren walking two Sutton hitters.

Sutton 8, South Central 3 Sutton...................0 5 0 0 0 0 3 -8 South Central.........0 0 0 0 0 3 0 -3 Sutton AB R H RBI Remington Behmerwohld...... 5 2 4 1 Creighton Jones....................... 3 1 2 1 Kellen Ebert............................. 4 2 2 1 Aidan Banta............................. 3 2 1 0 Michael Lockhart..................... 3 0 1 1 Kayden Bolejack...................... 1 1 0 0 Cale Nuss................................. 1 0 0 0 Camden Temme...................... 2 0 0 2 Everett Yost............................. 3 0 0 0 Kaige Jones.............................. 4 0 0 1 Sutton Totals-.................. 29 8 10 7 Extra Base Hits: None. South Central AB R H RBI Wyatt Livgren.......................... 4 1 3 1 Brockett Reed.......................... 4 0 2 2 Camden Wehrman.................. 3 1 1 0 Alex Watts............................... 4 1 1 0 Wyatt Hemberger................... 4 0 1 0 Joel Hoelting........................... 2 0 0 0 Mason Johanson...................... 2 0 0 0 Owen Spray............................. 2 0 0 0 Jedt Livgren............................. 3 0 0 0 So. Central Totals-............ 28 3 8 3 Extra Base Hits: None.

In the opener, River Glinsmann threw a 78 pitch, one two hit gem during his five and a third innings of work. He walked just three and struck out four to gain the win.

In relief, Camden Temme walked one and struck out two in an inning and twothirds, while allowing just one hit.

Sutton struck first in the battle, outscoring BDS 3-1 in the first inning. Sutton added one more run in the second inning, as the two teams were held scoreless in the final four innings of the game.

Remington Behmerwohld was a perfect 3-3 at the plate with three singles, while driving in one run.

Cale Nuss delivered a pair of singles. Michael Lockhart delivered a three-run home run in the first inning, while Kayden Bolejack gained a double, and Kellen Ebert, a single, as Sutton outhit BDS 8-3 in the game.

Sutton 4, BDS 1 BDS.............................1 0 0 0 0 0 -1 Sutton........................3 1 0 0 0 0 -4 AB R H RBI

Remington Behmerwohld...... 3 1 3 1 Cale Nuss................................. 3 1 2 0 Kayden Bolejack...................... 2 0 1 0 Michael Lockhart..................... 3 1 1 3 Kellen Ebert............................. 3 0 1 0 Creighton Jones....................... 0 1 0 0 Kaige Jones.............................. 2 0 0 0 River Glinsmann...................... 2 0 0 0 Everett Yost............................. 3 0 0 0 Camden Temme...................... 3 0 0 0 Sutton Totals-.................. 24 4 8 4 BDS Totals-....................... 24 1 3 1 Extra Base Hits: Sutton: Lockhart: 1- Home Run; Bolejack: 1-Double. BDS: None.

The three-run win over BDS for the Mustangs paired Sutton up with Tri County-Meridian in the second round winners bracket in Hebron.

Tri County-Meridian jumped out of the gate, scoring five runs in the bottom of the second inning to put Sutton in a tough place, but one run in the third and four more in the fifth inning tied the game at five before Tri County-Meridian claimed the win with one run in the sixth frame to send Sutton into the losers bracket of the tournament where they were to face South Central this past Monday night at 5:30 p.m. in Hebron.

Tri County-Meridian held a 7-6 hitting edge in the game, with Temme delivering a pair of singles. Kaige Jones was 1-3 with a double, while driving in two runs, while Everett Yost drove in a pair of runs with a single. Nuss drove in one run on a single, while Behmerwohld added a single in the game.

Nuss opened the game’s first inning and a third on the mound. Tri County- Meridian gained five hits and scored five runs off of Nuss, as he walked four and struck out one.

In relief, Brooks Ebert walked just one and struck out five, while Behmerwohld walked one, struck out one and allowed one run on one hit.

Sutton 5, Tri-County/Meridian 6 Sutton........................0 0 1 0 4 0 -5 T-C/Meridian............... 0 5 0 0 0 1 -6 AB R H RBI

Camden Temme...................... 3 1 2 0 Cale Nuss................................. 3 1 1 1 Kaige Jones.............................. 3 0 1 2 Everett Yost............................. 4 1 1 2 Remington Behmerwohld...... 4 0 1 0 Michael Lockhart..................... 2 1 0 0 Kellen Ebert............................. 3 1 0 0 Aidan Banta............................. 1 0 0 0 River Glinsmann...................... 3 0 0 0 Kayden Bolejack...................... 3 0 0 0 Camden Temme...................... 3 0 0 0 Sutton Totals-.................. 29 5 6 5 T-C/Meridian Totals-......... 27 6 7 5 Extra Base Hits: Sutton: Lockhart: Jones: 1-Double. T-C/Meridian: None.

The highly intense and action packed sport of bull riding took center stage Wednesday, July 8 during the opening day of the 2026 Clay County Fair in Clay Center. Above, one of the riders in the extreme bull riding event jumps out of the gate on top of a bull and prepares for a tough ride during the competition. At the left, another rider steadies himself on top of a bull during the competition in the fairgrounds arena. Below shows a crowd ready for some action.

South Central’s 11-7 victory over Sutton erased a loss to the Mustangs back on May 27, when Sutton recorded a 9-1 win in Sutton.

Thursday night’s win for South Central was spurred by two big innings, as the guys in blue scored five runs in the second and fifth innings and added one more run in the sixth to secure the four-run victory.

Sutton led early 3-0 before South Central’s five run second frame. Sutton then bounced back to grab a 6-5 lead after the top half of the fifth inning, before South Central posted their five runs in the bottom half of the fifth.

South Central outhit Sutton 10-8 in the battle. South Central was led by Alex Watts and Camden Wehrman. Watts went 2-3 at the plate and drove in one run. Wehrman also drove in one while going 2-4 at the plate with a double and a single.

Adding to South Central’s hitting was a double by Joel Hoelting, and singles from Wyatt Hemberger, Mason Johanson, Jedt Livgren, Jaxen Vaughn, and Brockett Reed.

Cale Nuss and Kylar Ely led Sutton’s hit parade with two singles each, as Nuss drove in two runs in the loss.

Conner Aspegren, Remington Behmerwohld, Everett Yost, and Kayden Bolejack had one single each.

On the pitchers mound, Wehrman earned the win for South Central. In three innings of work, Wehrman walked four, struck out four, and gave up four runs on six hits.

In relief, Wyatt Livgren and Justin Sharp both pitched for two innings.

Livgren allowed just one run on one hit and he walked one and struck out one.

Sharp walked one and allowed two runs on just one hit.

For Sutton, River Glinsmann took the loss, giving up 10 runs on nine hits, while walking four and striking out three.

In relief, Behmerwohld walked two, struckout one and gave up one hit and one run.

With the win, South Central improved to 9-7, while the loss dropped Sutton to 17-6, with the 2026 Area-4 District tournament set to start in Hebron this coming Friday, July 10.

Sutton 7, South Central 11 Sutton........................1 2 0 1 2 0 -7 South Central.............. 0 5 0 0 5 1 -11 South Central AB R H RBI Alex Watts............................... 3 2 2 1 Camden Wehrman.................. 4 1 2 1 Joel Hoelting........................... 2 0 1 3 Wyatt Hemberger................... 2 3 1 0 Mason Johanson...................... 2 1 1 0 Brockett Reed.......................... 5 1 1 1 Jaxen Vaughn.......................... 1 1 1 0 Owen Spray............................. 1 0 0 0 Justin Sharp............................. 2 0 0 0 Wyatt Livgren.......................... 4 0 0 0 Jedt Livgren............................. 5 2 1 0 So. Central Totals-............ 31 11 10 6 Extra Base Hits: Wehrman: 1-Double; Hoelting: 1-Double.

Sutton AB R H RBI Cale Nuss................................. 4 0 2 2 Kylar Ely................................... 4 0 2 0 Conner Aspegren..................... 2 0 1 0 Kayden Bolejack...................... 3 2 1 0 Remington Behmerwohld...... 3 3 1 2 Everett Yost............................. 4 0 1 1 Jesse Mohnike......................... 1 1 0 0 Kaige Jones.............................. 1 1 0 0 River Glinsmann...................... 3 0 0 0 Kellen Ebert............................. 4 0 0 0 Sutton Totals-.................. 29 7 8 5 Extra Base Hits: None.

During Tuesday’s win, pitcher Everett Yost tossed a four-hit gem, without allowing a run, while walking four and striking out six.

Cale Nuss drove in three runs with a pair of singles in the win, while Michael Lockhart drove in two runs with a double in the game.

Rounding out the hitting attack were Remington Behmerwohld, Camden Temme, River Glinsmann and Yost, as all four gained a single, as Sutton held a 7-4 hitting advantage in the win.

Sutton 10, BDS 0 Sutton.............................. 2 3 0 3 2 -10 BDS...................................0 0 0 0 0 -0 AB R H RBI

Cale Nuss................................. 3 2 2 3 Remington Behmerwohld...... 1 4 1 1 Camden Temme...................... 3 2 1 0 Michael Lockhart..................... 3 0 1 2 River Glinsmann...................... 3 0 1 0 Everett Yost............................. 4 0 1 2 Kaige Jones.............................. 1 0 0 0 Conner Aspegren..................... 2 1 0 0 Brooks Ebert............................ 2 1 0 0 Sutton Totals-.................. 22 10 7 8 BDS Totals-....................... 17 0 4 0 Extra Base Hits: Sutton: Lockhart: 1-Double, Glinsmann: 1-Double. BDS: 1-Double.

Brooks Ebert handled the pitching duties against Wilber, without giving up a walk, he struck out two, while allowing four Wilber runs on six hits.

Lockhart led the offense in the game with three singles during his three trips to the plate. Lockhart drove in a team-high four runs.

Yost was 2-3 at the plate with a pair of singles, while Temme was 2-4 with a double and a single.

Also adding to the hitting mix were Kellen Ebert, Creighton Jones and Cale Nuss who all singled once in the win.

Sutton 13, Wilber 4 Wilber..............................2 1 1 0 0 -4 Sutton.............................. 1 0 10 2 x -13 AB R H RBI

Michael Lockhart..................... 3 1 3 4 Everett Yost............................. 3 1 2 0 Camden Temme...................... 4 3 2 1 Kellen Ebert............................. 2 1 1 1 Creighton Jones....................... 3 2 1 1 Cale Nuss................................. 4 1 1 1 River Glinsmann...................... 1 2 0 1 Remington Behmerwohld...... 1 1 0 2 Kaige Jones.............................. 0 1 0 1 Sutton Totals-.................. 21 13 10 12 Wilber Totals-.................. 22 4 6 3 Extra Base Hits: Sutton: Temme: 1-Double. Wilber: 1-Triple.