Sandy Creek took on the Alma Cardinals for their first road game of the 2024 season, with the Cougars defeating the Cardinals in dominating fashion, 71-14.
The Cougars’ first half would be the key to victory as they held Alma to zero points, while the Cougars scored 50 of their 71 points in the first half. The Cougar defense would get multiple stops with a couple of sacks and numerous tackles for loss, to back up the Cardinals and force Alma to pass. Several of Alma’s passes were deflected by the Cougars to force punt situations for the Cardinals.
That would then lead the Cougars to march down the field and score.
In the first quarter, Ethan Shaw had a couple of big runs to lead to the Cougars first touchdown, and then the two-point conversion would be a pass from Shaw to Connor Rempe to make it a quick 8-0 lead with 10:26 to go in the first.
On the Cougars’ next offensive possession, Shaw would run the option and pitch it to the speedy Rempe who would take it to the house from 48 yards out. From there, Ben Sullivan ran it in for the two-point conversion to make it 16-0 Sandy Creek, with 7:54 to go in the first.
On Alma’s third drive, the Cougars would get home and sack the quarterback and force a turnover on downs. On the first play on offense for the Cougars, Shaw found sophomore Wes Biltoft for a 40-yard gain. The Cougars ultimately capitalized with a Rempe 13-yard touchdown run, with Shaw finding Kameron Sealy for the two-point conversion to make it 24-0 Sandy Creek with 3:56 in the first.
Sandy Creek took over after another stop on their own 16-yard line, and with many penalties on this drive, the Cougars found a way to score with a Shaw to Biltoft 21-yard touchdown pass, to take the lead of the Cougars to 30 to 0 with 11:37 to go in the second. Another Cougar stop on defense would lead to a 37-yard pass from Shaw to Rempe, who had a big run to set up first and goal for the Cougars. Shaw then found Sealey over the middle for a sixyard touchdown pass, and while Rempe tried for the PAT, he missed making the score 36-0, Cougars.
Sandy Creek’s next defensive series, the defensive line forced the Alma quarterback to step up in the pocket and underthrown the ball. Alex Watts snagged it out of the air for a Cougar interception. Shaw would lead the Cougars down the field for a 39-yard touchdown run, and Rempe’s point after would be good to make it 42-0, Sandy Creek, with 3:10 to go in the first half. The Cougars scored one last time before the half, with a Shaw sixyard run up the middle for a touchdown. Rempe’s PAT would be good to make it Cougars 50, Alma zero.
After the first half, the Cougars would score three more times with a Sealey 36-yard touchdown run and Rempe drilling the point after to make it 57-0, Cougars, with 10:31 in the third.
Alma would get on the scoreboard with a 17-yard touchdown pass and the two-point conversion to make it 57-8. The Cougars then marched down the field again and ended the drive with a Sealey 16-yard touchdown run make it Sandy Creek 63, Alma eight.
On the next drive on offense for the Cougars, Wyatt Livgren took the handoff from Sealey for a 15-yard touchdown run, with Sealey finding Wyatt Hemberger in the corner of the end zone for the twopoint conversion, to make it 71-8, Cougars, with 10:25 to go in the game. Alma scored one final time to end the game Cougars 71 to Alma’s 14.
BY THE NUMBERS
Offensively, Sandy Creek was led by 407 rushing yards and another 167 passing yards to total 574 yards of total offense in the 57-point victory.
Shaw paced the ground attack with 141 yards on nine carries, an average of 15.7 yards per carry, while Sealey chewed up 112 yards on just six carries, an average of 18.7 yards.
As a team, Sandy Creek averaged 16.3 yards per carry, toting the ball 25 times in the game.
Following Shaw and Sealey were Rempe with 72 yards, Wyatt Livgren, 59, and Ben Sullivan, 23.
Through the air, Shaw completed five of nine passes for 167 yards. Rempe grabbed three passes covering 99 yards, while Biltoft brought in two passes for 62. Sealey made one grab for six yards in the win.
Sandy Creek made a total of 61 tackles in the win, including 33 solo stops for the defense. Biltoft led the team with nine tackles, five of which were solo tackles. Jacob Petr and Sealey were in on seven total stops, while Rempe made six, Shaw, four, and Alston Clark, four.
Score by Quarters
Sandy Creek.......................24 26 13 8 -71 Alma................................. 0 0 8 6 -14 SC Alma Rush Att-Yds..................25-407 N/A Pass Comp-Att-Yds....... 5-9-167 N/A Total Offense....................574 N/A
