Amazing might be the keyword for this weeks Bull column, as we have two programs in Clay County that have set their mark high and bold. The Sandy Creek football team, following a roaring big 59-0 win over Sutton Friday night has served notice to the Class D-1 field of teams that they mean more than just business, they are on a mission to capture the ultimate prize, and a state championship. Monday afternoon in Lincoln, just three years as a program, the Sutton Fillies golf team claimed a program first. Not only their first district championship, but their first-ever as state qualifiers...as a team.
THE COUGARS
Sandy Creek, since entering the eight-man game of football in Nebraska, has been like a pack of Cougars waking up for morning breakfast and an evening snack over the last three years...6-4 in 2022, 12-1 last year and so far this year, Sandy Creek is 6-0. If my math is correct, since I’m a words guy, not a math guy, that’s 24-5 in a storied rebuild of the Cougar Nation program. After dealing Sutton a 59-point loss Friday night, during a night of major pomp and circumstance, Sandy Creek, in my eyes served notice to the D-1 field of teams... “bring it on, we’re ready for the last two games of the regular season, and what is dealt to us in the post-season. Man, those dudes are good, confident and very real...WOW!
THE FILLIES
Three seasons ago, Sutton Public Schools added girls golf to their “things to do,” for activities, and for the first year, it was a “things to do” kinda thing. Sutton spent the first two seasons learning the game of golf, the strategy of the game, the patience of the game, and the mental and even physical part of golf. Under the direction of coach Sam Newmyer, the Fillies program has come from a “we need to offer a new program” to let’s make the best of adding this program.
Monday afternoon, in Lincoln, at the Hidden Valley Golf Course, somewhere out east on Pine Lake Road that “make the best of adding the program” came full circle.
Sutton won the Class C-1 District championship over Exeter-Milligan/ Friend (EMF) by three strokes to advance to the state Class C Golf State Championship meet in North Platte next Monday and Tuesday, as a team, and they did it in style...even with a nervous, even stressed out coach. I talked with Sam at the onset of Monday’s meet, when his first two girls started play, Shepleigh (Shep) Ohrt and Laurel Moore. Saying to Sam, “You seem a tad nervous.” His response as Shep and Laurel started their 18-hole round: “Nah, I’m not nervous, I’m good.”
As I talked with him again, after all five of his girls got off of the first tee box, he shared, “Okay, I’ll admit, I’m nervous, but in a good way.”
Sam knew that Monday was a huge day with the Fillies program. A monumental day (in my own words). Monday was the day that Sutton girls golf earned its own badge of honor, after some major big years with the boys program of golf since my arrival in 2009. Monday brought to the program, thanks to all the girls that set the stage for the Fillies state qualifying venture on Monday, a belief that Sutton girls golf has reached a new height, and new level of play, and perhaps they have even reached the point in Class C girls golf that the Fillies are earning the so-called “target on their back,” meaning that they have achieved so many new heights over the course of the past three seasons that Sutton is more than a football or basketball town...it’s also a golf town!
This past week has secured within me, as the quiet observer, on the sideline, “out of bounds” if you will, that hard work, dedication, extra work and a fight to be better, and fear nothing has led to what the Sandy Creek football team, and the Sutton girls golf team have done this past week.
There are still battles to be fought for both teams. While football is an ultimate team game, where it takes all eight guys to pull together at any given time. Whereas girls golf is an individual sport that comes together as a team sport in the end, we have two teams, that are working towards one goal...spotlights on each of their sports, but representing their schools with pride, strength, and taking each down, or each stroke one play, or hit at a time.
This should be an exciting stretch to end the 2024 fall sports season.
The Fillies step into the spotlight next week in North Platte to take on the field at the Class C State Golf Championships, and the Cougars have certainly served notice that they mean business in their hunt for the ultimate spot in high school football in Nebraska.
What a week, and we’re just getting started folks!
