Sutton crushes Tri County 51-18, head to Arapahoe for D-1 first-round game
Sutton was in a must-win situation last Friday night, Oct. 18, when the Tri County Trojans came calling on the Mustangs on their home field.
With a win, Sutton would advance to the Class D-1 state playoffs, but a loss would likely miss the post-season, without a little help from other teams.
The Mustangs took matters in their own hands with the Trojans, however, and left little doubt whether or not Sutton would advance. A steady dose of traditional Sutton football, behind their rushing attack, the Mustangs cut down the Trojans 51-18 to earn their 14th trip to the post-season in the past 15 seasons, with the 33-point win to finish the 2024 regular season with a 5-3 record.
Sutton’s defense began the challenge with Tri County on the field, holding the Trojans to a “three and out” situation, forcing a punt.
From that point on, Sutton sophomore Griffin Bergen made the Trojans pay, as Bergen sprinted 69 yards on the Mustangs’ first offensive play from scrimmage to score. Following a Wyatt Pollet two-point conversion, Sutton led 8-0 with 10:46 left to play in the first quarter.
The Trojans’ second drive would produce one first down before senior Aidan Jones thwarted any threat to the Mustangs’ lead, intercepting a Tri County pass at the Trojans 36 with 7:35 to go in the first.
Three minutes later, junior Jacob Huxoll appeared to make the Trojans pay for the turnover, scoring on a five-yard run with 4:28 to go in the first, but a holding penalty on the Mustangs negated the score, leaving Sutton with the 8-0 lead.
Sutton, however, did make the Trojans pay for the miscue, as senior Harrison Herndon took a reverse sweep 10 yards into the end zone to give Sutton a 16-0 lead, after Huxoll added the two-point conversion, with 4:05 to play in the first quarter.
Tri County had their own penalty issues in the game, as the Trojans answered the Herndon score with a 56-yard run into the end zone, but a holding call negated the score, leaving Sutton with the 16-0 lead as time expired in the opening quarter.
Sutton held strong throughout the rest of the first quarter and added to their lead just one minute into the second quarter. Pollet set up the Mustangs’ third score of the game with a 36-yard run to the Tri County 11, with 11 minutes to play in the first half.
Bergen finished the offensive drive with his second score of the night, bulling his way four yards into the end zone with 8:25 to play in the second. Pollet then pitched to Bergen for the conversion, giving Sutton a 24-0 lead.
Tri County closed out the second quarter with a pair of touchdowns to cut the Mustang lead to 24-12, as Tri County scored on a 46-yard run with 7:13 to play in the half, and a 19-yard run for a score with 1:38 to go in the half. Tri County failed on the two bonus points after each score, setting the game at a 12-point Sutton lead at the break.
Second-half action was all Sutton, as the Mustangs turned on the jets, outscoring Tri County 27-6 in the second half to punch their ticket into the post-season with the 51-18 win.
Huxoll and Pollet scored in the third quarter, with Huxoll scoring on a three-yard run, and adding the two-point conversion for a 32-12 Sutton lead with 9:38 to play in the third.
Pollet’s score came at the 1:29 mark of the third, scoring on a five-yard run, with Herndon scoring the two-point conversion to lift Sutton to a 40-12 lead going into the fourth.
Pollet connected with senior Gabe Gwennap one minute into the fourth quarter for a 48-yard touchdown pass, with Pollet adding the conversion to lift Sutton to a 48-12 lead.
Senior Simon Lambert finished the scoring for Sutton with a field goal to lift Sutton to a 51-12 lead with 3:01 to play.
Tri County added their final score of the night just 12 seconds later, scoring on a 65-yard run, and with the missed conversion, closed out the game with Sutton gaining the 51-18 win.
BYTHE NUMBERS
Sutton’s rushing attack was led by Huxoll, Bergen, and Pollet, as the trio combined for 305 of Sutton’s 379 total yards on the ground.
Huxoll led with 110 yards on 15 carries, an average of 7.3 yards per carry, while Bergen finished with 101 yards on 10 carries, an average of 10.1 yards per carry.
Pollet finished the game with 94 yards on 11 carries, while freshman Juan Reyes added 50 yards on seven carries. Herndon finished with 17 yards, and Keith Kliewer, seven.
Pollet passed for another 58 yards, completing both passing attempts that the sophomore threw in the win. Gwennap caught both Pollet passes.
DEFENSE SHINES
Huxoll led the Sutton defensive efforts in the win with 12 tackles, five of which were solo stops, and seven assists, Huxoll had three and a half tackles for loss.
Following the junior linebacker were seniors Billy Marshall and Weston Ohrt with five tackles each, senior Brayden Griess, senior Aidan Jones, and sophomore Connor Hinrichs all gained four tackles each.
UP NEXT FOR ‘STANGS The Mustangs head west this week, making the 115mile trek to Arapahoe High School where the Mustangs will take on the 7-1 Warriors at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 24.
For more information relating to the opening-round game, turn to our 12-page special section dedicated to the opening round of the Class D-1 playoffs in this week’s Clay County News.
Score by Quarters
Sutton....................................16 8 16 11 -51 Tri County...............................0 12 0 6 -18 Sutton TC
Rush Att-Yds...................52-348 N/A Pass Comp-Att-Yds........6-9-168 N/A Total Offense.................... 516 N/A
TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
Senior Brayden Griess puts pressure of Tri County quarterback Cole Spahr during the Mustangs’ 51-18 win Friday, Oct. 18. Moving in on the play for Sutton is Griffin Bergen (10).
