Sandy Creek Football earns first-ever championship with D-1 title against Stanton in 44-42 nail biter
For the first time in school history, the Sandy Creek Cougars are class D-1 State Champions.
The Cougars went undefeated for a perfect 13-0 with a huge 44-42 victory over the Stanton Mustangs in the Class D-1 State Championship title game Monday, in Lincoln.
With a great game by both teams, the win came down to a two-point conversion, with the Cougars getting a stop to come home with the win.
In the opening quarter, it was back and forth with Stanton starting off with a score to take the lead; however, the Cougars would answer with one of their own, after Ethan Shaw found Kameron Sealey from 32 yards out for a touchdown, tying the score at 6-6 with 6:36 to go in the first.
Stanton scored again on offense and quickly recovered an onside kick for another touchdown, taking a strong 20-6 lead On their next offensive drive, Shaw broke up a couple tackles and ran it in for six from 36 yards out to make it 20-12, with 9:50 to go before half.
Hudson Devlin then came in with a fumble recovery at Sandy Creek’s 19-yard line, followed closely be a Conner Rempe 54yard touchdown.
For the two-point conversion, Shaw ran it in to tie the game yet again, 20-20, with 5:58 to go in the first half.
Stanton scored once more before the half, and with a made PAT, took the lead, 28-20.
The Cougar defense stood tall on the next drive, keeping Stanton from another score, ending the first half with the Mustang eight-point lead.
Out of the half, the Cougars took control of the ball and would tie it back up with a 31-yard bomb from Shaw to Wes Biltoft.
Biltoft caught the two-point conversion to tie it up 28- 28 with 9:59, to go in the third.
A big turning point in the
TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
ballgame came when Jacob Petr forced a Stanton fumble, allowing Hudson and Shaw to recover it at Stanton’s own 26-yard line.
From there, the Cougars took advantage of the recovered fumble to go up eight points with a Rempe touchdown catch from 10 yards out.
Shaw punched in the two-point conversion to make a Cougar lead, 36-28, with 8:33 left in the third. Stanton would tie it up once again in the third, but that tie was short-lived after Shaw had a solid run for a touchdown. With a successful two-point conversion, the Cougars kept the lead making it 44-36 with 4:19 to go in the third.
Stanton found the end zone one last time but failed on the twopoint conversion after Rempe came up with a huge open-field tackle to keep them out.
These efforts helped the Cougars to keep the 44-42 lead, with 9:48 to go in the game.
On the Cougars’ next offensive drive, they marched down the field where Shaw passed to Sealey; however, the pass wouldn’t be completed as it bounced out of his arms and into the hands of a Stanton defender.
It was up to the Sandy Creek defense to get one more stop to seal the game. They found it on a fourth and one, when Rempe’s tackle forced a turnover on down.
Sandy Creek retained the ball and earned one more first down to seal the deal, taking a knee to finish off the perfect season for Sandy Creek.
THE COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS
On offense, the Cougars had 332 total yards with 100 yards passing and 232 on the ground. Shaw would go six for nine with 100 yards and with three touchdowns and one interception.
He was also the leading rusher with 25 carries with 178 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while Rempe had four carries for 64 yards and one touchdown.
Then, on defense, the Cougars had 76 total tackles with 44 solo tackles and then five tackles for loss and one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Rempe led in tackles with 16 total and 12 solo; Alston Clark had 11 total with one solo; Shaw and Jack Watts had nine total, with Shaw earning eight solo and Watts had four solo; Hudson had eight total with six solo; Petr and Biltoft had seven total with Petr having five solo and Biltoft, four solo; Sealey had five total with three solo; Josh spray had two total with one solo; and Wyatt Livgren and Jonas Amos had one total each.
Shaw and Hudson had a fumble recovery each and Petr had the one forced fumble.
Score by Quarters
Sandy Creek.......................6 14 24 0 -44 Stanton.............................14 14 8 6 -42 SC Stanton Rush Att-Yds................31-232 67-330 Pass Comp-Att-Yds.....6-9-100 3-5-50 Total Offense................. 332 380
Cougar Nation came more than ready and prepared to cheer on their Cougars during Monday afternoon’s state title bout with the Stanton Mustangs, sporting homemade signs, balloons, and color-appropriate attire. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
Sandy Creek players hoist their Class D1 Football Championship trophy following Monday’s game against Stanton.
