As the calendar flips soon, we’ll be running around with our heads cut off trying to cover games and matches. It will be a blast, and sleep will be at a premium. But we wouldn’t trade it for the world.

We’ll also be cheering for the competitors that live in our house. (Man, do we love chasing them and their teammates around.) We hope you think that’s okay. We would want you all to do the same.

So, the football season hit the halfway point last night. Man, there were some big games. Between unbeaten teams. And, ironically enough, between teams that haven’t won a single game yet. Don’t say that too often.

Up and at ‘em early since the Huskers play at 11:00 AM. Grab your favorite breakfast and scroll through the high school sports scene with us. We think we may have something for everyone today.

As always, the Saturday Newsletter and The Friday Night Drive are sponsored by Tom Dinsdale Automotive so you can subscribe for free. Share this with a friend who you think would love it too. Our content will never cost you a dime. We’d be grateful.

Friday Night on the Hill

Last years run to the state football semifinals surprised few inside the Sandy Creek football locker room. It was everyone outside that was caught off guard a little bit. Put the Newsletter on the top of that list.

So, as harvest begins in Clay County, it will certainly stop for a few hours each Friday night to watch the boys on “The Hill” or wherever the bus takes them. Make no mistake, these Cougars are state championship good.

On Friday, for the fourth time in five outings it looked like SC — ranked second in the nebpreps Coaches Poll — defeated a would-be playoff team with relative ease. This time, it was Thayer Central (3-2) who played nearly perfect until that one play that kind of reversed the game for good. It’s what championship teams do.

The final? 43-8, Sandy Creek.

And, that play? A simple tackle from senior Hudson Devlin that put Thayer Central behind the chains.

After the teams traded punts and then three scores to open the game Sandy Creek had a 14-8 lead late in the second half with the Titans advanced near midfield. On third-and-5 Devlin submarined TC standout back Sam Souerdyke for a 2-yard loss.

The Titans decided to go for it on 4th down — you can’t blame them for a single second — and the Cougar linebackers sniffed out a screen pass to Souerdyke. Five players later do-everything quarterback Ethan Shaw was in from the 3 and SC had a 22-8 halftime lead.

“Hudson is one of those young men you can really lean on to make some of those plays,” SC coach Andrew Kuta said. “Not only is he really talented, he’s an outstanding leader. He plays with great effort all the time and he has a great understanding of the football game.”

It seems, SC has a bunch of those types. Ones that Kuta enjoys coaching. Many of his seniors — including Shaw — were on the field for the majority of snaps in a 3-6 campaign in 2021 that was the Cougars last hurrah in 11-man football.

“We weren’t that competitive,” the coach said plainly. “Over the last four years, these kids have just worked their tails off. We have some great leaders that hold each other accountable. The best part about my job is I don’t have to hold any of the kids accountable.

“They do that themselves.”

So, it was a pretty ho-hum night for Sandy Creek. It’s what championship teams look like in the regular season. Shaw had 195 yards on 20 carries, scoring three times. He threw one to burner Connor Rempe to open the second half and move the lead to an insurmountable 30-8.

The defense allowed Souerdyke just 53 yards on 25 carries (he was near 300 last week). The Titans had two first downs after halftime.

“If you’d had told me that before the game, I’d have written you a check,” Kuta quipped.

Championship teams do most of their noticed work in the cold of November, when the harvest is over. The foundation secured with hard work and discipline well before the harvest starts.

FULL GAME THREAD

Around the State

OAKLAND-CRAIG, BATTLE CREEK: In a battle of two of the top teams in Class C-2, Battle Creek ran for over 300 yards and Oakland-Craig did the same through the air as the Braves moved to 5-0 with a 45-38 win over O-C. Might do that one again in November.

MIGHTY, MIGHTY TITANS: In a mucked up Class B (after Bennington, of course) it’s much better to be 3-2 than 2-3. On Friday night, Norris got a 24-14 win over Lincoln Pius X behind a pair of touchdown passes Jarrett Behrends. Game thread | Postgame with Norris coach Ty Twarling

SLEEPING ON BOYS TOWN: Most of the Class C-1 talk has centered around Wahoo this fall. Rightfully so. Are we selling Boys Town short? The Cowboys are TALENTED. Mercy. On Thursday, Darien Whitaker had five touchdowns in the first half in a 52-7 rout out Omaha Gross.

BIG ONES IN 8-MAN: After a back-and-forth game, Summerland turned a 42-36 fourth quarter deficit to Plainview into a 60-42 win. Game thread | An impressive road win for Crofton over Hartington-Newcastle. Highlights | Arapahoe turned back Dundy County-Stratton. Highlights

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Game Night, Omaha Channel 3. Highlights from Millard South, Westside, Bennington, Elkhorn North and Skutt. Also, 10/11 Sports Overtime.

At the Net (Part I)

Volleyball moves along as well and also at the mid-point of the season. Five teams are unbeaten (we may have missed one), with Minden and Southwest ranked number one in their respective classes in the nebpreps Volleyball Coaches Poll. Other undefeated teams are Yutan and Thayer Central in Class C-2 and Leyton in Class D-2.

In Monday’s poll, it was Papillion-LaVista South, Omaha Skutt, Minden, Lincoln Lutheran, Southwest and Overton taking the top spots. Only Skutt, Minden and Lincoln Lutheran have been on top from the start of the season.

Some changes to the postseason this year come in the form of serpentine regions for Classes C-1 and C-2. This experiment hopes to eliminate loaded sub-districts (we think it will), add two wild cards to district final play. But could the downside be travel? We eagerly await how the brackets shape up. First round of postseason brackets will be released on October 24 with play beginning the following Monday, October 28.

THURSDAY NIGHT: A pair of big Grand Island wins on Thursday as Class A, No. 9 Senior High took a five-set slugfest from No. 7 Fremont on the road, 17-15 in the deciding fifth set. Tia Traudt had 24 kills. Patterson recap Back at Northwest, the Class B, No. 9 Vikings took the hard way for a reverse sweep of Class C-1, No. 3 Kearney Catholic. Zavala Game Thread In a rematch of the 2023 C-2 state final, Class C-2, No. 1 Lincoln Lutheran rallied for a 32-30 set one win and then swept Class C-1, No. 2 Clarkson/Leigh. Highlights

ALL THE SCORES | POSTSEASON POINT STANDINGS

At the Net (Part II)

While the Class B team tennis title race is a little more open than Class A (Lincoln East is really, REALLY good), the tennis season is just over the halfway mark. The NSAA member schools have now adopted a four-day meet at Lincoln’s Woods Tennis Center with Class B playing on Thursday and Friday, October 17-18 and Class A following on Monday and Tuesday, October 21-22.

A week prior, in Kearney, the coaches’ duals will be held in each class. This year 12 teams in each class will be invited to compete in each classes’ dual competition. The points leaders are of Friday in each class are below.

CLASS A: Lincoln East (10-0), Creighton Prep (8-1), Kearney (7-0), Lincoln Southeast (6-2), Lincoln Southwest (13-4), Omaha Westside (8-3), Papillion-LaVista (6-1), Millard North (5-3), Millard South (8-3), Elkhorn South (4-8), Lincoln Northeast (3-1) and Lincoln North Star (3-4).

CLASS B: Mt. Michael (9-2), GICC/Northwest (6-1), Waverly (8-3), Lincoln Christian (8-2), Brownell Talbot/Concordia (7-2), Lincoln Standing Bear (7-0), Adams Central (10-8), Scottsbluff (17-5), Lincoln Pius X (4-3), Skutt Catholic (5-2), Lexington (7-5), and McCook (13-5).

The Rest of the Story

SOFTBALL: The end of season stretch is upon us in softball with postseason play beginning the week of October 7 (man that seems too soon). The top dogs — Gretna, Northwest and Wahoo Neumann — have remained consistently as class No. 1’s all season. Is it a preview of Omaha (and Hastings) or will someone pull an upset? Coaches Poll

CROSS COUNTRY: In nearly every, single Newsletter we tell you to follow Prep Running Nerd for the best running coverage in Nebraska. No one else can (or even tries) to do it better. So, we just post the links for you. Monday is the big day at Kearney Country Club for the UNK “state preview” meet. You may see us interviewing some champions. And also cheering. Turn It Loose 

XC LINKS: 09/25 Nerdsletter | Sports Parents Play Your Role | Individual Class and Team Rankings

GIRLS GOLF: The first champions crown of the 2024-25 school year will be in girls golf. The state tournaments will be held at three sites on October 14 and 15. District pairings in Classes A and B were announced on Tuesday as both classes now use a serpentine differential seeding to determine each district. DISTRICT ASSIGNMENTS

LINKS: Class A Team Differential | Class A Individual Differential | Class B Team Differential | Class B Individual Differential

Friday in Photos