Football · State semifinals · Class D1 · Recap
Sandy Creek beats Stanton 52-16, reaches Class D1 final
No. 2 Sandy Creek beat previously unbeaten No. 3 Stanton 52-16 in a Class D1 state semifinal and will play Crofton at Memorial Stadium.
No. 2 Sandy Creek beat No. 3 Stanton 52-16 on Friday at Sandy Creek in a Class D1 semifinal. Sandy Creek entered 10-1 and is 11-1 after the win. Stanton entered 11-0. Sandy Creek had beaten Ponca 72-6 and Sutton 62-28. Stanton had beaten Alma 78-27 and Hartington-Newcastle 58-6. Sandy Creek's only loss this season was 34-26 to Johnson-Brock on Sept. 4. Stanton had beaten Crofton, which won the other semifinal, 40-24 on Sept. 18. Trusted play-by-play is partial and covers the scoring through 36-8.
Sandy Creek struck first. Kam Sealey hit Wesley Biltoft on a quick pop pass for a touchdown and a 6-0 lead with 3:43 left in the first quarter. On Stanton's next offensive snap, Logan Tiedtke raced 47 yards for a touchdown and added the conversion to put Stanton ahead 8-6 with 3:33 left. Sealey then ran 12 yards for a touchdown on a play where Sandy Creek faked a swing pass, putting Sandy Creek back in front 14-8 with 25 seconds left in the first.
Jacob Hupp intercepted Sealey with about five minutes left before halftime, and the score was still 14-8. After traded turnovers and a Stanton turnover on downs, Sealey connected with Logan Tomky for 42 yards, then flipped it to Alex Watts for a touchdown two plays later with 3:44 left in the second, and Sandy Creek led 22-8. The conversion was not described. Stanton later drove to the 1-yard line, but a high snap as time ran out ended the drive. Sandy Creek led 22-8 at halftime.
Sandy Creek opened the second half with a five-minute drive, and Sealey turned fourth-and-10 into a 12-yard touchdown run for a 28-8 lead with 6:55 left in the third. Two plays after a Stanton turnover on downs, a coverage breakdown in the Stanton secondary left a Sandy Creek receiver wide open for a touchdown, making it 36-8 with 3:34 left. The receiver was not identified.
Sandy Creek later forced a fumble and scored two plays later. The clock and the score after that touchdown were not reported. Tomky then returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown at the end of the third quarter, making it 52-8, and the clock ran. Austin Claussen's touchdown run wrapped up the scoring in a 52-16 final. The clock, yardage and conversion on Claussen's score were not reported.
Sealey entered having completed 171 of 227 passes for 2,937 yards, 47 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he had rushed for 1,266 yards and 22 touchdowns. Tomky had 36 catches for 815 yards and 14 touchdowns, and Watts had 607 receiving yards.
Sandy Creek will face Crofton in the Class D1 final on Monday, Nov. 23, at 2:45 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. Crofton beat previously unbeaten Johnson-Brock 78-51 in the other semifinal. For the first time in program history, Crofton is making a return appearance to Memorial Stadium.
Scoring summary
Published scoring plays (coverage partial, through 36-8):
| Time | Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 3:43 | Sandy Creek | Kam Sealey to Wesley Biltoft quick pop-pass touchdown | 0-6 |
| Q1 3:33 | Stanton | Logan Tiedtke 47-yard touchdown run and conversion | 8-6 |
| Q1 0:25 | Sandy Creek | Kam Sealey 12-yard touchdown run on a fake swing pass | 8-14 |
| Q2 3:44 | Sandy Creek | Two plays after Kam Sealey connects with Logan Tomky for 42 yards, Sealey flips it to Alex Watts for a touchdown | 8-22 |
| Q3 6:55 | Sandy Creek | After a five-minute opening drive of the second half, Kam Sealey 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-10 | 8-28 |
| Q3 3:34 | Sandy Creek | Two plays after a Stanton turnover on downs, a coverage breakdown leaves a Sandy Creek receiver wide open for a touchdown | 8-36 |
Additional trusted scoring, posted without a clock: Sandy Creek forced a fumble and scored two plays later (score after that play not reported); Logan Tomky 45-yard interception return for a touchdown made it 8-52 at the end of the third quarter, with a running clock; Austin Claussen touchdown run wrapped up the scoring in a 16-52 final.
Sources
Updates from trusted accounts. Season stats from MaxPreps. Seeds, records and prior playoff results from the NSAA bracket.