Football · Preview · Class D1
Sutton at Conestoga: Week 9 preview
Sutton (6-2) at Conestoga (4-4), Friday, Oct. 23. Playoff picture, season stats, charts and history before the Week 9 game.
Game-day information: Kickoff reported by the Game Center: 7 p.m. Central. This article’s schedules and statistics are dated reporting, not live score updates.
Scores are NSAA finals. Points and ranks are NSAA wildcard standings, checked Oct. 21, 2026. Projections are not official seeds.
The regular season ends Friday for Sutton (6-2) and Conestoga (4-4). Both play in District D1-2: Sutton is 3-1 in district games and Conestoga is 1-3.
Friday, Oct. 23, at Conestoga, 7 p.m.
The playoff picture
In Class D1, the seven district champions and the nine best remaining averages qualify.
Sutton is 7th in Class D1's NSAA point standings at 42.750. It is 3-1 in District D1-2 games.
Conestoga is not eligible for the 2026 Class D1 postseason under NSAA's classification list. Its results still count in opponents' point averages.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Sutton (6-2) opened with a 42-20 loss to Sandy Creek (7-1). All two of its losses came against teams with winning records: Sandy Creek (7-1), 42-20; Exeter-Milligan-Friend (7-1), 20-12. Its best win by opponent record was a 36-12 win at Cross County (5-3). Its most recent scored game was a 21-20 win at Elmwood-Murdock (5-3). Note: NSAA lists Sutton at 6-2; at least one result NSAA posted this week isn't in our game data yet, so the game-by-game numbers below cover 7 games.
Conestoga is 4-4. Its season began with a 53-34 win at Falls City (2-6). Its losses: Shelby-Rising City (8-0), 50-29; at Centennial (4-4), 22-6; Exeter-Milligan-Friend (7-1), 42-22; at Elmwood-Murdock (5-3), 20-12. Its best win by opponent record was a 63-24 win over Freeman (3-5). It comes in on a 3-game losing streak, most recently a 20-12 loss at Elmwood-Murdock (5-3).
By the numbers
| Sutton | Conestoga | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 6-2 | 4-4 |
| Class and NSAA rank | D1, 7th (42.750) | D1, 22nd (38.125) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 7 | Not ranked |
| Points scored per game | 33.9 | 32.2 |
| Points allowed per game | 20.3 | 28.5 |
| Average margin | +13.6 | +3.8 |
| Current streak | — | Lost 3 |
Shared opponents
These two have played three of the same teams. It's a rough guide, since the games came in different weeks and places.
| Opponent | Sutton | Conestoga |
|---|---|---|
| Elmwood-Murdock | W 21-20 | L 12-20 |
| Exeter-Milligan-Friend | L 12-20 | L 22-42 |
| Freeman | W 56-18 | W 63-24 |
Players to know
Among the leaders in MaxPreps game reports through Week 8: Sutton's Connor Hinrichs (1,585 rushing yards in 8 reported games). Reports aren't complete for every game, so treat these as minimums.
Editorial update, Oct. 21: Program-history claims from the supplied school-history mapping are withheld pending school-identity verification. This does not change the current-season results, records or statistics above.
What to watch
- Sutton's offense. It averages 33.9 points. Conestoga allows 28.5.
- Conestoga's offense. It averages 32.2; Sutton allows 20.3.
- Conestoga's streak. 3 straight losses.
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