2024 NSAA Class D-2 State Championship Game
Sandy Creek (12-0) vs. Stanton (12-0)
When: Monday, November 25 – 2:45 PM
Where: Memorial Stadium – University of Nebraska-Lincoln
TV/Stream: Nebraska Public Media
Radio: KEXL Norfolk | KHAS Hastings
NSAA Football Finals HQ
Live Game Stats
Last Meeting: 2023 NSAA State Semifinals – Stanton defeated Sandy Creek, 48-36
Sandy Creek Cougars (12-0)
State Championships/Runner-Up: None
Head Coach: Andrew Kuta (Interview with KMA Radio – Shenandoah, IA)
Distance to Memorial Stadium: 102.8 miles
Final NEBHSFB.com Regular Season Rank: No. 2
Offensive Average: 57.6|Defensive Average: 8.8
Sandy Creek
Sandy Creek making the trek to Lincoln in 2024 to play for a state championship is not a surprise. As quarterback Ethan Shaw goes, so do the Cougars. One of the top players in eight man football over the past two seasons, Shaw has compiled 3,433 total yards (1,923 passing, 1,510 rushing) with 62 touchdowns this season and is the only rusher with more than 300 yards for the Cougars. Over Shaw’s career, he has accounted for 9,707 total yards and 171 touchdowns. Connor Rempe is Shaw’s favorite receiver with his 35 receptions for 792 yards and 13 touchdowns. Freshman Kamerin Sealey has caught 31 passes for 623 yards and 10 touchdowns to pace the Cougars on offense in an impressive varsity debut campaign. Jack Watts anchors the lines on both sides of the football. For Sandy Creek’s defense, allowing 8.8 points per game in Eight Man football is exemplary. Rempe leads the Cougars with 110 tackles and four interceptions. Wes Biltoft (6’5/205) was second on the team with 104 tackles and10 tackles for loss while Hudson Devlin (6’5/225) led the team in sacks with eight. Sandy Creek allowed eight points or less eight times in 2024, including two shutouts.
Stanton Mustangs (12-0)
State Championships: 2023 | State Runner-Up: 2004 (C-2)
Head Coach: David Stoddard (Interview with KMA Radio – Shenandoah, IA)
Distance to Memorial Stadium: 108.4 miles
Final NEBHSFB.com Regular Season Rank: No. 1
Offensive Average: 52.0|Defensive Average: 21.3
Stanton
Stanton has won 25 straight games and is looking for its second straight state championship in Class D-1. Quarterback Barrett Wilke leads Class D-1 rushing by more than 1,000 yards with 2,624 yards and 36 touchdowns while throwing for 781 yards and seven scores. Willke has accounted for 8,483 total yards and 129 touchdowns of his illustrious career. Becker Pohlman is approaching 5,000 career rushing yards and is second on the team with 1,407 yards and 30 touchdowns. Pohlman also leads the team in receiving with 310 yards and four touchdowns on 15 catches. Texas Tech commit Ren Brown (6’6/280) is the leader up fron. Pohlman leads the defense with 108 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions. Junior defensive lineman Gatlin Davidson recorded 105 tackles while sophomore Austin Claussen tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
Pick: Stanton
– Like the Class A state final between Omaha Westside and Millard South, Sandy Creek and Stanton seemed to be on a collision course from the word go this season. Both quarterbacks have put up insane numbers over their careers and each deserves to be a state champion. Sandy Creek has decent size up front, which should translate well. For Stanton, Wilke and Pohlman have been there and done it before. This could be the very best of the state championship games in 2024. – Scott Hansen
2024 NSAA Class D-1 State Playoff Scores
Semifinals: Sandy Creek 63, Nebraska City Lourdes 8; Stanton 48, Summerland 34
Quarterfinals: Sandy Creek 54, Shelby-Rising City 0; Nebraska City Lourdes 32, Plainview 27; Summerland 48, Crofton 38; Stanton 38, North Platte St. Patrick’s 26
Second Round: Sandy Creek 76, Sandhills Valley 12; Shelby-Rising City 30, Arapahoe 22; Nebraska City Lourdes 34, Dundy County-Stratton 30; Plainview 42, West Point GACC 20; Crofton 44, Thayer Central 32; Summerland 46, South Loup 0; North Platte St. Patrick’s 55, Bridgeport 8; Stanton 48, EMF 8
First Round:
West: Sandy Creek 63, Niobrara/Verdigre 14; Sandhills Valley 42, Pleasanton 20; Summerland 45, Elkhorn Valley 8, Dundy County-Stratton 62, Boyd County 16; NPSP 56, Hemingford 28; Arapahoe 21, Sutton 16; South Loup 22, Perkins County 14; Bridgeport 34, Ravenna 30
East: Stanton 52, Clarkson/Leigh 18; Crofton 64, Bloomfield 22; Shelby-Rising City 70, McCool Junction 6; West Point GACC 20, Pender 12; EMF 60, Hartington/Newcastle 20; Nebraska City Lourdes 42, Wisner-Pilger 30; Thayer Central 36, Johnson-Brock 30; Plainview 44, East Butler 7
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