The Nebraska Legion Baseball Association released its district assignments this week.

The Stanton Seniors will be in the Class B division and in the Area 5 District at Pierce. Other teams are Albion, Columbus Lakeview, O’Neill, Wayne and West Point.
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The tournament will be July 22-27.

​As Heartland went deep against Stanton, the Mustangs looked no further than Parker Krusemark.

After all, the senior always seems to be at the right place at the right time — eight times to be exact.

Krusemark picked up his eighth interception of the season during Thursday’s 57-12 throttling of Heartland in the first round of the Classs D1 playoff s. That set a new school record, breaking the previous mark set by Ryan Molacek. “It’s a huge honor to have the school record,” Krusemark said after the game. “I’m really proud of eight, and it’s something I really wanted.”

As excited as Krusemark was on the record, he said the team goals still come first.

“This is another step closer to the ‘ship,” he said. “One game at a time.”

Coach Dave Stoddard said Heartland gave the Mustangs a different look than expected defensively, but he was proud of how his team adjusted.

“It was a good win tonight,” Stoddard said. “We were saw some different things, tried some different things, got a lot of players into the game. We’ll move onto the next round and continue working hard.”

PASSING: Parker Krusemark 1 29 Total 1-7 29 RUSHING: Becker Pohlman 2 8, Barrett Wilke 5 16, Parker Krusemark 19 211, Tyler Hasebroock 2 61, Jason Claussen 1 3, Brayan Acuna 1 43, Vance Borgmann 2 8, Damien Erickson 6 52 Total 402
RECEIVING: Owen Vogel 1 29 Total 29
​TACKLES: Becker Pohlman 12, Barrett Wilke 5, Adam Arens 3, Parker Krusemark 3, Owen Vogel 1, Tyler Hasebroock 1, Jason Claussen 7, Brayan Acuna 2, Jordan Claussen 4, Vance Borgmann 1, Elijah Schmidt 2, Damien Erickson 12, Kamden Dusatko 8, Garrett Hansen 1, Thomas Cunningham 1, Mitchell Hupp 9, Cole Rutten 2 Total 74

Stanton senior Sylvia Cunningham has been selected as a Believer & Achiever through the Nebraska Schools Activities Association. She is the daughter of David and Julie Cunningham.

Believers & Achievers is a state-wide program designed by U.S. Bank® and the NSAA to give recognition to Nebraska’s future leaders. Beginning in October and continuing through April, 48 Nebraska high school seniors will be honored as Believers & Achievers.
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From those 48 finalists, eight will receive $500 scholarships from U.S. Bank® to the college or university of their choice at a scholarship banquet to be held on April 24th , 2022. These students will be recognized at NSAA State Championships throughout the 2021-2022 activities year and on a poster sent to all NSAA member schools and U.S. Bank® branches throughout the state.

Three Stanton student-athletes have been selected as local Believers & Achievers from the Nebraska Schools Activities Association.

Shelby Jenkinson, Kinley Pohlman and Sylvia Cunningham have been selected to represent Stanton Community Schools for 2021-22. The final 48 students to represent the entire state will be announced at a later date. 

District titles have been few and far between for the Stanton boys. But on Thursday afternoon, the horsepower kicked in for the Mustangs.

Stanton qualified 10 individuals for state and ran away with the boys team title, edging Howells-Dodge by more than 40 points.

"When we sat down and thought about what our kids could do, most of it happened," said Stanton coach Dave Ernesti. "We thought we would get kids into the top two places in several events, and we did. That pretty much happened."

Senior Sutton Pohlman was a quadruple gold medalist, winning the 100, 200 and 400, besides being the second leg on the winning 4x100. Freshman Mitchell Hupp is a three-time qualifier with the 100, 200 and relay. Also on the relay are Connor McCarthy and Brennan Wragge.

"This was polar opposite of conference,: Ernesti said. "At conference, we could not get out of our own way. It was just one thing after another, and we couldn't go a couple of events without having some issue. We were able to put everything together at districts."

In the distance races, the Mustangs also had a strong showing as Kolter Van Pelt and Abraham Larson went 1-2 in the 1,600. Larson also won the 3,200. 

In field events, Kamden Dusatko qualified in the shot put while Adam Arens leaped a foot past his PR to qualified with a second-place finish in the long jump.

​Ernesti said the spotlight will likely shine on the boys team since it dominated the running events, but Ernesti said he was very proud of the girls, too, who qualified a pair of athletes. Madison Knudsen was the first qualifier, finishing second in the pole vault while Sylvia Cunningham ran a strong 3,200 to qualify with her runner-up finish.

"I'm so proud of the kids and how well they competed," he said. "Both the girls and boys teams worked really hard."

The Mustangs will compete in the Class C state meet on Friday and Saturday at Omaha Burke.

Look for full results and coach’s comments and athletes quotes in this week’s Register.

State Qualifiers
100: 1. Sutton Pohlman, 11.53; 2. Mitchell Hupp, 11.55.
200: 1. Sutton Pohlman, 23.06, 2. Mitchell Hupp, 23.49.
400: 1. Sutton Pohlman, 51.71.
1,600: 1. Kolter Van Pelt, 4:47.30, 2. Abraham Larson, 4:51.30.
3,200: 1. Abraham Larson, 10:41.84.
3,200: 2. Sylvia Cunningham, 12:59.74.
4x100: 1. Stanton 45.55 (Sutton Pohlman, Connor McCarthy, Brennan Wragge, Mitchell Hupp)
Long jump: 2. Adam Arens, 19-4 1/4.
Shot put: 2. Kamden Dusatko, 48-1.
Pole vault: 2. Madison Knudsen, 7-10.

Stanton senior Sutton Pohlman and freshman Mitchell Hupp have both been added to the Norfolk Classic on Thursday in the 100-meter-dash, which will feature two heats.

Hupp had already qualified in the 200, so the freshman Mustang will compete in two events on Thursday afternoon.

Pohlman, who actually has the No. 1 time in the area in the 400, will not be competing in that event due to the submission error. He also will not be competing in the 4x100 with Mitchell, Brennan Wragge and Connor McCarthy. The 4x100 will remain a one-heat event, and Stanton was not added to that event despite having one of the top eight times.

It was 1997, and I was part of Orchard’s 4x800 team.
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It was 24 years ago, but I still remember the butterflies I felt as my spikes hit the track at Johnny Carson field at the Norfolk Classic. That first step felt like crossing the finish line first. Of course, we didn’t — my team ended up second to last that day. But just being considered among the best in the area felt like we had won a gold medal.

It was a few years later when I was the assistant sports editor at the Norfolk Daily News that Gary Schuurmans asked me to share my story with his team at Norfolk High. (Gary — the “that” was for you because you always told me I used “that” too much when I wrote!)

Gary wanted his athletes to know how much the Classic meant to those of us from small towns. Those like me.

​Gary got it. He understood. And that’s why he started the Norfolk Classic. He wanted a mini-state meet. A place for athletes of all classes to compete on a level playing field.

That’s why I’m heartbroken for Sutton Pohlman, Brennan Wragge and Connor McCarthy. These three Stanton athletes should have qualified for the Norfolk Classic; however, a submission error has cost them the opportunity to experience the elite meet this year.

For Sutton and Brennan, COVID-19 robbed them of the opportunity last year as juniors. This year, as a seniors, they should be there. They would be there, if not for the error.

For Sutton, his times in the 100 and 400 are Classic worthy. For Brennan and Connor, their time in the 4x100 with Sutton and Mitchell Hupp is also Classic worthy. Mitchell was added to the Classic late Monday night due to a scratch in the 200. He has the second-best time in the area — and almost missed his chance to shine.

You see, the Norfolk Classic doesn’t run heats. The top eight compete, and it’s final. That’s why sprinters can’t simply slide into a race. There’s literally no room.

On one hand, these boys could still make the Classic if another athlete is injured and scratches. But no one wants that. The bottom line is that these three should have qualified due to their times being among the best. Again, if not for a submission error, they would be on the list right now.

Is this a life lesson for these young men to be left at home? It absolutely is. But it can also be a life lesson if they compete. Sometimes changes are made to ensure good kids get their opportunity to shine when they deserve it. Maybe this is the year there are two heats — five runners in one and four runners in the other. It’s not ideal, but neither was canceling the entire track season or closing school last year due to the pandemic.

Five years from now will any of these athletes even remember the Norfolk Classic? Twenty-four years after I competed, I still remember how I felt. Maybe these boys will be men who remember the time they were given a once-in-a-lifetime chance — a chance to compete in the Norfolk Classic despite a submission mistake that nearly cost them qualification.

I hope “nearly” is the word they use in the future. I hope they compete Thursday.

I hope these Stanton athletes are given a chance. I hope they #FreeTheMustangs.