Ethan Shaw’s 12-yard run on fourth down late in the game iced Sandy Creek’s 44-42 win against Stanton Monday at Memorial Stadium.

That Shaw and Sandy Creek had the ball at that moment was a credit to Connor Rempe, who made a key tackle to deny Stanton on fourth-and-1 on the previous drive.

It is the Cougars’ first state football title.

Sandy Creek (13-0) rallied for 24 points in the third quarter after trailing 28-20 at halftime and changed the color of the game.

“It absolutely is,” Sandy Creek head coach Andrew Kuda said. “We knew it would be a back-and-forth game and felt that if one of the teams could take care of the football more than the other, it would be very difficult for that team to win. (Stanton) took advantage of some of those things in the first half.

Stanton (12-1), seeking back-to-back state titles, ran 46 plays to just 14 for Sandy Creek in the first half and went into halftime with a 28-20 lead.

The Mustangs also quickly turned the tide, keeping the Cougars’ defense on the field for a combined 17 plays and 7 minutes and 35 seconds on the field, adding a second consecutive touchdown on a subsequent onside kick to give Stanton an early lead 20-6 to give. the second quarter.

“Those guys have been committed to defense all year long,” Kuda said. “They just committed to getting stops and being competitive on that side of the ball. We felt like early in the game we were just a play away, or an inch away or a block away from being able to do some of those things.

“Things started to go our way in the second half. … We felt like this was a great match and we loved being a part of it. I couldn’t be more proud of our boys’ perseverance.”

Shaw was responsible for three touchdowns, two passing and one rushing, in the third quarter as the Cougars eventually took a 36-28 lead with 8:33 left in the third quarter.

The Cougars quarterback finished 6-for-9 passing for 100 yards with three completions for touchdowns and added two more on the ground.

“We knew we just had to calm down and play the way we play,” Shaw said. “All year long the coach has been preaching to us that it was an exciting game and that we have to come out of the second half with the mentality that it matters. I think that really paid off tonight with the group of guys. We came out with the intensity we need to get it done.

Stanton’s win streak ends at 25 games. Seven seniors finished with consecutive state championship appearances, adding the Mustangs’ third trophy with a second-place finish after winning the 2023 D-1.

“I love those guys. A lot of those guys are three- or four-year starters,” Stanton head coach David Stoddard said. “They have been in my varsity group for a long time and we will miss them dearly.”

Senior Barrett Wilke led the Mustangs with five touchdowns and accounted for 248 yards on the ground on 49 attempts. Wilke added 50 yards through the air and a touchdown in a 3-for-5 performance.