GRIDIRON GLANCE ’25: Sidney Eagles

August 16, 2025 at 6:14 am Updated: August 16th, 2025 at 4:41 pm Derrick Stuckly

SIDNEY – The Sidney Eagles opened the 2024 campaign by winning three of their first four games before dropping the last five to miss the playoffs after qualifying for the postseason in 2023.

With just a couple of seniors on the 2025 roster, head coach James Rucker begins his second campaign in charge of the Eagles relying on youth in the quest to compete in a stacked District 13-A Division II.

“We like being the underdog, I’ve always liked that,” Rucker said in regard to Sidney coming off a 3-6 season. “But we’re expecting to do a lot better than people give us credit for and have expectations for us right now. We started the season with seven kids we knew were going to play, but the expectations were still high. Now we’re sitting here with 11 so the expectations are even better. We’ve got two seniors, we’ve got some sophomores that did well as freshmen, and some good sophomores last year who are juniors now that are looking good. Our quickness and speed are our biggest strengths. We’re not going to be able to line up and push big kids all over the field. We have to wear them out with our speed and quickness hopefully.”

Players to the watch for the Eagles include senior tight end/linebacker Dylan Terpstra (14-275, 4 TDs receiving; 67 tackles), along with juniors Rees Miller (200 rushing yards, 5 TDs; 14-152, 3 TDs receiving; 69 tackles) at running back and linebacker and Ethan Scantling (224 rushing yards, 1 TD; 430 passing yards, 3 TDs; 55 tackles) at quarterback and safety, and sophomore running back/cornerback Jackson Pounds (150 rushing yards, 1 TD; 32 tackles).

“Dylan Terpstra is a big, tall kid and we play him at receiver and defensive end, he’ll be a big one for us,” Rucker said. “We’ve got Rees Miller, he’ll be coming back and we’ll probably play him at tailback. He had a couple of good games rushing for us but he got hurt a little bit. When we spread the field, we put the ball in his hands and he’ll be able to run or throw out of that. JD Pounds, didn’t carry it much but he’s a blocking machine and he’s going to carry it more. Ethan Scantling was the quarterback last year. He’s matured and the reads we have down field, he’ll be able to make those better this year. He knows now to he has to attack the line, he can’t be a pocket passer, he has to make them pick and we’ll either throw it or run it.”

The Eagles open the season against the Strawn JV on Thursday, Aug. 28, then host Eden (Sept. 5), travel to Stephenville Faith (Sept. 12) and Bluff Dale (Sept. 19), and welcome Cherokee (Sept. 26), followed by back to back open dates (Oct. 3 and Oct. 10).

The District 14-A Division II slate begins at Gustine (Oct. 17) followed by a home date with Rising Star (Oct. 24), a trip to Zephyr (Oct. 31) and the home and regular season finale against Blanket (Nov. 7).

“It’s going to come down to a dogfight every week,” Rucker said. “Zephyr and Blanket look like the top of the heap and do hold an edge with more numbers, but numbers don’t always get it done. You also have to look out for Rising Star and Gustine for sure. To me, if we stay healthy, by the time that rolls around they need to look out for us. We need to be more aggressive on both sides of the ball and that’s what we plan on doing. We’re going to bring it and they’re going to have to work to beat us.”

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SIDNEY EAGLES 2025 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

August 28	at Strawn JV	7:30 p.m.
September 05	Eden	7:30 p.m.
September 12	at Stephenville Faith	7:30 p.m.
September 19	at Bluff Dale	7:30 p.m.
September 26	Cherokee	7:30 p.m.
October 03	OPEN
October 10	OPEN
October 17	at Gustine*	7:30 p.m.
October 24	Rising Star*	7:30 p.m.
October 31	at Zephyr*	7:30 p.m.
November 07	Blanket*	7:30 p.m.