By Brian Argabright
When Vanderbilt’s Sarah Fuller kicked off for the Commodores a week ago, it was just the latest achievement first for women in the world of sports.
Fuller became the first woman to participate in a game for an NCAA Power 5 Conference team, but if the news seemed old hat to the people of Del Rio that’s only because they’d seen it before. Three years ago to be exact.
From soccer standout to high school football player to Miss Del Rio Pageant contestant, Sutton Dalrymple did all she could to leave her mark here..
On Sept. 16, 2017, Dalrymple, then a senior for Del Rio High School, became the first female to score a point in Del Rio high school football history when she was successful on her only point after try against the John Jay Mustangs.
Dalrymple, who now resides in New York, kicked off the week prior against Kerrville Tivy to etch her name into the Rams history books. Scoring the point just added to her legacy.
It was a whirlwind senior year for Dalrymple, who said her time with the Rams was something she’d never forget.
“I had a really good experience with the guys. They were like my brothers,” Dalrymple said Wednesday via telephone. “A lot of the guys came up to me and said they were shocked I finished the season. Some thought I wouldn’t make it through the preseason. In my heart, I knew that if I signed up for something I was going to follow through.”
At a glance, the paths Dalrymple and Fuller took to get to the football field were very similar. Both were soccer standouts and both grabbed the attention of their respective coaches after seeing them perform. For Fuller, it was her leg strength and her ability to accurately kick a ball 60 yards that got her noticed. For Dalrymple, it was her performance in the annual Del Rio High Powder Puff game that drew then-head coach Frenchey McCrea Jr.’s eye.
The world of high school football was completely new to Dalrymple, and there was a bit of a learning curve even when it came to equipment.
“I had never played football in my life. Dizan (Rodriguez) told me I had to put my mouth guard in when I took the field. I always had it hanging on the outside of my helmet, so when I would get into play they had to remind me. I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh,’” Dalrymple said.
Even on the day she made history against John Jay Dalrymple did it in her own unique style.
“I was super confused that day. I had a soccer game in San Antonio that same day. I wasn’t one of the football players who was in there all the time, so I had permission from Coach McCrea to go to my soccer game, and then join the team that evening. I scored twice in the soccer game, and then sped over to the stadium, changing out of my soccer gear and into my football pads,” Dalrymple said. “My mentality changed also. I went from a sport where I’m one of the main players to where I’m only needed for certain situations and not in there the whole time. I knew I was going to need some energy, so I had an apple and a granola bar.”
“During the game, I would either go and watch the guys on the field and cheer them on or I would go over to the next and kick. When we scored, Coach said ‘Sutton, you’re in!’ and I looked around and said, ‘Which Sutton? Me? Sutton?’ And he basically said that it was just like we practiced during powder puff,” Dalrymple continued. “I was pretty accurate during practices on extra points. I felt it wasn’t that hard if you were consistent. Now because I never played football, and I was the only girl, I didn’t want to miss. When I kicked it, I didn’t just barely make it, I cleared it by a lot.”
Dalrymple didn’t attempt another extra point or field goal for the remainder of the season, but said she hoped what she had accomplished would mean more for the girls that followed.
“It was an awesome feeling knowing that I was opening the doors in Del Rio for girls to play football. I want them to look at what I did and think it’s okay to try something that you’re not comfortable with,” Dalrymple said. “After that, I had little girls coming up to me saying, ‘Sutton, you’re so cool! Can I have a picture?’ and I thought that was neat. I know I didn’t play a lot, I only had two kicks, yeah, but having that uniform on and playing on Friday nights … I was doing stuff for the next little girl. I want them to see me or their parents to see me and think, ‘Yeah, she can do that, too.’”
Dalrymple is currently enrolled at State University of New York at Fredonia, majoring in criminal justice and minoring in Spanish with an eye on working with the border patrol after graduation. She’s also playing soccer and hopes to get to travel to Europe in the spring and play some exhibition games there.
As for her feelings regarding Fuller, Dalrymple called what she did “awesome” and said those who chose to downplay her accomplishments or badmouth what she did should reflect on their own place in life first.
“Personally, I think people shouldn’t be shocked at what she did. It’s 2020. I heard a lot of people kind of bashed her and stuff like that doesn’t need to be said with all that negativity. She’s out there and they’re just sitting at home on the couch,” Dalrymple said. “She didn’t set out to play football, but she was given that opportunity and made the most of it. Females are getting more comfortable doing things that girls typically don’t do and they’re good at it. They’re doing things that girls wouldn’t normally do or aren’t common for girls to do. Maybe guys are just getting jealous.”
