8-MAN FOOTBALL – SEASON PREVIEW by Kerry Sherman

8-MAN FOOTBALL – SEASON PREVIEW

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

When the dust had settled late last November, Dove Creek had made history by claiming the first title in the history of the program, beating Simla 26-21 in the championship contest. It was also the first appearance for the Bulldogs in the finals. Entering the new season, one of the big questions is if they will be able to make another run while having to replace a number of key contributors from that squad. We dive into that as part of the season preview. The breakdown is alphabetically by conference, and by team within each conference.

ARK VALLEY

No current member of the Ark Valley conference has won an eight-man state title since Wiley took home the hardware in 1987. That is also the last time that any of the six programs reached the finals in the classification. Several teams have the potential to change that this year.

HOLLY WILDCATS (8-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO SIMLA IN QUARTERFINALS)

Under head coach Dayne Eaton, the Wildcats have been one of the top programs in the classification, but they are still looking to take the next step and get into the title game for the first time. Leading the cause for optimism that this could be the year that that happens is the return of a large core from last year’s quarterfinal squad.

The biggest losses at the skill position are at receiver, where the top two from 2022 are gone. However, the next 10 in that category are back, including Devin Eaton, who was third with 17 catches for just short of 300 yards. The offense will be in familiar hands, with Andre Salgado returning at QB after throwing for more than 1900 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was also the leading rusher with 984 yards and 11 more scores. Rueben Maldonado, who was third last year with 722 yards and eight TD is also back.

Maldonado also helps the defense return its top two tacklers, after collecting 93 stops as a junior. Dylan Tamayo led the unit with 104, despite missing one contest. Nick Vasquez and Eaton add experience to the group, as they recorded 58 and 57 tackles, respectively a year ago. Eleven of Eaton’s were sacks, a figure that led the team. Tamayo proved that he not only had a nose for the ball as a tackler, but he also tallied nine of the team’s 13 interceptions. Cael Nordyke snagged four fumble recoveries and also had a blocked punt to his credit.

LAS ANIMAS TROJANS (0-9 LAST YEAR)

After completing a winless campaign in 2022, the Trojans will turn the reins of the program over to their third head coach in as may seasons. The program enters its 10^th season in eight-man and is looking for just its second winning record. The previous came in the COVID Spring 2021 season, in which the Trojans finished 3-2. The last full year with a winning record was 2005.

With an offense that only scored 60 points all year, the individual numbers weren’t jaw-dropping, and the hopes are high for a significant improvement this year. Much of that hope falls on the shoulders of Conan Tyler, who was third on the team in rushing with 248 yards and a team leading four touchdowns. He also topped the staff with eight catches for 110 yards. Orion Martinez returns after a freshman season that saw him run for 180 yards. The Trojans also look to have several members of the front line back as well.

The defense has to replace two of its top three tacklers from last year, but overall, six of the top eight do return. That includes Tyler, who was second with 74 tackles. His classmate, Caleb Wagner, had 58 stops as a junior and that number could soar in his final go-round. Martinez and Kenneth Whitmire both recorded 48 tackles last season, and AJ Carter wasn’t far back with 42.

MCCLAVE CARDINALS (6-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO HAXTUN IN OPENING ROUND)

After going 0-5 in the abbreviated Fall 2020 season (COVID), McClave won 12 games over the last two seasons. It was the first time that the Cards had consecutive winning records since going 6-4 in 2016 and 2017. They earned a share of the conference crown last season, splitting it with Holly and Swink.

Graduation hit the skill positions hard, with the Cards losing their top passer, three of the top four runners, and top two receivers. However, one of the reasons people are high on this year’s squad is the return of a trio of linemen who accumulated 40 pancake blocks as underclassmen last year. Zack Owens led with 22 in just six games played, while Jr. Mungaray (10) and Will Pacino (8) combined for 18. They will look to pave the way for a largely inexperienced group in the backfield. Gavin Tempel, who ran for 311 yards and five scores as a junior should see a lot more work this season.

On the other side of the ball, Tempel is the only returning member of the top five tacklers, with his 53 putting him fourth on the unit last year. Pacino and Mungaray combined for nearly 100 tackles between them. Mungaray tallied seven sacks and Pacino added five. Kolten Collins (43), Mason Barr (42), and Karson Roesch (34) are expected to play even larger roles this season.

SPRINGFIELD LONGHORNS (2-7 LAST YEAR)

Last year saw the Longhorns suffer a fifth straight losing season, but they showed progress after going winless in 2021. Their win over Sargent in week two snapped a 10-game skid, but six more losses would follow. Four of those came in league play. However, the running game clicked in the finale, leading the way to a 38-20 victory over Las Animas and giving a renewed hope for 2023.

Almost everyone is back this year, and that should lead to better results. Offensively, the Longhorns return their top four runners, who combined for right around 1600 yards. Slayde Cohoon led the way with 560 yards as a freshman, and Marcus Sandoval added 460 yards and five TD as a sophomore. Kurt Parks heads into his senior season after running for close to 400 yards and five scores, and Gunner Mackey put up 186 yards as a freshman. The passing game wasn’t much of a factor with just 13 completions all season, but that could change with so much experience returning. Helping up front is Nano Gutierrez, who had 10 pancakes, and Jett Konkel, who tallied nine.

While the team only lost three players to graduation, two of them were the leading tacklers last season. Their departure opens the way for defenders such as Cohoon (56), Sandoval (51), Konkel (37), and Gutierrez (35) to step up and lead the squad.

SWINK LIONS (7-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO MANCOS IN OPENING ROUND)

After eight straight losing campaigns, Swink posted a winning record for the third consecutive year in 2022. In the process, the Lions qualified for the postseason for the second time in as many years. They gained their share of the conference title by bumping off Holly, 30-28, in the regular season finale.

The return of QB Hunter Bauserman after throwing for close to 1500 yards and 19 scores, and running for more than 400 yards, helps soften the blow of losing a 1300 yard rusher to graduation. He’ll have two of his top targets from last year back in the duo of Hunter Reynolds and Jackson Tomky. They caught 34 passes for 674 yards and eight touchdowns between them.

If there is a concern for the Lions, it’s on defense. They lost their top four tacklers from a season ago, leaving Bauserman (31) as the top returnee. Connor Clodfelter finished third on the team in tackles per game at just under six, but only played in four games. There will be plenty of opportunities for others to have breakouts this year, as the Lions have a history of swarming the ball on defense.

WILEY PANTHERS (4-5 LAST YEAR)

Inconsistency on both sides of the ball hampered the Panthers last season, as they allowed at least 54 points in four of their five losses, and an offense that averaged close to 50 points in their four wins only twice in defeats. Together it added up to a seventh straight losing record, and a 15^th in the last 16 seasons. The Panthers haven’t made the playoffs since 2015, when they finished 5-5. The last time Wiley finished with a winning mark came back in 2006.

When injury sidelined their starting QB for a month, Evan Larrick stepped in and ended up throwing for 665 yards and eight TD. That experience should benefit the Panthers, as the now senior is the only player on the roster who completed a pass last season. He’s also the leading returning runner with 153 yards and four scores. Oh, and he also led the team with 40 catches. All told, he accounted for close to 150 yards from scrimmage. Ivan Ayala, James Pearson, and Gabrian Jacobs are other returnees who will be key to the success of the Panthers this season.

Cooper Tixier didn’t leave a lot of tackles for other defenders, as the now departed standout racked up 162, almost 100 more than the #2 man on the roster. Larrick was third with 61 and his numbers could skyrocket this year. Brenden Campbell is primed for a bigger season after registering 41 tackles as a sophomore, and the aforementioned trio of Ayala, Pearson, and Jacobs will have a chance to be key two-way players for the Panthers.

BLACK FOREST

For the first time since 1995, a current member of the Black Forest made it to the 8-man championship game in 2022. And, just like that year, it was Simla. The Cubs are the last program to win a title as they wrapped up a stretch of five crowns in six seasons back in 1985.

CALHAN BULLDOGS (6-3 LAST YEAR)

The Bulldogs alternated wins and losses through their first six games before stringing together three straight victories to close the regular season. It wasn’t quite enough to garner a second consecutive playoff appearance, despite finishing second in the conference. They’ve finished .500 or better in four straight years and have only had one losing season since joining 8-man in 2018.

There is a glaring hole on offense for the Bulldogs with the graduation of Aiden Jack, who tallied 2223 yards and 31 TD on the ground last year, and went for more than 3100 yards and 40 scores his final two seasons in a Calhan uniform. The good news is that a familiar last name returns in the backfield with Logan Jack set for his senior campaign. Logan ran for 366 yards and four touchdowns as a junior and has just short of 900 yards and 11 TD in his career. In limited duty, Kaiden Billington completed six of seven passes for 91 yards and a touchdowns as a sophomore last year and could be set for a much larger role in the attack as a junior. Those two, along with Noah Nelson, represent all but 82 yards of offense that returns from last year. The remaining yards came from the freshman trio of Jeremy Billington, Riley Cochran, and Bryson Mosher.

The defense should be the strength of the program this season, with all but two players returning. L. Jack was second last year with 127 tackles, while also snaring four interceptions. Austin Cochran tallied 49 stops, just three ahead of R. Cochran. Nelson (43) and Logan Johnson (42) were right behind that duo. Johnson topped the team with seven sacks. Two other names to follow are Trevor Hendrix, who had four sacks in seven games, and Wyatt Crippin. Crippin recorded three takeaways as a freshman, including two picks. Hendrix was also 13-13 on PAT kicks last year.

ELBERT BULLDOGS (5-4 LAST YEAR)

After starting the season 2-0, a three-game skid derailed the postseason hopes for Elbert in 2022 and the Bulldogs missed the playoffs despite having a winning record, their sixth in seven seasons since returning to 8-man.

Veterans in the offensive backfield could lead the Bulldogs to yet another winning season. Logan LaFollette ran for just short of 1200 yards, threw for 440, and added another 381 receiving as a junior. He had a hand in 30 offensive touchdowns, 17 on the ground. Ethan Tesman broke on the scene with 796 passing yards and 244 rushing as a freshman. The Bulldogs had six players with at least 100 receiving yards in 2022, but only three return, with Caleb Cornell joining LaFollette and Tesman.

Defensively, the Bulldogs could have some early growing pains, with the top four tacklers from last year gone. Matt Dooley leads the group of returnees with 36 stops last season. Those came in just six games, so the junior could see his numbers climb significantly this year. Michael Hermes (3) and LaFollette (2) combined for five of the seven interceptions recorded by Elbert a year ago.

SIMLA CUBS (12-1 LAST YEAR, LOST TO DOVE CREEK IN FINALS)

Last year’s run to the championship game was the 10^th time in program history that the Cubs have played for the crown. They have hoisted the top trophy five times, all in the 1980s. But, with so many returnees at key positions, they are favored by many to have a shot at #6 this season.

A big part of the reason Simla has high expectations is the junior duo of QB Caston Cox and RB TJ Eurich. Cox threw for 1801 yards and 21 TD, while adding 330 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, and Eurich ran for 1102 yards with 17 TD. His 49 catches were also tops and he was second to another returning player, Brent Bowker, in receiving yards (449) and TD (5). Bowker had 801 yards and eight scores on 37 catches. Treven Kochera averaged better than 25 yards on his nine catches and reached paydirt four times.

On the other side of the ball, Simla lost three of its top seven defenders, who racked up a ton of tackles. The departed trio combined for 312 stops on the season. However, the four who return from that top group are more than capable at making plays, with 374 tackles between them. Eurich leads that group after tallying 114 terminations, followed by Jared Hodgson (110), Bowker (79), and Wyatt Stanko (71). Bowker got to opposing QBs eight times last year, while Hodgson recorded six sacks. The unit was very opportunistic, registering 26 takeaways. Eurich had six of the squad’s 15 picks, while Bowker and Hodgson each had five total takeaways.

SOUTH PARK BURROS (2-7 LAST YEAR)

Wins have been hard to come by for the Burros, as last year’s two gave them a total of eight over the last five seasons. However, last season could be the beginning of a return to past heights after a winless 2021 campaign. While a postseason berth might be challenge, snapping a nine-game losing streak in conference play would be a sign of progress.

Returning most of the producers on the offensive side of the ball will go a long way towards accomplishing that goal. Caden Jamieson flashed signs of being an electric player as a freshman in 2022, throwing for 457 yards and running for 476. His rushing total was just one yard behind team-leader Gavin Street, who scored eight touchdowns. Street topped the century mark twice, while Jamieson did it three times. Dyllan Newman was the lone receiver with double digit catches, snagging 11 balls for 235 yards. He and Street each had two TD catches.

Jamieson was also a leader on defense, with his 76 tackles putting him first on the squad. Newman and Street each had 72, and Noah Anderson finished fourth with 61. In fact, the Burros bring back all but one player who recorded a tackle last season, and including Jamieson, five were freshmen last year. Two more were just sophomores. For such a young defense, it may come as a bit of a shock that they recorded 21 takeaways, 15 on fumbles. Anderson caused six and recovered two.

ST. MARY’S PIRATES (3-6 LAST YEAR)

After not fielding a varsity program in 2021, St. Mary’s made the drop down from 2A to 8-man last season. The adjustment was a bit rough, with the Pirates being shutout three times and scoring 12 or fewer points in three more games. Another year of familiarity will likely help those numbers as the program looks for its first winning season since 2014.

The Pirates’ top passer last year was a freshman, Michael Trechter, who threw for 144 yards, while only completing a third of his attempts in six games. He will be aided by the return of last year’s leading rusher, Dominick Martinez, who ran for 421 yards. John Kravosec, who was third with 125 yards will also be back.

St. Mary’s brings back a bit more experience on the defense, with four of the top five tacklers for last year still around, including Kravosec, who was fifth with 40 stops. Chris Allen and Ryan Strub tied for the top spot with 47, and Ezekiel Farnham was fourth with 41.

CENTRAL

The Central Conference is looking to not only produce its first 8-man state champion, but getting a team to the title game would also be a first for the current teams. Only Lyons has had that experience in any classification, most recently in 2006, when the Lions finished runner-up in 1A to Akron. Many believe this could be the year that the drought ends.

BELLEVIEW CHRISTIAN BRUINS (4-5 LAST YEAR)

For two full cycles Belleview Christian did not field a program, but the Bruins rejoined the fray last season and nearly put together their first winning season. They came out of the gates hot, winning their first two games by a combined score of 106-6, but they would only win two of their final seven games, scoring a total of 36 points in the five losses.

The offense will have a lot of pieces back, including Collin Polson, who threw for more than 1100 yards and 17 TD as a sophomore. His top two targets, Matthew Norman and Jagga Sandhu, who combined for 32 catches, 11 TD and nearly 1000 yards, are also back. The running game took a hit with the graduation of last year’s leading gainer, and no one on the roster ran for more 140 yards. Brandon Ewing will likely be called upon to carry a heavier load after gaining 137 yards on just 18 carries, in four games.

Shoring up the defense will be a big key for the Bruins as they push for the program’s first postseason berth. Leading tacklers Ryan Reyes (82) and Kevin Nayyar (78) will once again be called to guide that unit. Ewing averaged seven tackles per game, which was fifth on the team last year, but again, he only played in four contests. Nayyar will look to build upon his 7.5 sack total from last season.

BYERS BULLDOGS (4-5 LAST YEAR)

The Bulldogs just missed out on a second consecutive playoff appearance, and winning record, as they won their final four games after starting the season 0-5. One of those losses came in week four, 28-22 in overtime against Caliche. The winning streak propelled the Bulldogs to a second place finish inside the conference. With almost everyone back on both sides of the ball, a postseason return could be in the cards.

Chase Long led a very balanced offensive attack, throwing for 1424 yards and 17 touchdowns, and the QB added 167 yards and two more TDs on the ground. Kaleb Willoughby missed four games and still led the Bulldogs with 502 yards rushing and six touchdowns, while Herman Holt went for 366 yards and four TD. The Bulldogs tallied 1432 yards through the air with 17 scores, and 1336 yards and 16 TD on the ground. AJ Engle is the biggest weapon in the aerial portion of the offense after collecting 44 receptions for 846 yards and 11 touchdowns.

While the familiar names of Long and Engle return from the defensive leaderboard for the Bulldogs, it was Kaiden Powell who led the team on that side of the ball with 71 tackles and he’s back for a senior season after averaging just a tick under eight a game last year. Two other young players who made an impact on defense last year are Andrew Mohatt and Jack Earl, who combined for seven interceptions, four by Mohatt.

FRONT RANGE CHRISTIAN FALCONS (5-4 LAST YEAR)

The Falcons made it five straight winning seasons since dropping into 8-man, including a 3-2 mark in the Spring 2021 campaign. They made the postseason in their first year in the classification but have not been back since.

Offensively, graduation took a heavy toll with the Falcons losing a nearly 2000 yard passer, their top two runners, and their leading receiver. Jack Edwards is the leading returnee in each category, heading into his senior season. Edwards completed his only pass attempt for one yard, ran for 133 yards, and caught 22 passes for 203 yards. Luke Jerome (15/246) and Jackson Davenport (8/112) should help whoever gets the call at QB this season.

Edwards averaged right at 13 tackles a game last year, racking up a team-high 116 on the season. A pair of now juniors were stacked up behind him on the board, with Caedan Whatmore (90) and Jaden Gianntala (75) looking for even bigger numbers in 2023. Justin Keith came up with four fumbles in eight games and the senior linebacker looks to make even more plays in his final season.

GILPIN COUNTY EAGLES (1-8 LAST YEAR)

With just six wins since making their last playoff appearance (2017), the Eagles are hungry to start a new chapter in the program’s history. They’ve had two winless seasons and two more with just one win each sandwiched around a 4-3 run in 2020.

Mason Sechler nearly ran for 300 yards as a freshman, and he’s the top returning runner for the Eagles, who lost their top back to graduation. The rest of the returnees did not combine for 100 yards. The passing game also struggled behind youth at the QB position. Connor Holloway manned the position as a sophomore and threw of 161 yards without a touchdown.

Holloway registered 43 tackles to finish second on the team in 2022, with 36 being solos. Justin Johnson had 37 total stops as a freshman, just ahead of Ryan Hanssen with 36. Johnson recorded three of the seven fumble recoveries the unit tallied, and Aiden Zeilbeck had two of their three interceptions.

JUSTICE PHOENIX (2-7 LAST YEAR)

Justice suffered its fifth straight losing season in 2022 and offensive struggles played a big role. Of the eight games the Phoenix played (they received a forfeit from Custer County), the only time they scored more than eight points was in the final. That was a 20-14 win over Gilpin County.

No stats were reported last season, but Justice only had two seniors on the roster, so if everyone else makes a return to the program, significant improvement could be expected this season.

LYONS LIONS (10-1 LAST YEAR, LOST TO MANCOS IN QUARTERFINALS)

After enduring losing seasons in their last five years in 1A, the Lions dropped into 8-man four years ago. That streak of sub-.500 campaigns continued in their first year in the classification, but with back to back winning runs, those struggles look to be a distant memory. Lyons went undefeated through the regular season last year, winning the conference crown. The Lions claimed a 56-6 win over Dayspring Christian in the opening round of the playoffs, their sixth straight game with more than 50 points on the board, but they saw their season end in the quarterfinals when Mancos scored a 32-18 victory.

One look at last year’s numbers, and this year’s roster, and you understand why so many people are high on the chances of the Lions in 2023. They bring back everyone who threw a pass, including Miles Dumbauld (1159 yards, 14 TD), five of their top six runners (Malik Sigg-Brown, 1020 yards, 18 TD), and their top six receivers (Maregu Sullivan, 16/391/7). It’s not just the skill positions where the Lions enjoy an embarrassment of riches, as most of the big boys up front are also back.

The Lions lost two of their top three defenders from last season, but Keenan Young, who led the team with 95 tackles is back for his senior year. So are classmates Sullivan, Finn Oetting, Dumbauld, Harper Leino, and Camden Paznokas, who ranked fourth through eighth on the tackles list last year. Oetting (6) and Dumbauld (5) led the team in interceptions, while it was Sullivan’s four fumble recoveries that were tops on the team. The Lions scored eight non-offensive touchdowns last year, three on kick returns by Sullivan.

MOUNTAIN

Dove Creek delivered the first state title for any of the current teams in the Mountain division, regardless of classification. It was the third straight year that the division was represented in the championship game, following runner-up appearances by Sanford in 2020 and Mancos in 2021. The Bulldogs wear the bullseye as the defending champs, and the rest of the division is gunning for them.

DOLORES BEARS (0-8 LAST YEAR)

Following back to back winless seasons in 2019 and 2020, and 10 straight without a winning record, the Bears transitioned to 8-man, with their first season coming last year. The skid continued with another winless go in 2022, and the Bears bring a 28-game losing streak into this season. Playing in a conference with the defending champs and two more recent finalists is a challenge for even the most seasoned programs, let alone one entering just its second year in the classification.

Dolores averaged just over seven points a game last year and was shutout in four straight games at one point. The defense had its own issues, with the final seven opponents all scoring at least 42 points. The Bears only had stats for two games, but in those Ty Gaddis put up good numbers on both sides of the ball. He’s back for a senior year and will to help the team break into the win column for the first time in their high school careers.

DOVE CREEK BULLDOGS (13-0 LAST YEAR, BEAT SIMLA IN FINALS)

The steady ascension of the Bulldogs from a .500 team in 2019 culminated in a state championship, as they finished with a perfect 13-0 record. It was domination in all phases, as they outscored their opponents by 420 points on the year. Only three games were decided by fewer than 20 points, with two coming in the postseason. Dove Creek beat Mancos 34-26 in the regular season, Merino by a 26-20 score in the quarterfinals, and Simla 26-21 for the title. It sent coach Shane Baughman out on top, and sets a new standard for the program as it moves forward under former assistant Jason Fury.

The Bulldogs will have to break in a new QB, as Kade Hankins and his 1154 passing yards and 1707 rushing yards are gone. Gage Buffington went for close to 1200 yards and 15 TD on the ground, and Taber Dejane added just over 200 with three more scores. Colten Fury did not throw a pass as a junior, but has experience at the QB spot earlier in his career and might be tabbed to join those top two returning runners in the backfield. If so, he’ll have his running mates as his top targets. Buffington and Dejane combined for 34 catches, close to 600 yards, and nine touchdowns. Sheldon Gardner and Tyson Beanland give the team experience on the line.

Defensively, Dove Creek will have a lot of new faces being asked to step into larger roles. The Bulldogs lost their top two tacklers and seven of the top nine. Beanland (92) and Dejane (89) will be leaned on while everyone else finds their stride. No one other than those two had more than 19 tackles last season. Beanland recorded 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two blocked punts, while Dejane added four takeaways, three on interceptions.

MANCOS BLUEJAYS (9-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO DOVE CREEK IN SEMIS)

For the fifth straight full season (excluding 2020 COVID season), Mancos won at least eight games. One year after putting a 10-spot in the win column and finishing second in the state, the Bluejays were one victory away from another 10-win campaign and making it back to the title game. Two of their three losses in 2022 were at the hands of the champs, with Dove Creek taking the one score victory during the regular season and then ousting the Bluejays 44-14 in the semifinals.

Brandon Vannest is set to take over at QB after seeing action the last two years as the back-up. He’ll have the team’s top two rushers, Kail Wayman and Levi Martin, back from last season. Wayman piled up 1008 yards and 16 score, while, Martin accumulated 840 yards and six touchdowns, with five games over 100 yards. Broc Imel will give the new QB a reliable option in the passing game, as he comes off a 21 catch, 358 yard junior season. His five receiving TD were second on the team to Wayman, who scored 11 times on his 30 receptions out of the backfield. Wayman also topped the team with 700 yards. Andrew Jaime only caught four passes last year, but three went for scores, and he averaged close to 36 yards per catch.

Wayman stacked up 93 tackles as a junior and Jaime tallied 85. Those two will be aided by Chris Medina (68) and Imel (61), who give the Bluejays four of their top five defenders back from 2022. Cole Dainty-Guilfoyle wore out a path to opposing quarterbacks, racking up 13.5 sacks. That pressure helped the defense pick off 10 passes, three apiece by Imel and Wayman. Mancos scored five times on special teams, with Wayman returning three punts, and Martin housing a punt and a kickoff.

SANFORD MUSTANGS (7-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO HAXTUN IN QUARTERFINALS)

Sanford pushed its win total over the last five seasons to 37 with seven last season. The Mustangs have won at least six in each of those campaigns, including seven in each of the last three. They won consecutive games three times last year, but could not push any of those streaks to three.

Cash Caldon is back for a final year at the helm after throwing for 906 yards and 11 TD, while also running for 507 yards and 13 scores as a junior. Joining him in the backfield is Lincoln Reynolds, who gained 566 yards and scored six touchdowns. Trason Gartrell, who finished fourth on the team with 182 yards as a freshman, could have a break-out season as a sophomore. The ground game could be an even bigger part of the attack this year, with the top three receivers from last year gone to graduation. Reynolds is the top returning target with six catches and 132 yards.

Caldon (82) and Reynolds (73) combined for close to 15 tackles a game last year, and along with Gartrell and Roj Larson (58 tackles apiece) will be expected to lead the defense in 2023. The Mustangs picked off 13 passes, but only Reynolds and Gartrell off the current roster had one. Larson finished second on the squad last season with 6.5 sacks.

SARGENT FARMERS (3-6 LAST YEAR)

After finishing .500 or better for nine consecutive seasons, Sargent suffered its third straight losing year in 2022. The Farmers were just 7-15 during that span, with a 2-10 mark inside the conference. Their offense sputter in their six losses last year, scoring a total of 24 points and being shutout three times.

The Farmers did not report full stats last year, but most of the roster should be back this season. Through the games that were reported, their top two tacklers were seniors and will need to be replaced.

NORTHWEST

The Northwest conference has routinely put multiple teams in the postseason bracket, but none has made the championship game since 2017 when West Grand finished runner-up to Sedgwick County. Last year, the league had three teams in the final 16, with Vail Christian, Hayden, and West Grand all qualifying for the playoffs. All three fell in the opening round. None of the current six teams in the league have won an eight-man title.

HAYDEN TIGERS (6-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO SIMLA IN OPENING ROUND)

Hayden put an end to a run of three straight losing seasons with a 5-3 mark in 2021. The last season in that prior losing streak was a winless COVID campaign. The Tigers made it consecutive winning seasons last year and ended a playoff drought of a decade. Hayden had last made the postseason in 2012. Their six wins were the most since that season.

The offense was explosive at times, scoring 50 or more in all six wins. They scored 74 early in the season in a shootout against Wiley. They only topped 30 in one of their four losses. That offense will have to replace its top three runners, including a QB that ran and threw for over 800 yards. Ethan Silva, who was limited to four games as a sophomore, completed five of eight pass attempts, with three going for scores, and he’s the top returning runner with 150 yards. While the Tigers develop new threats at the skill positions, the offensive line should be a strength.

It could be a challenge on the defensive side of the ball early in the season, with the top nine tacklers from a year ago all having moved on. Silva had seven tackles in four games, and is the top returnee. Cam Campbell and Triston Day each had six, while only playing a handful of games.

PLATEAU VALLEY COWBOYS (2-7 LAST YEAR)

After coming within one game of a winning mark in 2021, hopes were high last year that the Cowboys would be able to take the next step and earn the program’s first postseason berth since 2016. Instead, things did not go according to plan and they suffered their sixth consecutive losing season.

The good news for an offense that only topped 30 points three times last season is that almost everybody is back with more experience. That includes QB Parker Richardson, who threw for close to 1200 yards and 15 touchdowns. He, Virgil Kuper, and Kaleb Galbraith combined for almost 700 yards on the ground and should see that total improve with more reps. They will need to find a new #1 target in the passing game, but Jackson Bevan (17/300/6) and Rory White (14/246/2) showed the potential last year to fill that role.

With the top two tacklers gone, the defense will look for more production out of the trio of Bevan, Richardson, and Kuper, all of whom averaged better than five stops a game last season. Heston Bevan missed two games, but still averaged close to five and a half tackles a game, and along with White and Rusty Junge could become big factors in the ability of the team to break that six year slide.

RANGELY PANTHERS (3-6 LAST YEAR)

Rangely saw its string of four straight winning seasons snapped last year, as the Panthers struggled with three straight losses out of the gates. They just could not right the ship after that start. However, things did come together in a pair of late season wins over Plateau Valley and Soroco, as the Panthers outscored those two opponents 114-22.

The return of senior QB Kobey Chism should help the offense become more explosive, as he ran for more than 700 yards and 10 TD, while also throwing for close to 300 yards last year. He’s the only one coming back who rushed for more than 100 yards. In limited action, Ayden Christian averaged 6.5 yards per carry, and Clayton Allred popped at 7.5 per attempt. Tristan Scott is the top receiver coming back, but he only caught five passes.

Chism was also the leader on defense for the Panthers last season, recording 82 tackles, better than nine a game. The next three behind him on the board are gone, but there are still plenty of other playmakers returning. Jaxon Torsell (51), Landon Williams (38), Gage Fielder (37), and Christian (32) all are back for another season in the green. Williams and Torsell combined for 8.5 sacks, while Torsell tied Chism for the team lead with three fumble recoveries. Chism added four picks.

SOROCO RAMS (2-7 LAST YEAR)

Late season slides in both 2018 and 2019 kept the Rams out of the postseason despite 6-3 records. Since then Soroco has won a total of four games in three years. Things looked good early last year, with the Rams jumping out to a 2-1 start, but they suffered a six-game losing streak to close out the year. The final five in that stretch were all in league play.

The Rams did not have full stats reported last year, but a lot of their key players were seniors. Dorian Hotchkiss is a player to keep an eye on this year, as he averaged better than 70 yards of total offense in the games that were listed.

VAIL CHRISTIAN SAINTS (7-2 LAST YEAR, LOST TO SANFORD IN OPENING ROUND)

The Saints won the division title with a second straight undefeated slate, earning their fourth playoff appearance in five seasons since joining the ranks of 8-man. They won at least seven games in all four of those years. Since joining the Northwest conference in 2018, Vail Christian has only lost three league games.

Vail Christian will have to replace a dynamic playmaker at QB with the departure of Taylor Shrull, who accounted for more than 1900 yards and 24 TD on the ground, and close to 800 yards passing. Asher Morris is the likely replacement, after seeing some action as a freshman. Morris only threw seven passes in his five games, but averaged close to eight yards a carry. He’s the second leading returning runner, behind Hunter Gilbert, who rushed for 518 yards. Gilbert, along with Will Neumann and Daniel Farrell, averaged better than 24 yards per reception. The trio combined for 417 yards on just 16 grabs.

The Saints did not report any defensive stats.

WEST GRAND MUSTANGS (7-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO DOVE CREEK IN OPENING ROUND)

For the sixth time in the last eight years, West Grand won at least seven games. In each of those six seasons, the Mustangs made the postseason. They opened the 2022 season with six straight wins, but closed with losses in three of their final four contests, including their playoff contest against the eventual champs.

With the top three runners, including a QB who also threw for more than 800 yards, all having graduated, the duo of Varian Villabous and Evan Crandall take over as the top options to tote the rock. They combined for 419 yards and three scores last season. Kai Edson is the only player on the squad who threw a pass last year, and he threw exactly that, one pass. Whoever lands in the QB spot will have junior tight end Jackson Steinle to throw to. Steinle was second on the team last year, putting up a line of 9/188/5.

Crandall led the defense with 101 tackles last season, averaging better than 11 a game. He’ll be aided again this year by Steinle (68) and Blake Terryberry (55). Terryberry was fourth on the unit as a freshman. Lawson Landrus recorded 20 tackles, but 6.5 were for sacks. Joe Probst showed good hands, picking off three passes in eight games, while Edson and Terryberry each recovered a pair of fumbles.

PLAINS

Folks around the Plains division might be a little salty this year after none of their teams reached the championship contest last season. It was the first time that had happened in a fall season since 2012 and just the third time in the last 25 years. One of the members of the league had won the last nine fall titles.

AKRON RAMS (7-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO HOLLY IN OPENING ROUND)

With a second straight seven-win season Akron punched its second consecutive trip to the postseason. The Rams were bounced in the opening round by Holly, with whom they have developed a fun little rivalry recently. Akron made consecutive title games in 2015 and 2016, losing both times to Sedgwick County. Prior to that, the Rams made nine championship games in 1A during an 11-year span (1999-2009), winning five crowns.

Akron scored 40 points or more six times last year, winning five of those contests. Leading the charge was QB Ryan McCaffrey, who threw for 1152 yards and 14 touchdowns, and ran for more than 700 yards and five more scores. He’ll have Anderson Filla in the backfield after a 1200 yard, 14 TD sophomore season. The Rams will have to replace their top two receivers from 2022, but Filla averaged more than 23 yards on his nine catches. Despite a few losses up front, Akron’s line brings back a lot of experience.

As much as the Rams rely on speed on the offensive side of things, their top two tacklers utilize it on defense. Filla put up 134 tackles, while McCaffrey nailed down 94. Brock Swedlund (59), Wesley Couch (56), and Caleb Poss (48) all bring veteran presence to the unit. The defense forced 24 turnovers, with McCaffrey and Filla each intercepting three passes, and Swedlund (5) and Poss (3) combining for eight fumble recoveries.

CALICHE BUFFS (4-5 LAST YEAR)

Caliche opened last season with four straight wins, but when league play rolled around, the Buffs were outscored 266-74, leading to an 0-5 mark inside the Plains. It was the third straight losing season for a program that finished second in 2013 and won the title the following year.

The Buffs will have to break in a new man under center, as no one on the roster attempted a pass last year. Zander Yost could see an increased workload in the backfield after gaining 179 yards last year. He’s the top returnee for the Buffs, with the rest of the roster not adding up to 100 yards. The new QB will inherit two solid options to push the ball to in the passing game, with Joey Vergilio and Chance Mitchell back. They combined for 45 receptions and 579 yards last year.

While the leading tackler for 2022 is gone, the next six leaders in the category return. Mitchell paced that group with 68 tackles, one more than Orran Adolf. Dylan Harms (59), Clint Rockwell (55), Vergilio (30), and Yost (28) round out the group. Adolf’s tally included four sacks.

DAYSPRING CHRISTIAN EAGLES (5-5 LAST YEAR, LOST TO LYONS IN OPENING ROUND)

With a .500 mark last year, Dayspring Christian extended its run of non-losing seasons to four. The Eagles made the postseason for the third time during that stretch, only missing out in the 2020 COVID season. The program is attempting to reach the championship game for the sixth time, but the first since winning the crown in 2013. The Eagles have two other titles, with wins in 2008 and 2011.

The Eagles return an experienced QB in Isaiah Bryant, who threw for 559 yards last year, but had more interceptions that touchdowns. He’ll have some reliable ball carriers to hand the pigskin to in Elijah Fusco (1144 yards, 9 TD), Caleb Kayl (358 yards, 4 TD), and Logan Clark (174 yards, 4 TD). Kayl was also a valuable receiver, leading the team in receptions (24) and yards (255), while Jackson Steward’s six TD grabs paced the squad.

Two of the top three defenders are gone, leaving Kayl (47) and Steward (37) the leaders coming back. Elijah Martin racked up 36 tackles as freshman, tying Clark for fifth on the season. The Eagles only forced nine turnovers last year, with Steward recording two, one interception and one fumble recovery.

HAXTUN FIGHTIN’ BULLDOGS (11-1 LAST YEAR, LOST TO SIMLA IN SEMIS)

Haxtun entered last season looking to repeat as champions after winning the crown in 2021 and up until the semifinals, the Fightin’ Bulldogs were on track to do that. But, they saw their 26-game winning streak snapped in a barn-burner by Simla, 27-20.

A big reason the Fightin’ Bulldogs are one of the favorites this season is junior QB Ryland Wolff, who ran for 1444 yards and 20 TD, while also throwing for just under 1400 yards with 11 more touchdowns. Last year’s lead back is gone, but Kailin Kelley returns after coming up 11 yards short of giving Haxtun three 1000 yard runners. Kelley found the end zone 14 times as a junior. Grant Statz was close to 200 yards on just 16 carries and shapes up to fill a bigger role in the ground game as a junior. The top two receivers from last year are gone, but Kelley leads a very talented group after catching 14 balls last season. Keegan Colglazier and Kaiden Schelling will also be top options in the passing game. As has been the case the last two years, the Fightin’ Bulldogs will be powered by one of the top lines in the state.

Haxtun had four players with at least 100 tackles last year and three of them are back this season. Kelley leads that group after stacking up 149, with Colglazier (106) and Wolff (103) also in that group. Schelling (58) and Statz (43) combined for 101 stops. Schelling also recorded a team-high seven interceptions.

MERINO RAMS (6-5 LAST YEAR, LOST TO DOVE CREEK IN QUARTERFINALS)

Merino extended its steak of non-losing seasons to nine with a 6-5 campaign and the Rams made the playoffs for a 10^th straight year. They eked out a 44-38 win over Crowley County in the opener and nearly upset Dove Creek in the quarters, falling by a 26-20 count. Merino has eight state titles in 14 championship game appearances, but the last of each came in 2009.

Coen Schmidt led the Rams in rushing with 1348 yards and passing with 917 yards. The now junior QB accounted for 19 total touchdowns on offense last season. The Rams did lose their #2 and #3 runners, who combined for more than 2100 yards, and one of the anchors on their line. The rest of the line returns, which should help as young players step into larger roles behind it. Kaden Piel finished second with 13 receptions and 184, and both of those numbers could grow this season.

Schmidt and Piel will solidify the defense after recording 104 and 72 tackles, respectively. Josiah Mackintosh (48) and Cooper Holman (46) are two to keep an eye on as the Rams look to replace two of their top three tacklers from last year, who combined for 201 stops. Piel had 6.5 sacks in his tally, while Holman had four. The unit created 21 takeaways, with Schmidt having a big hand in the total, forcing three fumbles, recovering three, and picking off three passes.

SEDGWICK COUNTY COUGARS (2-7 LAST YEAR)

After having its run of six consecutive state titles snapped in 2021, Sedgwick County struggled to find its footing last year, stumbling to a two-win season. It broke a run of seven straight winning seasons, all of which resulted on postseason appearances. Last year was the first losing season for the program since 2013. Every one of the losses came against a playoff qualifier.

While the Cougars did not report any stats last year, they had a very young squad and are expected to bounce back in 2023, with a postseason berth a strong possibility.

SIX COUNTY

The last team to win a state title from a conference other than the Plains prior to last season, Hoehne, calls the newly named Six County conference home. The Farmers won fall titles in 2010 and 2012, with a runner-up finish sandwiched in between, and they took home the Spring 2021 COVID crown, as well. Also calling the conference home is the team the Farmers beat in 2021, Walsenburg (formerly John Mall), and the 2019 runner-up, Fowler. But, none of those teams won the league last year. That honor went to Crowley County, who was unbeaten heading into the playoffs.

CROWLEY COUNTY CHARGERS (9-1 LAST YEAR, LOST TO MERINO IN OPENING ROUND)

The Chargers capped their third season in 8-man with a second straight playoff berth and a third consecutive winning run. Their big campaign pushed their mark to 18-7 during their time in the classification, with only three of the losses coming in league play. The defense played a key role in last year’s success, posting three shutouts and allowing two or fewer scores three more times.

Replacing the top two runners from last year will be a priority, with a pair of sophomores being the leading candidates. Keegan Halloran (231 yards) and Derreck Buford (79 yards) are the top two backs returning and they could be lining up in the backfield with junior QB Blevyns Brown, who threw for 657 yards and 11 scores. Despite missing a third of the season, Gunner Hughes led the team in receiving with a dozen grabs, four for touchdowns.

As noted earlier, the defense was strong last year, but seven of the top eight tacklers were all seniors, leaving Halloran as the lone returnee with more than 20 stops. He posted 49 tackles, which had him second on the team. Donaven Bell and John Rusher both had a sack, and both will likely have better numbers with more work this season.

CUSTER COUNTY BOBCATS (0-9 LAST YEAR)

The Bobcats suffered their second winless season in the last three years and their fourth straight losing season. They’ve had just one winning year in almost a decade in 8-man and have not made the playoffs in that time. Custer County nearly snapped a 13-game losing streak in the penultimate game last year, eventually dropping a 40-38 contest against Dolores Huerta Prep.

No stats were reported last year, and many of the players on the roster were seniors.

DOLORES HUERTA PREP SCORPIONS (2-7 LAST YEAR)

Three years into their time as an official member of the eight-man ranks, the Scorpions suffered their third straight losing season. In their three years, they have tallied seven total wins, and during the MaxPreps era, the Scorpions have never won more than three games in a season. They very nearly got to that mark last year, dropping a 20-18 league game to Hoehne early in the campaign.

A senior trio will look to help the program take a step up in their final season, with QB Bryan Mendoza, RB Barry Fox, and WR Marcos Lerma all coming back after solid junior years. Mendoza completed 52% of his passes for 369 yards and five scores, with Lerma being the favored target, hauling in 26 balls for 262 yards and six TD. Fox gave the team 354 yards and two TD on the ground. They’ll be joined by some talented sophomores in Jose Rubio and Michael Gonzales.

Lerma and Fox, along with fellow senior Zechariah Maldonado led the defense last year and should provide more of the same this year. They combined for 141 tackles, 20 of them for loss. Maldonado had five sacks to pace the unit.

FOWLER GRIZZLIES (4-5 LAST YEAR)

Last season saw Fowler miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016, snapping a string of five straight appearances. It was their first losing season since 2005, and it was the first half of the season that doomed their prospects. The Grizzlies went 0-5 to begin the year, with all five losses coming against postseason qualifiers. That included a lopsided loss to Crowley County in what was a de facto league title game to open the slate. Fowler went on to win its final four games after that defeat, allowing a total of 20 points in the process.

Senior QB Gage Gottbehuet is primed to lead a bounce back in his final season for the Grizzlies after throwing for 1253 yards and 17 TD last year. However, he lost his top four receivers, so building a connection with a group that combined to catch 11 passes a year ago will be crucial. In the meantime, the ground game will take on even more importance. Luckily, Fowler returns last year’s leading rusher, Trever Ketner, who tallied 618 yards and nine scores. Daniel Adams showed signs of being a key contributor, running for 140 yards on 13 carries in just three games.

Defensively, middle linebacker Harrison Proctor averaged close to 14 tackles a game, finishing the season with 120. He’s joined by edge defender Dominic Armijo, who ended up with 87 tackles. With the next four top tacklers gone, there will be opportunity for a large group of seniors to fill holes and make an impact. Ketner is one of them, after tying Armijo and Cael True for the team interception lead with two. True did it in just five games.

HOEHNE FARMERS (3-6 LAST YEAR)

Following their 2021 Spring title, the Farmers struggled to match that success over the next two seasons, posting a combined mark of 7-11. They were the first consecutive losing seasons for the program since 2004 and 2005, their final two years in 1A. Since joining the 8-man classification, Hoehne has only had three seasons with losing records.

The Farmers did not share any stats last season, but their roster was largely a mix of senior and freshmen.

WALSENBURG PANTHERS (4-5 LAST YEAR)

In just their third season in the classification, the Panthers bounced back from a winless 2021 fall season, picking up four wins and a third place finish inside the league. Their first season in 8-man saw the Panthers reach the Spring 2021 title game where they were beaten by Hoehne.

Elton Chavez is back after leading the Panthers in both rushing (840 yards, 9 TD) and passing (747 yards, 10 TD), and he’ll have running mate Giovanni Aldretti alongside him. Aldretti ran for 527 yards and six scores. Nino Cisneros will be a key man in the passing game again after going for 480 yards and seven touchdowns on 18 catches. Chavez and Aldretti will need to play bigger roles on defense after the Panthers lost two of their top tacklers. Chavez recorded 72 stops a season ago, while Aldretti had 59. Keep an eye on a pair of junior DL in Dante Pino and Logan Tenono, who combined for more than 11 tackles a game last year. Aldretti had a big hand in the turnover game, forcing four fumbles, recovering three, and intercepting a pass. Chavez picked off three passes and Paul Garcia snagged two.