SIX-MAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY: KERRY SHERMAN

SIX-MAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY: KERRY SHERMAN
For the sixth straight season, Stratton made it to the state title game last season. The first four were while the Eagles were in an athletic co-op with Liberty, but 2022 was the second on their own. They also won the first six-man title in school history, after winning two (2013, 2018) while in the co-op. The Eagles lost the player of the year, but bring back a loaded squad as they aim to repeat, but there is no shortage of talented challengers.
CENTRAL
No current member of the Central division owns an official six-man title, but Deer Trail did claim two prior to the classification being sanctioned by CHSAA in 1986. None of the programs have played for a title in the time that the class has been part of the state association. Hanover was the lone team from the Central to qualify for the play-offs last season.

BETHUNE BOBCATS (2-6 LAST YEAR)
In the return to the varsity level, Bethune earned the program’s first win since October 12. 2013 with a victory over Weldon Valley in week two. The Bobcats had not played a varsity game since the 2015 season and had lost 18 straight games with a week one loss. They were unable to string together consecutive wins as they endured a five-game skid before beating Manzanola in their finale.
The Bobcats did not post stats for the full season, but in the few games that were reported, there were some bright spots. Unfortunately, the Bobcats have not retained many of the underclassmen from that squad and will head into 2023 without much experience.

DEER TRAIL EAGLES (7-3 LAST YEAR)
The Eagles jumped out of the gates with wins in their first six contests, including one over a good Weskan (KS) team. But, they dropped three of the last four, that included a 39-32 defeat against Hanover in what was the league championship affair. Their 7-3 mark was not quite enough to get them into the play-offs for the first time since 2019. It was their fourth winning season in the last five years.
As the Eagles look to build upon last season and end their postseason drought, they will do so with a roster that lost one senior last year. Raul Manriquez threw for 788 yards and eight touchdowns, and Kooper Eldringhoff added 609 yards and five scores. Most of their work went to Dominik Mingee, who finished with 64 grabs for 1036 yards and 14 TD. No one else had 100 yards receiving. Elvis Castro led the ground attack with 886 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Deer Trail brings back its top seven tacklers from last year, with Julian Guevara pacing that group after recording 51 stops. Mingee (42) is next on the list, and no one else had more than 30. Mingee had the team lead with five interceptions and tied Trentton Haight with three fumble recoveries. The Eagles scored seven times on returns, three by Castro off opponent kick-offs.

HANOVER HORNETS (7-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO FLEMING IN OPENING ROUND)
For the second straight year, Hanover qualified for the postseason and was eliminated by Fleming in the opening round. In 2021, the Hornets had to forfeit their play-off game and last season, they were on the short end of a 58-6 score. After winning a total of nine games in three consecutive losing seasons, the Hornets won 13 games during those two play-off campaigns.
Hanover had six backs gain at least 100 yards on the season and three with more than 400. Two of their top backs return, with David Byers (494 yards, 11 TD) and Junior Diaz (455 yards, 7 TD) giving the Hornets close to 1000 yards last year as sophomores. Two of the other triple digit backs also return. Joining that core is junior QB Tyler Decker, who threw for 741 yards and 12 scores last season. One area that the offense will have to find replacements is on the receiving end of Decker’s passes, as no one on the current squad caught more than eight passes a year ago.
Byers was second on the defense with 82 tackles, but he and Diaz, who was third with 56, still didn’t have as many as the departed leader of the unit. Decker will help them after racking up 45 last season. He tied for the team lead with five sacks, while Byers and Austin Sestokas each had four. JJ Aguilar tied for the team lead with three interceptions, doing it in just seven games. Byers (four) and Decker (three) combined for seven fumble recoveries. The Hornets scored seven non-offensive touchdowns with Diaz and Aguilar each having one. Diaz converted just short of 50% of his PAT kicks (14-29).

KIOWA INDIANS (4-6 LAST YEAR)
In their third season as an official member of the classification, the Indians had their best go. The program recorded just one victory in their first two tries, but they surpassed that in week four. They missed out on an opportunity to cash the first winning season for the program since 2015 by dropping their final three games.
The Indians may have to lean extra heavy on the ground game early in the campaign with very little experience back at QB. Zayden Kalisch and JD Brewer combined to complete four of seven passes for just 24 yards and no touchdowns as freshmen. However, Kalisch was one of the top runners for the team, and they will bring back four of their top five overall. Austin Brogger led the team with 551 yards and eight TD, while AJ Gonzales (348/5), Kalisch (187/3), and Paulino Lupercio (150/2) round out the crew. Kalisch is the returning leader with 14 receptions, and Lupercio is the top guy in terms of yardage with 142. The defense took a bigger hit to graduation, with the top two tacklers gone. Three more key players are also no longer around. That leaves Kalisch (48), Lupercal (37), Brogger (35), and Gonzales (25) the leaders coming back. Brogger finished with three sacks, and number matched by Kalisch, that tied for second on the team. Lupercio accounted for five takeaways, three on picks that led the unit. Carlos Mendez recovered a team-high three fumbles.

MANZANOLA BOBCATS (0-10 LAST YEAR)
After not fielding a team in 2021, Manzanola struggled in its return last season. The Bobcats not only went winless, but the were held to just 75 points all year. A third of that came in a week nine loss to Sangre de Cristo. They scored six or fewer points in six of their other eight games (also had to forfeit week 10). The good news for the program is that the roster was incredibly young last year, with seven of the 10 being either freshmen or sophomores. The Bobcats had only one senior on the squad, so they will bring back a lot of experience. Plus, they will add a few incoming freshmen, as they look to pick up the first win for the program since Nov. 13, 2020.

MIAMI-YODER BUFFALOES (2-7 LAST YEAR)
While two wins may not seem like much, but for Miami-Yoder, those matched the win total of the two previous seasons, combined. Those wins came in the first month of the season and had the Buffs sitting at 2-2. They were then shutout in consecutive weeks, and could only field a squad one more time before having to forfeit the final two games of the season, ending the year on a five-game skid.
Looking at the offensive side of the ball, the Buffaloes bring back almost the entirety of last year’s production. That includes the starting backfield of QB James Sumerville and RBs Gavin Howard and James Orozco. Howard was limited to just four games and still went over 1000 yards on the ground with 21 touchdowns. That trio also accounted for 123 of the 183 tackles registered by the defense. Orozco led the way with 48. Howard (40) and Sumerville (35) round out the group, but the Buffs also return Rowan Glaze (28) so the unit is in good hands. Orozco and Howard combined for eight sacks, and Orozco had a pair of picks.

EAST
Formerly known as the Southeast, the name may have changed, but the competitive nature hasn’t. Four of the six programs have state titles in the trophy case, with Eads and Cheyenne Wells both having hoisted the hardware in six-man. Walsh owns one in eight-man and several from Class A, but has not played for one yet in this classification. Granada has a storied history in eight-man, but has yet to make it to the six- man finals. Kit Carson is still looking for the first football title in school history, last making the finals in 2018. Cheraw is the only one in the division to never make a championship contest in program history.

CHERAW WOLVERINES (6-5 LAST YEAR, LOST TO GENOA-HUGO IN OPENING ROUND)
Not too long ago, Cheraw went through a string of four straight losing seasons, including three that saw the program win one game each year. But, after breaking that streak in the 2020 COVID season and just missing out on the postseason with a 4-2 mark (losses by a combined 13 points), the Wolverines have piled up 13 wins and two play-off appearances. Even a coaching change couldn’t keep them out of the postseason last year.
The Wolverines will have to replace their leading runner, who also happened to lead the team in receiving, but should be able to do that with the return of Trenton Rader. Rader ran for 670 yards and 12 touchdowns as the #2 option last year. Bringing back QB Tim Provost, who threw for 699 yards and 14 TD will also help the offense, but with the top three receivers gone, someone else will have to step up to keep that unit moving forward.
Defensively, Cheraw will also have some big holes to fill, with three of the top five tacklers gone from last year. However, Provost (56) and Braden Stoker (49) are back to lead the Wolverines on that side of the ball. Joseph Reece and Samuel Goheen combined for just short of 50 tackles as freshmen, and neither played a full season. Rader helped the special teams with two kick returns for scores.

CHEYENNE WELLS TIGERS (7-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO OTIS IN QUARTERFINALS)
A season after winning the first title in program history, the Tigers had to forge a new identity as graduation took a massive toll on the roster. The early schedule did them no favors, with games against Stratton and Cheylin (KS) right out of the gates. Cheyenne Wells dropped both of those games, and suffered some key injuries, but still bounced back to record its seventh consecutive winning season. Perry Chadwick and Zach Dickey return after combining for almost 600 passing yards and eight touchdowns, and whichever one ends up manning the QB position this season, he’ll have a very good group of targets back. That includes Carson Noe, who led the team with 20 grabs for 531 yards and eight TD. The running game lost its top two gainers, but will return four players who put up more than 100 yards on the season. Jonathan Reyna leads that group with just under 200.
The top tackler from last year is gone, but the Tigers bring back a ton of experience on that side of the ball. Trey Scheler was second last season with 66 stops, including eight sacks. Just a sophomore this season, he provides the Tigers with a ball-hawking defender, as he also recovered three fumbles. Dickey (59), Bryson Hyle (57), and Noe (54) were all over 50 tackles, while Chadwick (47), Chason Turner (42), and Ethan Garay (40) make it seven of the top eight back this year. Turner tied for the team lead with four fumble recoveries. Jesse Harlow converted 38 of 53 PAT kicks last year, and he’s nailed 118 of 161 in his career, better than 73%.

EADS EAGLES (8-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO STRATTON IN QUARTERFINALS)
Since joining six-man in 2006, Eads has had just four losing seasons (and one .500), with one coming in 2021. The Eagles bounced back to reach the quarterfinals before running into eventual champion Stratton. It was their fourth straight year in the postseason, and second consecutive time being bounced by Stratton. The Eagles were poised to make an even deeper run this year, with the core of the squad set to return, especially on an offense that scored 50 or more points eight times last year (7-1). However, they lost one of those top players to transfer and then Porter Spady and his almost 2000 yards of offense were lost to injury. They will need to find a field general, as Case Nelson (42 yards) is the only player on the roster who completed a pass last year. But, they do have a 1000-yard runner coming back, as Stockton Mitchek rushed for 1055 yards and 20 TD as a sophomore. He was also the leading receiver (27/535/12), and will be joined by Keenan Smith who was second with 21 catches, 415 yards and nine scores. Smith (68) and Mitchek (55) are the only returning leaders on defense, as the unit lost four of the top six tacklers. Shaine Winder showed a lot of promise as a freshman, recording 18 tackles and three fumble recoveries, while missing a couple games. Smith and Mitchek both pounced on nine fumbles, while the Eagles got four recoveries from Johnathan Vasquez and two apiece from Nelson and Kadan Dunlap.

GRANADA BOBCATS (8-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO FLEMING IN SEMIS)
Granada heads into its sixth season in six-man and the number six has come into play a lot for the Bobcats. They have won at least six games in each of their previous five seasons. Last year, the Bobcats made the semifinals for the third straight year, and for the second time in that span, they were bounced by Fleming in a wild affair. In 2020, it was Fleming hold on for a 52-46 win, and last season, the Bobcats fell 68-60 in OT. The Bobcats will have an interesting dilemma in where to play standout junior Maddox Coleman. He led the team in rushing with 1066 yards and receiving with 38 catches for 867 yards and 13 touchdowns, but was also second with 567 passing yards and 14 more touchdowns. With Granada seeing the starting QB depart to graduation for the second straight year, Coleman provides valuable experience at the position. Jonus Guevara ran for 773 yards and 10 scores last year and has been a good runner and receiver for the last two seasons. The return of Coleman (88) and Guevara (69) help soften the blow of losing six of their top ten tacklers. Terrance Hainer (60) and Javier Tejada (23) are the other returnees from that group. Coleman and Guevara each picked off three passes to share the team lead, and Guevara jumped on eight of the 13 fumble recoveries by the unit. Jose Sanchez solidified the kicking game, converting 60 of 77 PATs.

KIT CARSON WILDCATS (2-7 LAST YEAR)
Between 2015 and 2019, Kit Carson piled up 48 wins, with at least nine in each campaign. In the last three years, the Wildcats have struggled to find anywhere close to that level of success, with just five total wins and one winning season. That came in the 2020 COVID year (3-2). They played a very difficult schedule last year, with six of their seven losses coming against play-off teams. The Wildcats allowed at least 53 points in each loss.
Keaton Marriott has been a regular throughout his career and he’ll be counted upon to provide senior leadership in his final season. He led the Cats in rushing last year and will share the backfield with the lightning quick Bryson States, who missed about half of his freshman season. There will be someone Mason Marriott got some good reps at QB as a freshman and completed 72% of his pass attempts. Josiah Irwin and Brennan Frammel were first and third in receiving last year as sophomores and should again provide the passing attack with good targets. All of those names were among the defensive leaders last year, and that group also brings back Fernando Ferrales-Fierro, Grayson McWilliams, Rowdy Koch, and Gunner Randel. Koch and Randel each blocked a kick last season.

WALSH EAGLES (4-6 LAST YEAR)
Walsh broke into six-man with an 8-2 first year and a trip to the state quarterfinals back in 2014. The Eagles have failed to finish above .500 since. But, last year gave their faithful reason to believe that the streak could come to an end this year. Two of their losses came by single digits, making the difference between a losing record and one on the plus side just eight points. The Eagles did not lose a senior off the roster and will bring back a boatload of experience on both sides of the ball. That includes the dynamic Leyton Jones, who ran for 1100 yards and 28 touchdowns, threw for close to 250 yards, and also led the team in every receiving category. Cody Malone threw for just under 500 yards and will have Axeton Bishop and Ethan Barwick back after they combined for more than 300 yards and five scores. Barwick also ran for 623 yards with seven TD. Walsh had five players on the defense with more than 40 tackles, led by Jones with 121. Bishop added 82, while Wyatt Beecham (61), Barwick (57), and Cole Tedder (44) rounded out that group. Jones had a hand in 11 takeaways, leading the team with three interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. Bishop added six recoveries. As a unit, the Eagles blocked eight kicks. The Eagles scored nine times on defense and special teams, with seven coming on kick returns by Jones (4) and Beecham (3).

EAST CENTRAL
At least one current member of the East Central has played in each of the last 10 championship games, and 23 of the last 25 overall. Four of the programs have won at least one championship during that extended span. Idalia was the powerhouse during the beginning of that stretch, and Stratton (including the co-op with Liberty) has carried the torch recently. At some point during their history, every program in the division owns at least one state title, either in six-man or another classification. Flagler was set to be in the division again this season, but could not field a team. They are sending players to Arickaree.

ARICKAREE BISON (8-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO GRANADA IN QUARTERFINALS)
Last year saw the end of the co-op with Woodlin and the birth of the Bison. In the eight years, the co-op played for two titles, winning one in 2014, and had three losing seasons. Last year, the Bison got out of the gates 4-0 and took a 7-1 mark down the stretch, before dropping two of their final three contests. The lone win was a tough 26-20 opening round victory over Branson/Kim. To get back to that level again, it will require a lot of production from new faces, as the Bison lost a back who ran for more than 1800 yards and threw for close to 1200. Jake King is the top returning rusher after going for 136 yards and three scores in eight games last year. Nic Hermes comes back after only throwing 15 passes last season. Those two were the third and fourth leading receivers last year, combining for 25 grabs, 426 yards, and 10 TD. Dillon Noletubby is back after finishing second after posting a line of 15/268/2. The Bison had four defenders with triple digit tackles last season, and half of them return. Zarron Skubal was tops a year ago with 133 stops, and Austin Wright was third with 109. They combined for 16 sacks and 12 fumble recoveries. Skubal recorded eight of those recoveries and also forced half a dozen. Hermes nearly reached the triple digits, posting 91 while missing two games. King tallied 69 and a team-best two interceptions. He also had four fumble recoveries. Noletubby drilled 23 of 41 PAT kicks, and Clay Axtell got experience in the kicking game as a freshman, stepping in to convert two of three tries.

GENOA-HUGO PIRATES (8-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO FLEMING IN QUARTERFINALS)
The Pirates had some issues when the program first dropped to six-man, posting three straight losing seasons. Since then, they’ve had one in seven years. They had their third straight winning campaign in 2022, their first season in the East Central. They had an interesting two week stretch midway through the season, needing an onside kick recovery to hold off Arickaree 58-54, and then falling 37-35 at Otis. The difference in both games was the kicking game. Genoa-Hugo made two more PATs in their win, and one fewer in the loss. One area on offense that the Pirates will have to find replacements is pass receiving after losing two of their top three from last year. The one who returns is Konner Rowden-Stum, who caught 48 balls for 844 yards and nine scores. He was also the leading runner, checking in with 802 yards and 17 TD. The Pirates also bring back their QB, Trey Smith. Smith will be a four-year starter at the position and he has thrown for more than 3900 yards and 54 touchdowns in his career. Last year, his numbers ballooned to 2290 yards and 28 TD. A healthy Logan Sitzman will give him another key target. Sitzman caught 12 passes in only five games. Smith doesn’t just standout on offense. He racked up 144 tackles last year, kicked 34 of 49 PATs, and housed a pair of punt returns. Rowden-Stum (86) and Brady Simmons (76) give the Pirates three of their top four defenders back. There is a big drop off in production behind those three, but again, Sitzman being available for a full season would go a long way, as he was on pace for more than 50 tackles last season.

HI-PLAINS PATRIOTS (1-8 LAST YEAR)
Last year saw the Patriots go through their third straight losing season since the dissolution of the co-op with Flagler. It was the first under coach Avery Marzolf, who was a senior on the 2013 state runner-up team for Hi-Plains. Three seasons later, the Patriots won the title with his assistant coach (and younger brother) Riley playing QB. The lone win for the Patriots last year came by forfeit, and they allowed 58 or more points in seven of their eight losses. No stats were reported last year, but the squad only had one senior. Numbers were a concern in 2022, so increased participation this season is imperative, with the depth of talent in the league.

IDALIA WOLVES (2-7 LAST YEAR)
From 1998 through 2010, Idalia played for the state title 11 times. The Wolves won top trophy in eight of those attempts. However, they have not been back in the biggest game of the year since that run ended. They were close in 2021, losing to Cheyenne Wells in the semifinals. That was also just the second time the Wolves had a winning record in that span, and the first time they had been in the play-offs. Boosting their chances of getting back to the postseason this year is the return of QB Tarek Glanz, who was limited to seven pass attempts before tearing his ACL against Briggsdale in the opener last year. He took over the position about midway through his sophomore year and threw for close to 600 yards as the Wolves made their run to the semifinals. His return also allows Tate Towns (313 yards) to move a few steps deeper into the backfield as the Wolves look to replace their top two runners. Garret Drullinger and Hayden Drullinger are the top returnees after combining for just over 250 yards last season. Idalia also developed some depth at QB last year in Carson Helling, who saw action as a freshman. Kagen Hoyda led the team with 25 receptions and just a shade under 300 yards. Hoyda’s real impact last year, and throughout his career, has been on the other side of the ball. His 81 tackles and four fumble recoveries paced the defense as a junior. Towns gives the team its two best tacklers back after he registered 68 tackles. G. Drullinger tallied 51 stops, two forced fumbles, and two blocked kicks.

OTIS BULLDOGS (9-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO STRATTON IN SEMIS)
Otis broke a string of three straight losing seasons with its run to the semifinals last year. The Bulldogs had won a total of seven games in that streak. They matched that tally in the regular season finale against Walsh. Two of their three losses came against the state champs, the first snapping a six-game winning streak to begin the year, and the second ending their season. Injuries played a role in the late portion of the season for the Bulldogs, with Carter Wells missing extended time due to a concussion, and Tayte Smith also suffering one early in the semifinal loss. Smith not only ran for more than 1800 yards and 35 TD, but he also finished as the leading passer with almost 300 yards. Wells was one of three players behind him with at least 100 yards through the air, as he threw for 164 yards. Austin Hornung (169) and Erick Thorn (109) were the others. Thorn, Mitchell Stivers, and Charlie Kendrick all provided depth behind Smith as a runner, with all going over the 300-yard mark last season. One big area of concern is on the line, where the Bulldogs lost three key contributors. Sawyer Packer will help lessen those worries. Kendrick used his speed to bring down the ball carrier a team-high 90 times last year, and he’s helped out by Smith (67) and Bohden Klinzmann (64). Kendrick had four picks, while Smith and Stivers each had three. Kendrick also provided added value on special teams, converting 30 of 42 kicks.

STRATTON EAGLES (14-0 LAST YEAR, BEAT FLEMING IN FINAL)
Just how dominant were the Eagles last year on their way to collecting the ninth state title (two with Liberty) in program history? Not only were they able to mercy clock every opponent, they outscored the opposition 822-196, and it would have been an even larger margin if not for receiving a forfeit. The Eagles beat their opponents by 82 more points than the next highest scoring team SCORED all season.
Despite losing the player of the year, the Eagles are still loaded on offense, returning Cyler Notter, who as RB2 gained exactly 1000 yards and scored 23 touchdowns. He also averaged 27.2 yards per catch, with half of his six receptions resulting in scores. Stratton will have plenty of options to join him in the backfield, with Stockton Fye (510/8), Avery Archuleta (484/7), and Von Isenbart (112/3) most likely to get a fair share of reps. Also in that backfield will be QB Charlie Tagtmeyer, who has started since his first game in high school. He has thrown for more than 1300 yards and 21 touchdowns over the last two seasons, while averaging fewer than five attempts per game. One of the strengths of the program has always been the front three, and that should continue to be the case, with Dawson Thompson and Gage Levin helping to clear a path. The Eagles return three on defense who all recorded at least 85 tackles. Brody Webb leads that core crew with 97 and his eight interceptions ranked among the state leaders. Thompson stacked up 86 stops, and Notter tallied 85, including a classification-leading 18 sacks. Isenbart (70), Tagtmeyer (61), Archuleta (49), and Fye (33) also return. Tagtmeyer picked off six passes, with two going back for scores. He also scored on three punt returns. The Eagles will need a new kicker, with last year’s exchange student having returned home. Levin was connected on five of 14 tries in limited duty.

NORTH
Last year saw Fleming represent the North division in the title game for the sixth time dating back to 2010, including three of the last four years. The Wildcats dropped to 4-2 in those appearances with the loss to Stratton. Peetz has been to the championship game four times in the 2000s, winning the crown in 02 and 17. Briggsdale won back to back titles in 1992 and 1993 as part of the Crow Valley co-op with Pawnee, but has not made the finals on its own, and Weldon Valley finished runner-up in 1994. Prairie and North Park are both looking for their first appearances in the championship pairing.

BRIGGSDALE FALCONS (5-5 LAST YEAR, LOST TO GRANADA IN OPENING ROUND)
Briggsdale registered its fourth straight season with at least a .500 record and reached the postseason for the second consecutive year, despite a spate of injuries. The defense was very good in their four wins, allowing a total of 39 points (plus one forfeit), but that unit struggled in the five losses. The Falcons allowed at least 47 points in those games, with 71 scored by Fleming and 89 in the play-offs by Granada. Keeping Tanner Fiscus healthy for the full season will go a long way towards the Falcons extending their string of non-losing seasons. He missed quite a bit of time with injuries but still threw for more than 800 yards and 14 TD, while also running for almost 300 yards. Kaeden Gebauer (324 yards, 4 TD) and Dallas Glass (305 yards, 4 TD) give the Falcons three of their top four ground gainers back. Gebauer is also the only returning player with more than four receptions last year, with him hauling in nine. Fiscus averaged close to eight tackles a game, finishing with 54 for the season. Glass (39) and Gebauer (23) are the only other returning players who recorded as many as 20 stops. The defense forced 18 turnovers a year ago, with most being recorded by players who have departed.

FLEMING WILDCATS (10-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO STRATTON IN FINALS)

Not only was last year the third time the Wildcats had played for a title in the previous four seasons, but it also marked their fifth consecutive winning campaign. They have had 15 such seasons in the last 17 years. Four of those ended with a zero in the loss column. The Wildcats have not lost a divisional game since 2018 and have only lost eight since the start of the 2010 season. The offense will have to fit a lot of new faces in key positions after losing the starting QB, top two runners, and four of the five leading receivers. However, the top pass catcher, Wyatt Cochran, is back after bringing in 35 balls for 619 yards and 11 touchdowns. Derek Houser got a bit of work under center and completed six of seven passes last season, so if thrown into the fire, it won’t be his first live reps. The same can be said for the duo of Wyatt Sonnenberg and Travis Johnson at running back. They combined for 377 yards on the season. Defensively, the Wildcats lost their top two tacklers and six of nine overall. That puts the bulk of returning experience on the shoulders of Matix Haney (69) and Cochran (41). Johnson had 20 tackles last season, but the next best was Houser with a dozen. Haney and Cochran combined to tally five sacks. The unit had 16 interceptions last year, but all by players who graduated, so finding back end defenders will be a big key to the season.

NORTH PARK WILDCATS (7-3 LAST YEAR, LOST TO EADS IN OPENING ROUND)
North Park registered a .500 or better record last season for the seventh time in nine years under Chad Carlstrom, who stepped away from the program after its conclusion. It was also the seventh time the program had made the postseason during that span. The Wildcats dropped their first two games of the season in 2022, but then went on to put together seven straight victories and earn a home play-off game. The steak was snapped by Eads in that opening round contest. The new regime will inherit a tough running game, led by Makeon Crum, who ran for 1386 yards and 18 touchdowns. He topped the century mark eight times in nine contests. Gavin Pittington and Cameron Gonzales, who combined for just over 400 yards and six scores are also back. One of the biggest losses to graduation was at QB, where the Wildcats will have to replace an 1100-yard passer. Aiden Pittington threw six passes in very limited action as a freshman. The front line is also gone, taking away 61 receptions, more than 900 yards, and all 19 TD through the air. There’s more experience returning on defense, with Crum (81) being joined by Levi Wofford (66), Gonzales (53), and David Rodriguez (30). Crum had four interceptions and Gonzales added three, and Wofford was second on the squad with 5.5 sacks. Rodriguez forced five fumbles and recovered two.

PEETZ BULLDOGS (3-5 LAST YEAR)
How beat up were the Bulldogs last year? Six different players attempted a pass, with the man who began the season at QB throwing exactly one. Throw injuries to key players on top of a brutally tough schedule and Peetz endured its fourth straight losing season. Prior to this stretch, the program which won the 2017 title, had not seen a losing season since 2011. All six of the players who threw a pass last year are back, including Chance Segelke whose injury in week one changed the complexion of the season. The senior’s only pass went for a 49-yard TD. Rhyder Bayne ended up leading the team in passing (477 yards, 9 TD) and rushing (752 yards, 11 TD) as a freshman. Classmate Logan Vallier finished second with 248 yards through the air. The Bulldogs had an interesting contrast in the backfield to the speedy Bayne, with 350 pound sledgehammer Wyatt Talheim racking up 163 yards on just 20 carries. Colton Howell wasn’t far behind with 148 yards. They combined for five TD runs. Noah Naegele is back after catching 23 passes, with 10 TD. Bayne and Naegele finished 1-2 in tackles with 59 and 57, respectively. Joe Fehringer tallied 39, and all three are back to lead the defense again. The Bulldogs recorded 13 fumble recoveries, three by Naegele and two apiece by Bayne and Segelke. Their special teams blocked five kicks and a punt. Fehringer was responsible for two of those blocks. Howell also made an impact in that phase of the game, returning a pair of kicks for scores.

PRAIRIE MUSTANGS (5-5 LAST YEAR, LOST TO STRATTON IN OPENING ROUND)
Former Idalia product Tyson Ramseier took over the Prairie program after previous coach Justin Kerns stepped away following five straight winning seasons at the helm. The Mustangs struggled to find consistency early in the season while adjusting to a new system and dropped two of their first three games. They put together three straight wins following that stretch, including a nail-biting 36-34 decision over Branson/Kim that came down to the final play. They were unable to continue that momentum and lost three of their final four games to finish at .500 on the year. The Mustangs will have two major holes to fill on offense, with their starting QB and RB both having graduated in the spring. That leaves Wyatt Butler and his 244 passing yards as the likely successor as the signal caller, and Justin Schreiner (247 yards, 7 TD) as the lead back. Schreiner was second on the team with 12 receptions and 226 yards, while Brennan Bringelson led as a freshman with 16 grabs and 252 yards. Both scored three touchdowns.
Schreiner (40), Butler (36), and Bringelson (34) finished third through fifth on the tackle chart and all should see a big bump in production this year. They’ll be helped out by Lane Shock, who tallied 27 stops. Also aiding the defensive efforts this year will be Ben Walker, as well as Wyatt Chase, who missed the first half of the season recovering from a torn ACL during his sophomore year. On top of his tackles, Schreiner added three picks and four blocked kicks. Bringelson will look to build upon his solid first season in which he converted 29 of 39 PATs.

SOUTHWEST
Over the years, the Southwest division has seen a lot of change in membership and it could see even more next year with the potential of Antonito (playing independent) joining the mix. The league sent three teams to the postseason last year, with all getting bounced in the opening round. Only one of the current members has ever made it to a six-man championship game and that was back in 1951 when Saguache (part of Mountain Valley) finished second in the Class C classification. Sangre de Cristo and La Veta each own an eight-man title.

BRANSON/KIM BEARCATS (7-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO ARICKAREE IN OPENING ROUND)
After a pair of one-win seasons when the program was in its infancy, Branson/Kim has posted four straight winning seasons. Last year pushed the victory total in that span to 25 and gave the Bearcats their third postseason appearance in program history. It was the third time they won a division title, with the first two coming in the disbanded South Central. The Bearcats bring back a top connection in the passing game, with QB Owen Doherty (1065 yards, 23 TD) and Kolter Cranson (27/392/8) returning. That will help soften the loss of a 1300-yard runner. Look for Brock Doherty and Cole Hofmeister to see more of a workload in the backfield after they gained 385 yards and 182 yards, respectively. They’re also important to the aerial attack, with a combined 15 catches and eight TD last year. Two of the top three tacklers are gone after combining for 191 stops last year, but the Bearcats do return a strong core in 2023. B. Doherty leads that group with 90 tackles. Cranson tallied 77, while Hofmeister and Kolten Davis registered 60 and 41, respectively. Cranson had eight sacks in his total and Davis posted five. Doherty picked off six passes, and he and Hofmeister both recorded 16 pass break ups. Doherty was responsible for six of the team’s non-offensive touchdowns, scoring three on pick-sixes, two on kick returns, and one on a punt return.

COTOPAXI PIRATES (7-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO CHEYENNE WELLS IN OPENING ROUND)
After posting 10 straight non-losing seasons following their introduction to the classification in 2010, the Pirates suffered a pair of two-win seasons in 2020 and 2021. Paxi returned to its winning ways last year, reaching the postseason for an 11th time in 14 years. Cotopaxi is tasked with replacing one of the most prolific passers in the classification, with Ty Coleman and his more than 4700 yards and 75 career TD having moved on. Kaiden Zeleznikar entered the offseason as the leader in the clubhouse to assume the position after throwing for just under 200 yards last year. He’s also the leading returning runner following his 325 yard, seven TD campaign. Wes Westberg is also back after running for 227 yards. If Zeleznikar takes over at QB, it removes a top target in the passing game, as he caught 27 passes for 540 yards and eight touchdowns. However, the Pirates also bring back Terrance Evans (27/556/14) and Joel Tezak (12/180/6).
With the departure of the top two defenders from last year, the Pirates will lean heavily on Westberg (59), Zeleznikar (47), Tezak (41), Evans (37), and Dylan Bond (37). The defense racked up 17 interceptions last year, but 11 were by players who are no longer in the program. Zeleznikar (3) and Evans (2) did combine for five. The Pirates blocked eight kicks, five by Westberg, who also had a blocked punt. He gave the team a strong option in the kicking game, drilling 34 of 57 PATs, while also converting a pair of field goals. One covered 42 yards.

LA VETA REDHAWKS (6-4 LAST YEAR)
The Redhawks very nearly gave the Southwest division a quarter of the teams in the postseason, just missing out in the Selection and Seeding Index. While being left out stung, the year still was a success as La Veta broke a string of four straight losing seasons. The Redhawks enter the season looking for their first play-off berth since 2017, which was the last of three consecutive years in the postseason. Gone is the top runner/receiver from last year, but the Redhawks bring back almost every other weapon on offense. That includes QB Jessey Montunnas, who threw for 1455 yards and 28 TD last year. He’ll have four options in the passing game who all had double digit receptions and triple digit yardage last season. That group includes Kade Andreatta, Brayden Nix, Trey Medina, and Vicente Vallejos. They combined for 50 grabs, 823 yards, and 19 TD. Nix and Montunnas also combined for just short of 800 yards on the ground. Nix (120) and Andreatta (80) recorded a total of 200 tackles last year, and their return is key for La Veta, as the next five guys on that board are all gone. Behind them is Vallejos, who had 16 tackles last season. Andreatta added four fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions, while Nix forced four fumbles, recovered three, and blocked five kicks.

MOUNTAIN VALLEY INDIANS (3-7 LAST YEAR)
Mountain Valley saw a string of four straight winning seasons snapped last year. The Indians failed to win at least four games for the first time since 2017. After picking up wins in three of four games down the stretch, the season ended on a sour note as the Indians had to forfeit its final game.
There is good reason for their fans to believe that last year was just a blip on the radar and that 2023 will see the program return to the postseason. They bring back Jacob Martinez, who ran for 770 yards and 11 TD, while also serving as the team’s leading receiver (18/298/4) and throwing for another 158 yards and two TD. Riley Heater also returns following a season in which he threw for 761 yards and 11 scores, and ran for 440 yards with nine touchdowns. Robert Morely and Damien Ross combined for 29 receptions and are part of the top five receivers who all return. Martinez led the defense with 115 tackles, five forced fumbles, and four blocked kicks. With the loss of four of the top six defenders, his numbers could actually go up this season. Heater joins him as a top returnee after recording 61 tackles, five interceptions, and four forced fumbles. The development of Ethan Vollertsen and Mason Merritt-Armenta, who combined for 30 tackles last season, could be a big key to the success of the team this season, as they are the most experienced players on the unit behind the big two.

PRIMERO BULLDOGS (1-8 LAST YEAR)
Primero has struggled to gain traction since joining six-man in 2012, as the Bulldogs have not had a winning season in their time in the classification. The closest they’ve com was in the 2015 season when they went 4-5, including a play-off loss. They also did that in 2013. The Bulldogs have not won more than two games in a year since that last play-off appearance. Last year actually got off to a great start, as Primero won its opener, but then proceeded to drop its final eight. The Bulldogs have reason to be optimistic that 2023 is the year when things begin to change, as almost every yard and touchdown on offense last year was recorded by either a sophomore or freshman. Xavier Garcia threw for more than 1000 yards, but had as many interceptions as touchdowns, with 10 of each. His top for targets were also sophomores last year. Brett Kendall led the way with 43 catches for 784 yards and 11 TD. Jairo Dominguez, Marcus Hahn, and Kevin Acuna were the others, and freshman Gabe Sintas was fifth on the list. Hahn (508) and Kendall (313) combined for more than 800 yards on the ground, with 16 total touchdowns. Sintas and Kendall added more than 500 more yards through the air together. Primero recorded 229 tackles last season and the players who recorded 220 of them are back. Acuna, Dominguez, and Kendall were responsible for 117 between them. Josh Pachorek was next on the chart with 30 as a freshman. Overall, the Bulldogs return their top eight from last season. The unit only forced 10 total turnovers, but did record 11 blocked kicks. Kendall and Dominguez each had five of those.

SANGRE DE CRISTO THUNDERBIRDS (2-7 LAST YEAR)
Last year marked the first for the Thunderbirds as an official member of six-man and they had some growing pains. They dropped their first seven games of the season, allowing more than 400 points in the six contests that were played (the final game in the stretch was a forfeit). They found a rhythm against Manzanola, not only breaking that skid but also earning their first six-man victory in the process. Sangre did not share any stats last year, but their roster only included two seniors. If all of the underclassmen return, the learning curve should flatten.

SIERRA GRANDE PANTHERS (7-4 LAST YEAR, LOST TO OTIS IN OPENING ROUND)
The Panthers made it three straight winnings seasons and two consecutive play-off appearances with last year’s trip to the postseason. Sierra Grande has now posted winning marks in five of its seven seasons in the classification. They began last year 1-2, including a tough 28-22 OT loss to Branson/Kim, before ripping off six straight wins. The season ended in rough fashion with a pair of lopsided losses. Aron Ojeda put his stamp on the program with almost 1500 passing yards and close to 500 more on the ground, and he was just a sophomore. With 27 TD through the air and six more on the ground, he was a driving force behind the success of the unit. He is the leading returning runner, so the Panthers will need to find a new workhorse to replace an 1100-yard back. While they work on that, the passing game still has plenty of targets. That includes Brian Ontiveros (17/442/6) and Tyler Kester (15/232/6). Adrian Casados was a home run threat, averaging 36 yards on his seven catches, with four ending in the end zone. Kester (84) and Ontiveros (23) are the only returning members who were in the top five tacklers last season. Kester has shown a propensity for getting to opposing QBs with 19.5 sacks. He has five last year, putting him second on the squad. Ontiveros was dynamic on special teams, returning three punts and three kicks for scores. Jadyn Martinez could be primed for a breakout season after recording 20 tackles as a freshman. With many of the veterans ahead of him gone, expect more opportunities for him to make an impact this year.

INDEPENDENT
As noted earlier, Antonito will be playing this season as an independent. The Trojans have not fielded a program since 2017. Pikes Peak Christian was also slated to play as an independent after dropping from 8-man mid-cycle, but the Eagles canceled their season earlier this summer.