SIX-MAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW – WEEK NINE by Kerry Sherman

Picture by Sports Shots by Kim (Branson/Kim vs Primero)

SIX-MAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW – WEEK NINE

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Two of the five league titles have already been decided, and the other three will be awarded this weekend. Granada locked up the East a few weeks ago, and Stratton claimed the East Central last week while on a bye. Key match-ups remain in the Central, North, and Southwest. Once again, the rankings in this preview are according to the most recent release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.

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THURSDAY

#5 BRANSON/KIM BEARCATS (6-1 OVERALL, 4-0 SOUTHWEST) AT #9 LA VETA REDHAWKS (5-3 OVERALL, 3-1 SOUTHWEST) 7PM

What’s at stake? As the top two teams in the Southwest, the division title and the automatic spot in the postseason bracket goes to the winner. Despite a loss a league loss to Primero a month ago, La Veta can earn the crown with a win, as that would give the Redhawks and Bearcats identical 4-1 league marks, and La Veta would own the head-to-head tiebreaker. However, as the lone team in the conference without a loss, a win by Branson/Kim in the match-up and the Bearcats take the championship home. The Bearcats have won the last four meeting in the series.

Kolter Cranson powers the Branson/Kim offense. He’s piled up 1186 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground this season, averaging more than 169 yards a game. He had his string of 200+ yard games snapped at four, as he was held to 180 last week. All of his touchdowns on the ground have come in the last five games, with at least four in every contest. Cranson has added close to 300 yards and four TD as a receiver. Brock Doherty has given the Bearcats another 700 yards and seven scores, with three more as a receiver, and 253 yards and three TD passing. Owen Doherty has thrown for a team-high 453 yards and five touchdowns. B. Doherty (88), Cranson (59), Will Doherty (50), and Cole Hofmeister (41) are the leading tacklers on the season.

Three names pop up atop the offensive categories for the Redhawks: Brayden Nix, Jessey Montunnas, and Kade Andreatta. Nix has rushed for 1172 yards and seven touchdowns, caught seven balls for 96 yards and two TD, and thrown for 183 yards and four scores. Montunnas leads the team with 480 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air, while running for 221 yards and three TD, and catching another. Andreatta is the second-leading rusher with 326 yards and six touchdowns, and leads the squad with 15 grabs for 292 yards and seven scores. Trey Medina has four receiving touchdowns. Nix (90), Andreatta (76), and Montunnas (65) are also the top tackles for the Redhawks,

FRIDAY

#13 BRIGGSDALE FALCONS (4-3 OVERALL, 4-0 NORTH) AT #17 FLEMING WILDCATS (3-5 OVERALL, 3-1 NORTH) 7PM

What’s at stake? Briggsdale can win the North division outright with a victory, as the Falcons are the only team in the division without a blemish in league play. Fleming’s hopes of making the postseason begin with a victory, which would most likely create a three-way tie for the title, with Peetz also involved. If that scenario plays out, the tie would be broken by the standings in the Seeding Index, and the Wildcats would probably be left on the outside looking in. However, a Fleming win and a Peetz loss to Weldon Valley would hand the league title and the automatic berth into the play-offs to the Wildcats. Fleming has won the last eight against Briggsdale, and 16 of the last 17 overall in the series.

Dallas Glass and Kaeden Gebauer have split the primary ball carrying duties for the Falcons this season. Glass leads with 393 yards and eight TD, while Gebauer has 370 yards and six scores on the ground. Gebauer is tied for the team lead with 10 receptions and his 114 yards and two TD are second to Tanner Fiscus (10/195/5). Scott Francis has thrown for 363 yards and eight touchdowns, and also has seven receptions, ranking him third on the squad. Those four players, along with Daniel Trujillo, also lead the defense. Fiscus is tops with 89 tackles, while Glass (61), Trujillo (50), Francis (49), and Gebauer (46) round out the leaderboard. Fiscus is also responsible for five interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

It’s been the Wyatt Cochran and Matix Haney show for the Fleming offense this season. Cochran has racked up 1535 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground, while Haney has added 839 yards and 13 scores. No one else has more than 65 yards or two TD. Derek Houser has thrown for just over 200 yards and three touchdowns, with all three scores going to freshman Dane Cunningham, who has 10 receptions and 151 yards. Another freshman, Conner Marchant, leads the defense with 67 tackles, while Haney (52) and Pierson Japp (44) are next. Cochran has picked off three passes and recovered three fumbles.

#16 MOUNTAIN VALLEY WOLVES (3-4 OVERALL, 1-3 SOUTHWEST) AT #15 PRIMERO BULLDOGS (4-3 OVERALL, 1-2 SOUTHWEST) 1PM

What’s at stake? While neither team is in contention for the Southwest title, they still have a lot to play for. With the possibility of a league champion finishing outside of the top-16 of the Seeding Index, the winner of this contest could be the final team to gain an at large berth. Or, if things fall right, both could still be in the mix. But, a win this week takes a little pressure off going into the final week of the regular season. Mountain Valley has won five straight in the series, scoring at least 52 points in each. Last year, the Wolves won 78-25.

Riley Heater is on the verge of a 1000-yard passing season, entering the contest needing 120 yards for that mark. He’s also tossed 10 TD passes. A lot of his targets have gone to Jacob Martinez, who leads the team with 17 catches for 266 yards, with three touchdowns, which are second to only Damien Ross, who has four TD grabs. Martinez is the top runner with 526 yards and five scores, with Ross adding 241 yards and five TD. Ross also has 12 receptions and 155 yards. Martinez paces the defense with 105 tackles, a tally matched by the combination of Robert Morely (57) and Heater (48). Morely and Ethan Vollertsen each have four sacks, and Vollertsen has recovered a team-leading four fumbles.

Brett Kendall has found his way to the tops of just about every offensive category for Primero. The junior leads the team with 573 yards and nine touchdowns passing, 1078 yards and 18 touchdowns rushing, and he’s tied for the team lead with 11 receptions while having a team-best243 yards and seven TD. Jairo Dominguez and Kevin Acuna also have 11 catches apiece. Dominguez has thrown for just over 300 yards and six scores, while rushing for 111 yards and nine TD. Marcus Hahn has added 486 yards and six touchdowns in the ground attack. On the other side of the ball, Dominguez has racked up a team-leading 85 tackles, placing him ahead of Acuna (52), Josh Pachorek (37), and Matthew Pachorek (30). Six of the tackles by Dominguez are sacks.

SATURDAY

#21 DEER TRAIL EAGLES (4-4 OVERALL, 3-1 CENTRAL) AT #18 HANOVER HORNETS (5-3 OVERALL, 4-0 CENTRAL) 1PM

What’s at stake? Hanover can lock up the Central division title and the automatic berth into the postseason with a victory, which could potentially bump whoever finishes 16^th in the Seeding Index, as the Hornets are 18^th ahead of this contest. Deer Trail can create a three-way tie for the title with a win, which then brings #24 Kiowa into the discussion by virtue of its win over the Eagles. In that scenario, standing in the Seeding Index will break the tie. While the edge currently goes to Hanover, a loss in this match-up could change that. The recent history of the series is tied at two wins apiece, with the Hornets owning the last two. That includes a 39-32 decision last year.

Elvin Castro (727 yards, 13 TD) and Mo Hussein (307 yards, 8 TD) have combined for more than 1000 yards and 21 touchdowns in the rushing game to lead Deer Trail. Raul Manriquez has stepped into the QB role for the Eagles and completed 68% of his passes for 655 yards and 10 touchdowns. Jayden Mingee has been the primary beneficiary of those passes, bringing in 19 receptions for 401 yards and nine TD. Mingee (39) and Hussein (38) lead the defense in tackles, while Trenton Haight and Julian Guevara are tied with 36. Mingee owns four of the unit’s five interceptions, and his two fumble recoveries are tops.

Hanover always gets a number of players involved in the running game and this season is no different. Junior Diaz (459 yards, 5 TD) and David Byers (405 yards, 11 TD) are the leaders, while Gabe Manuel and Isaiah Manuel have combined for more than 300 more yards. Tyler Decker mans the QB position and has thrown for 660 yards with 11 touchdowns. Thomas Griffin (13/284/4) and Diaz (11/209/2) are the top targets, with Byers (9/65/2) and Austin Sestokas (4/126/2) also ranking high on the leaderboard. Defensively, Byers has more tackles (96) than the next two Hornets combined. Griffin has 50 and Diaz has added 43.The Hornets have racked up 24 sacks, seven belong to Byers. Sestokas (6), Griffin (5), and Decker (4) have combined for 15.

OTHER BIG GAMES THIS WEEKEND

#1 STRATTON EAGLES (7-0 OVERALL, 4-0 EAST CENTRAL) AT #7 ARICKAREE BISON (5-2 OVERALL, 2-2 EAST CENTRAL) FRIDAY 7PM

#12 GENOA-HUGO PIRATES (3-4 OVERALL, 1-4 EAST CENTRAL) AT #11 CHEYENNE WELLS TIGERS (3-5 OVERALL, 3-2 EAST) SATURDAY 2PM