MileHigh Prep Report Preseason 6-Man Football Rankings
The start of the season is right around the corner. Scrimmages kick off in two weeks and we are three weeks away from the start of the 2024 Football Season. 6-Man should be a great year and look for some top teams to remain atop the Rankings. Good Luck to all teams going into 2024.
6-Man
| Rank | Team | Notes |
| #1 | Stratton Defending State Champions | Stratton is your defending State Champions. They won back-to-back state championships and will be looking to reload and push for another title. Stratton has some key holes to fill at QB and their top RB from last season. Stratton will return talent in the backfield with RB Stockton Fye and RB Brody Webb coming back. Stratton also returns two key pieces on the offensive line. Defensively Stratton returns 4 of their top 8 tacklers from last season. Stratton will look for Von Isenbart and Brody Webb to be leaders this season. |
| #2 | Cheyenne Wells Runner Ups | Cheyenne Wells is your runner up from a season ago. They had a great run to end the season reaching the State Championship as the #6 seed. Cheyenne Wells will return the core of their team. Cheyenne Wells will need to find a QB but look for possibly Zach Dickey or Bryson Hyle to fill that hole. Cheyenne Wells does return their top rusher from a year ago in Trey Scheler and #2 RB Ethen Garay. Defensively Cheyenne Wells return 6 of their top 8 tacklers including Trey Scheler, Chason Turner, and Corey Hill. |
| #3 | Idalia Made the playoffs, lost in the Semifinals | Idalia reached the semifinals a season ago before they fell to eventual state champions Stratton. Idalia will be looking to push into the state title game and win it all this year. Idalia will be searching for a QB with possibly Carson Helling take over. Idalia does return RB Gabe Kechter and RB/WR Tate Towns who combined for over 1800 yards of total offense. Defensively Idalia returns a top unit from a season ago. Idalia returns 6 of their top 8 tacklers including 3 of their top 4. Tate Towns and Garret Drullinger return as the top two tacklers from last season. |
| #4 | Otis Made the playoffs, lost in the Semifinals | Otis reached the Semifinals last season falling in an epic 66-60 loss to Cheyenne Wells. Otis will be looking for that final step as well this season. Otis returns QB Austin Hornung and #2 RB Mitchell Stivers. Otis will have to find some weapons outside but also look for Tayte Smith and Charlie Kendrick to see their offensive roles increase. Defensively Otis will have a few holes to fill but return 5 of their top 8 tacklers from last season but only 2 of their top 4. Charlie Kendrick returns as the leading tackler last season. |
| #5 | Eads Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round | Eads made the playoffs last season falling in the opening round to Idalia. Eads was young at most positions last year and will be loaded with returners across the board. QB Case Nelson, RBs Stockton Mitchek, and Shaine Winder are all back and together they bring back over 2000 yards of total offense. Defensively Eads has plenty of talent back including 6 of their top 8 tacklers and 3 of their top 4. Gabe Hadley-Valdez and Stockton Mitchek return as the top two tacklers from a season ago. |
| #6 | Arickaree Made the Playoffs, lost in the First Round | Arickaree made the playoffs last season falling in the first round to Sierra Grande. Arickaree was young at many positions last year and only have a few holes to fill. QB Austin Wright returns but he will look for a new RB to step up this season possibly Zarron Skubal or Dillon Noletubby. Defensively Arickaree returns the most fire power with 6 of their top 8 tacklers coming back including their top four tacklers. Zarron Skubal, Austin Wright, Jorge Ramos, and Dillon Noletubby all return for the Bison. |
| #7 | Branson/Kim Made the playoffs lost in the Quarterfinals | Branson/Kim made the playoffs last season falling in the Quarterfinals to Otis. Branson/Kim returns plenty of talent to repeat that feat if not push for the semifinals. Branson/Kim will have a few holes to fill at QB and that will be a battle to watch. Branson/Kim does return 1800-yard rusher Kolter Cranson who will anchor the Bearcat offense. Defensively Branson/Kim returns 5 of their top 8 tacklers from last but just 2 of their top 4. Kolter Cranson and Will Doherty both return to be leaders for the defense. |
| #8 | Granada Made the playoffs, lost in the Quarterfinals | Granada made the playoffs last season before falling in the Quarterfinals to Cheyenne Wells. Granada will have key leadership back but will be looking for their youth to take a huge step forward this season. QB Maddox Coleman returns for Granada, but the rest of his backfield will be different besides Terence Hainer. Defensively Granada returns just 3 of their top 8 tacklers with Coleman and Hainer, and Rodrigeuz coming back. Granada will be looking for their youth to take a big step up this season. |
| #9 | Primero Made the Playoffs, lost in the First Round | Primero made the playoffs last season falling in the first round to Otis. Primero took huge strides last season making the playoffs and that was the first time since at least 2010. Primero with the taste of success will be looking to take that next step and win a playoff game. Primero returns their entire roster from last season including RB/QB Brett Kendall, WR Gabe Sintas, QB Jairo Dominguez, and RB Marucs Hahn. Primero defensively must get better being outside the top 20 of defense. Primero will look for Kevin Acuna and Deshawn Sanchez to take big steps this season. |
| #10 | Sierra Grande Made the playoffs, lost in the Quarterfinals | Sierra Grande made the playoffs last season falling to eventual state champions Stratton. Sierra Grande lost a big senior class last year and will look to reload and push for the playoffs yet again. Seirra Grande will return QB Aron Ojeda who will be searching for new weapons around him this year. Some new weapons could be Jadyn Martinez and Bryant Tijerina. Defensively Sierra Grande has the most holes to fill returning just 3 of their top 8 tacklers form last season. Jadyn Martinez will be the leader on that side of the ball, but Carlos Lopez and Ayden Lopez must step up this year. |
| #11 | Peetz Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round | Peetz made the playoffs last season falling in a tight contest to Branson/Kim 39-37. Peetz will have key pieces back to make them a real threat for the playoffs this season. Peetz of course does have a few holes to fill mainly at QB & WR. Peetz will look for Dylan Wagner to step up at QB this season. The RB position returns both Rhyder Bayne & Conner Schumacher and they could be a deadly one-two punch. Defensively Peetz has the most hills to fill returning just 3 of their top 8 tacklers from a season ago. Bayne, Schumacher, and Logan Vallier will be the leaders on the defensive side of the ball. |
| #12 | Hanover Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round | Hanover made the playoffs last season falling to eventual state champions Stratton. Hanover will be locked and loaded for another push for the playoffs and maybe a deeper run. Hanover returns QB Tyler Decker, RB David Byers, RB Junior Diaz, and WR Thomas Griffin. Hanover offensively returns about 95% of their total offensive output from a season ago. Defensively Hanover returns 6 of their top 8 tacklers including 3 of their top 4. Byers, Griffin, and Diaz all return with over 70 tackles a piece. |
| #13 | Briggsdale Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round | Briggsdale made the playoffs last season falling in a tight opening round game to Walsh. Briggsdale returns plenty of talent to push for another playoff run this season. QB Scott Francis returns along with RB Dallas Glass & Kaeden Gebauer. Defensively Briggsdale returns 7 of their top 8 tacklers but lose their top tackler from last season. Glass, Gebauer, Francis, and Daniel Trujillo will look to lead the defense this year. |
| #14 | Prairie Missed the playoffs, went 4-5 | Prairie missed the playoffs last season going 4-5. Prairie was led by most juniors and sophomore last season, and they will look to build off last season and push for the playoffs. QB Beau Carlson, RB Brennan Bringelson, and WR Lane Schock all return for the Mustang offense. Defensively Prairie does have a few holes but return 6 of their top 8 tacklers but only 2 of their top 4. Schock and Bringelson both return as the top tackle leaders from last season. |
| #15 | Cheraw Missed the playoffs, went 2-8 | Cheraw had a tough season a year ago going 2-7 and missing the playoffs. Cheraw was mostly juniors and sophomores last season and with the year of experience look to get Cheraw into the playoffs. QB Tim Provost returns to lead the offense along with RB Conner Weaver. More weapons will need to step up this year like WR Braden Stoker. Defensively Cheraw returns their top 8 tacklers from last season. Stoker and Provost were the only two to break the 50-tackle mark last season so look for Austen Wingard and Samuel Goheen to take big step forwards this season. |
| #16 | Fleming Missed the playoffs, went 3-7 | Fleming missed the playoff last season going 3-7. Fleming last year had a lot of inexperience and will look to build of the returning players this year. Fleming will return QB Derek Houser but finding more weapons will be key for Fleming. Some names that could step up this year are Wyatt Sonnenberg and Dane Cunningham. Defensively Fleming returns 5 of their top 8 tacklers from a season ago and 3 of their top 4. Conner Marchant, Pierson Japp, and Peter Brekel all return to be leaders for Fleming. |
| Other Teams to Watch | Caliche, Genoa-Hugo, Kit Carson, North Park, Walsh, Kiowa, Deer Trail, Miami-Yoder, La Veta |
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