EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW by Kerry Sherman

EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Following the six-year dominance of Sedgwick County, which saw the Cougars win six consecutive state titles, the classification has crowned three (four counting Spring 2021 season) in as many years. The last two, Dove Creek and Mancos, were first time winners. Will the Bluejays defend their title or will the trend of new winners continue? Those questions and so many more will be answered as the season begins this week with a handful of games. The classification lost Caliche and Wiley, both of whom dropped to six-man this cycle, while Sangre de Cristo returns from the smaller class after spending the past cycle playing among those ranks. Dolores Huerta Prep was moved up to 1A, while Rocky Ford, and Clear Creek both dropped from 1A. Lake County is fielding a program for the first time since 2019. All conferences are listed in alphabetical order, with the teams in each also listed in that fashion.

ARKANSAS VALLEY

HOLLY WILDCATS (6-3 OVERALL, 4-1 LEAGUE)

Holly has been a model of consistency, with only one losing season in the last decade. Last year, the Wildcats were second in the league behind McClave, who won the crown with a 20-18 victory over Holly. That loss kept the Wildcats out of the postseason, as only the league champion qualified. Devin Eaton led the team with 764 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against only one interception, but a position change could be in store for the senior. With his 6’3” 220 pound frame, Eaton could be valuable on the other end of the passing game. The Wildcats will have a ton of experience back on both lines, which will be important for a running game that lost its top three ball carriers. With the top three tacklers gone, Tripp DuVall is the leading defender coming back with 53 last year. Jacob Noriega (35) and Eaton (33) will also be key on that unit.

LAS ANIMAS TROJANS (1-8 OVERALL, 1-4 LEAGUE)

With a 36-18 win over Wiley late in the season, the Trojans snapped a 15-game losing streak, with the last win prior to the skid coming at the end of the 2021 season. Las Animas had only scored 42 points in the first six games of the season, combined. They were shutout three times and scored fewer than 100 points on the season, putting an emphasis on improved production this season. Braydon Ortiz stepped in to quarterback the club as a freshman and threw for 730 yards and eight touchdowns. His top four targets (Logan Servaes, Bryce Dupree, Orion Martinez, Sam Deatherage) were all sophomores. Martinez was also the leading rusher with just over 300 yards, and the leading tackler with 101.

MCCLAVE CARDINALS (7-3 OVERALL, 5-0 LEAGUE)

As noted earlier, the Cardinals won the league last year, with the win over Holly being the only on-field contest decided by fewer than 36 points (also a forfeit over Wiley). Their season ended in the opening round of the postseason when Merino avenged a season-opening loss to McClave, 16-12. Ethan Bronniman had a solid season at QB, throwing for just over 1000 yards and 17 TD. The Cards lost their top runner, but return three backs who all finished with triple digits in Mason Barr (182), Will Pacino (149), and Bronniman (101). Tuff Kelley is back to lead the receivers following a 23/240/5 freshman campaign. Pacino (71) and Barr (68) give the Cardinals their top two tacklers back, and the duo of Bronniman (57) and Zack Owens (55) make it four of the top five returning.

ROCKY FORD MELONEERS (CLASS 1A 0-9 OVERALL, 0-5 TRI-PEAKS)

After consecutive 0-9 seasons in the 1A Tri-Peaks, the Meloneers drop down a classification this cycle. Prior to a 42-36 loss to Rye in the season finale, the Meloneers had not scored more than 12 points in a game last year. Upping production will be a key to finding success this year. Bringing back Isaiah Gallegos, who led the team in passing (558 yards) and rushing (200 yards) should help in that quest. Joseph Gallegos was the only other player with at least 100 on the ground, finishing with 130 yards. Shayne Gonzales led Rocky Ford with 16 grabs for 193 yards and all four of the squad’s touchdowns as a freshman. Defensively, the Meloneers return their top five tacklers, including Cayson Van Dyk (57) and Gavin Thompson (32).

SPRINGFIELD LONGHORNS (4-5 OVERALL, 3-2 LEAGUE)

In the three seasons prior to last year, Springfield had a total of five wins. Last year, the Longhorns nearly matched that total. They enter 2024 looking to use that momentum to claim the program’s first winning campaign since 2017. That streak nearly ended last season, as the Longhorns lost a pair of single possession contests to out of state opponents. Offensively, Springfield should continue to improve, bringing back four of the top five runners from last season in Marcus Sandoval (720 yards), Colby Batterton (416), Gunner Mackey (209), and Colin Swanson (168). Those four combined to score 20 touchdowns. Swanson also threw for 674 yards and five touchdowns. Dallas Calzonetti led the team with 15 grabs, but it was Batterton’s big play ability (35.7 ypc) that sparked the passing game. The top six tacklers are back, with that group including Sandoval (75), Batterton (68), Jett Konkel (64), Wyatt Cohoon (60), Swanson (52), and Slayde Cohoon (38).

SWINK LIONS (3-6 OVERALL, 2-3 LEAGUE)

Last year saw the string of winning seasons for Swink end at three, as the Lions slipped to their lowest win total since picking up two victories in 2018. When the starting QB went down with an injury, Hayden Reynolds stepped in as a freshman and threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns. The Lions will also return second leading rusher Thomas Valdez, who finished with just under 200 yards on the ground. He’ll also enter the season as the top returning receiver after catching eight passes for 47 yards last season. Valdez led the defense with 93 tackles, averaging better than 13 stops a game. Luke Hanagan added 32.

BLACK FOREST

BYERS BULLDOGS (9-2 OVERALL, 4-1 CENTRAL)

After calling the Central division home for the past four years, Byers has relocated to the Black Forest in this new cycle. The Bulldogs finished runner-up in the Central each of the last two years, and made it to the state quarterfinals before falling to eventual runner-up Haxtun in a tough 20-8 contest. They will be set on offense, bringing back QB Chase Long (1562 yards, 22 TD), Kaleb Willoughby (1674 rush yards, 25 TD, 12/286/2), AJ Engle (38/800/14), Andrew Mohatt (11/103/2), and Cody Harris (9/152/2). All of those seniors appear in the leaderboard of returning defenders for the Bulldogs, which is topped by Willoughby, who had 95 tackles a year ago. Juniors Krayton Ebert (59) and Parker Ebert (33) are also back.

CALHAN BULLDOGS (6-3 OVERALL, 3-1 LEAGUE)

Since returning to the varsity level in 2018, Calhan has had only one season that finished below .500, with last year marking the third straight winning campaign for the Bulldogs. Their lone league loss last season was a 47-0 defeat by Simla, one of two times they were shutout. The other came against Haxtun (50-0) in the opening round of the postseason. The offense lost more than 2100 rushing yards with the top two runners graduating, leaving Riley Cochran (341 yards, 4 TD) the top returnee. Kaiden Billington also returns after having his four completions last year going for 95 yards and two scores. Cochran (54) and Bryson Mosher (42) are the top two tacklers who return this season, and they’ll be helped by the duo of Brock Burnside (36) and Wyatt Crippen (35).

ELBERT BULLDOGS (5-4 OVERALL, 2-2 LEAGUE)

For the second straight year, Elbert posted identical marks overall and inside of the Black Forest, finishing third in the league. Two of the four losses suffered by the Bulldogs last year were by two points apiece. Defensively, they allowed 46 or more in each of their defeats, but 30 or less in their victories. That side of the ball could be the strength of the team this year, with the top four tacklers returning, and seven of the top 10 overall. Matt Dooley (66), Jeremiah LaChausse (45), Kaleb Morano (42), and Caleb Cornell (40) lead the group. Morano did his in only five games. The offense will have to replace Logan LaFollette, who threw for just short of 1600 yards and ran for 1400 more.

SIMLA CUBS (11-1 OVERALL, 4-0 LEAGUE)

In their bid to return to the state championship game, the Cubs scored at least 41 points in each regular season contest last season and the defense pitched three shutouts. No one scored more than 14 against them through those first nine games. Simla added to both of those trends in the opening round of the postseason with another shutout. Merino was the first team to keep the Cubs in the 30s in the quarterfinals, but Simla still advanced to the semis, where Haxtun got the better of them, 30-12. A talented crew of seniors will try to claim the first title for the program since 1985. QB Caston Cox (1997 passing yards, 33 TD) and TJ Eurich (1182 rushing, 19 TD) get a lot of the attention, but Treven Kochera (20/415/9) and Wyatt Stanko (7/131/0) also play key roles in the attack. The defense lost five of the top seven tacklers, but Eurich (100) and Kochera (81) do give the Cubs a pair of ball hawks. Eurich was also among the state leaders with eight picks.

SOUTH PARK BURROS (1-8 OVERALL, 0-4 LEAGUE)

The Burros snapped a nine-game losing streak midway through the season with a 26-24 win over Gilpin County, but nearly ended the slide a few weeks earlier against Belleview Christian. That ended 21-16 in favor of the Bruins. Those were two of the three times the Burros held an opponent under 45 points. South Park will be looking to end a run of seven consecutive losing seasons. Gavin Street is back for his senior year after passing for 321 yards and running for another 520. Jaden Walker (13/185/1) was his top target last year. On the other side of the ball, Street had a team-leading 89 tackles, while Gavin Fabel and Blake Basnett both had 38.

ST. MARY’S PIRATES (2-7 OVERALL, 1-3 LEAGUE)

In just its second season as an 8-man program, St. Mary’s saw its win total drop by one from the previous season. The Pirates scored 80 of their 138 points in their two wins, including a season-high 53 against South Park. Junior QB Michael Trechter threw for 1400 yards and ran for 540 last season, and two of his top targets are back to join him. Wyatt Gevry (25/317/2) and Jackson Beam (15/266/1) will provide reliable threats in the passing game. Owen Jensen tied for the team lead last year with 65 tackles. He also shared the team lead with five fumble recoveries.

CENTRAL

BELLEVIEW CHRISTIAN BRUINS (4-5 OVERALL, 2-3 LEAGUE)

Following a four-year hiatus, Belleview Christian posted its second straight 4-5 record last year. The Bruins allowed at least 50 points in all five losses, including a season-high 64 in the final loss to Lyons. They were also held to fewer than 20 points in each of those games. Collin Polson threw for more than a thousand yards last season, but only one of his top four receivers will be back with him, as Matthew Simmonds (11/106/0) returns. Polson also enters the season as the leading rusher after finishing with 235 yards. Jacob Feathers (141 yards) is the only other triple digit gainer coming back. The defense returns its tackling machine, Ryan Reyes, who finished with 140 stops. His 113 solo tackles were almost double the total tally of anyone else on the roster last year. Reyes also showed good hands, picking off five passes and breaking up six more.

CLEAR CREEK GOLDDIGGERS (CLASS 1A 3-6 OVERALL, 0-5 FRONTIER)

After five straight losing seasons, including the 2021 Spring in Class 2A, Clear Creek drops a classification, looking to get back to the level the program attained between 2016 and 2018, when the Golddiggers won a total of 22 games. After a tough season-opening loss, Clear Creek reeled off three straight wins in non-league play. League play brought a five-game losing streak to end the season. Jacob Young leads an offense that returns almost every skill player. Young threw for 1443 yards and 14 TD, and has his leading receiver, Logan Ginter (50/785/9) to play catch with. Ginter was second to Nathan Guerrero (313 yards, 3 TD) in the running game with 274 yards and two touchdowns. Asher Isaacson (61) and Anthony Zacharias (49) were tops in tackles as juniors.

FRONT RANGE CHRISTIAN FALCONS (6-4 OVERALL, 3-2 LEAGUE)

Front Range Christian was one of three teams from the Central to make the postseason last year, despite losing its final two regular season games by a combined tally of 120-12. That slide extended in the opening round, as the Falcons were blanked by Simla, 42-0. The Falcons return three backs who each amassed over 100 yards on the ground, which will come in handy since the program lost a dual threat QB who ran for 1300 and threw for more than 1100. No one on the roster completed more than one pass. Whoever claims that role will have a ton of weapons at his disposal, with Luke Jerome  (35/541/4), and Tallon Fohr (9/118/0) both back. Four of the top five receivers all return. Gavin Gold (52) and Jackson Davenport (49) combined for just over 100 tackles and are the top returnees on defense.

GILPIN COUNTY EAGLES (0-8 OVERALL, 0-4 LEAGUE)

With an offense that averaged seven points a game, Gilpin County suffered its third straight losing season, and the fifth in the last six years. It was the third time in that stretch that the Eagles failed to win a game. The Eagles did not post full stats last season, but will have seven seniors back to try to get the program turned around.

JUSTICE PHOENIX (1-7 OVERALL, 0-4 LEAGUE)

After a win over Gilpin County in week three, the Phoenix could not get another victory, dropping their final five games of the season. That streak sealed a sixth straight losing season for the program. It’s been tough to know from year to year how the Justice roster might look, but there’s chance the Phoenix will have a pair of talented receivers back. Jordan Coronado (22/659/9) and AJ Vigil (17/242/2) were second and third on the roster last year, but the program lost its 1500-yard QB. Khalil Adamson led the defense with 58 tackles.

LYONS LIONS (11-1 OVERALL, 5-0 LEAGUE)

In their first four seasons in the classification, the Lions have posted three straight winning campaigns. Over the last two, the program has put together an impressive 21-2 record. Their defense pitched three shutouts last season, and the offense scored at least 46 points in each of the first 11 games. That includes five straight with at least 60 points. The run ended in the semifinals, where Lyons fell to eventual titlist Mancos, 44-22. Malik Sigg-Brown is one of the few returning skill players from last year, and he led the Lions with 1341 yards and 21 TD on the ground. He’s also the leading receiver, posting a 9/162/2 season. No one else on the current roster caught more than two passes. Defensively, the Lions lost their top two tacklers and eight of the top 10. Only Wyatt Fitzgerald, who was third with 93, and Sigg-Brown, who finished seventh with 48, are back to lead the unit.

MOUNTAIN

DOLORES BEARS (2-7 OVERALL, 0-4 LEAGUE)

Last year was just the second in 8-man for the Bears and it saw them break a 22-game losing streak with wins in the first two contests. However, that was it, as the program ended the year with seven consecutive losses. Dolores was shutout in three of those losses, and held to fewer than 12 in the rest. Trayton Traweek nearly had a 1000-yard passing season as a junior, finishing with 977 to go with eight touchdowns. Michael Rantz (44/304/4) was his top target and figures to see even more passes thrown his way. The top two defenders are gone, leaving Deven Winter (41), Rantz (39), Darren Hicks (23), and Micah Vrtatko (22) as the top players back on that side of things.

DOVE CREEK BULLDOGS (8-3 OVERALL, 3-1 LEAGUE)

The 2022 state champs went into last year with a 13-game winning streak and were looking to add a second title to the trophy case. The Bulldogs won their first two contests of the season, before falling against Melrose, who went on to win the crown in New Mexico. They would only lose one more during the regular season and into the quarterfinals, before Lyons ended their repeat hopes. After losing a big senior class, the Bulldogs do not return anyone who completed a pass last year, Cael Beanland is the only one who even attempted a pass. The top three backs, all of whom ran for at least 800 yards, are also gone. Josh Kibel (201) and Teagan Larimore (120) are the only players who hit triple digits on the ground. Nic Aragon is back after leading the defense with 87 tackles. Also returning is the talented senior lineman Sheldon Gardner who was second to Aragon (11.0) with eight sacks.

MANCOS BLUEJAYS (12-1 OVERALL, 4-0 LEAGUE)

Mancos got out of the gates hot, scoring 188 points in the first three games. The Bluejays were upended by Haxtun in a rematch of the 2021 title game, with a pick-six sealing a 28-22 win for the Fightin’ Bulldogs. The Bluejays would not taste defeat again, as they went on to win the first state championship in program history by avenging that loss 40-0 in Pueblo. Mancos is another team that was hit hard by graduation, with Evan Woody leading the returnees on offense after throwing for 151 yards and three scores in very limited action. Jonah Ritter is the only running back with more than 100 yards last year, as he finished with 217. The Bluejays will return two of the top four receivers in Kaiden Wyatt (19/260/6) and Brandon Vannest (10/208/4). Wyatt was one of three players with at least 90 tackles last year, and with 93, he’s the only one who returns. Nose guard Jacob Martin led the unit with six sacks and three fumble recoveries.

NORWOOD MAVERICKS (5-3 OVERALL, INDEPENDENT)

A spate of injuries forced Norwood to cancel its 2022 season, which caused the Mavericks to play last season as an independent. Following three consecutive losing campaigns, the Mavericks got back to their winning ways, playing a schedule that included four out of state opponents and three members of the Mountain division. Unlike a lot of the other teams in the league, the Mavs return quite a bit of their production from a year ago. Brycen Rummel led the offense with over 1000 yards and eight TD passes, and 324 yards with four more scores on the ground. Owen Tackett also returns after running for 161 yards and two touchdowns. One area where the offense is lacking is at receiver, where Cole Bray is the top returnee after a freshman season that saw him rack up a line of 9/131/0. With the graduation of the top four tacklers, Jackson Dinsmore it the leading returnee, having chalked up 20 stops last season.

SANFORD MUSTANGS (6-4 OVERALL, 2-2 LEAGUE)

Sanford made it six straight seasons on the plus side of the ledger, earning a trip to the state playoffs. The Mustangs, who held all but two opponents to 30 points or less, were knocked out in the opening round by Byers, who held them scoreless after the first quarter to win 28-16. Sanford rolls into the new season with a very young squad, as the roster only includes one senior. Trason Gartrell enters the year as one of the top returning players after passing for 452 yards and nine scores, and running for 723 and nine more touchdowns. He’s also the top receiver coming back, having caught six passes for 117 yards. Following Gartrell’s 41 tackles, William Malouff‘s 24 make him one of the top defenders for the Mustangs.

SARGENT FARMERS (4-5 OVERALL, 1-3 LEAGUE)

What started off looking like the first winning season for Sargent since 2019 fell apart with the Farmers dropping their final three games. Two of the three were in league play. The Farmers only posted stats from one game, but should have a nice set of seniors that includes Kade Temple, Cooper Gosar, Tyler Chapman, and Fernando Venzor.

NORTHWEST

HAYDEN TIGERS (4-5 OVERALL, 2-3 LEAGUE)

Hayden started the past season strong, winning its first two games, but the Tigers went on an extended slide, losing their next five. Two of those were by shutout. Wins in the final two contests weren’t enough to get the Tigers into the postseason. Outside of Ethan Silva (761 passing, 448 rushing), Hayden returns little production on offense. The defense returns more experience, with Triston Day (58), JD Case (55), Silva (28), and Joseph Harris (20) back from the top 10 tacklers.

LAKE COUNTY PANTHERS (DID NOT FIELD A TEAM)

For the first time since 2019, Lake County will be fielding a program, and the Panthers have a nice turnout. With eight freshman, the program has a shot at being sustainable, following the loss of seven seniors next spring. The rest of the 21 player roster is all juniors.

PLATEAU VALLEY COWBOYS (4-5 OVERALL, 2-3 LEAGUE)

Trying to break a string of five straight losing seasons, things got off on a rough note last year for Plateau Valley, as the Cowboys dropped their first three games. Despite winning four of their final six, the Cowboys saw that streak grow to six consecutive seasons under .500 overall. The Cowboys have a 1000-yard runner coming back in Virgil James Kuper, who is also the top returning passer with 235 yards as a sophomore last season. Kuper was fourth in receiving last year with a 13/245/4 line, right behind Jackson Bevan‘s 17/320/2 season. The trio of Heston Bevan (63), Hunter White (61), and Kuper (60) gives the Cowboys their numbers two through four tacklers back from last season.

RANGELY PANTHERS (5-4 OVERALL, 3-2 LEAGUE)

Sitting at 3-3 with three weeks to play in the regular season, Rangely won two of those final contests to lock up a sixth winning season in the last seven years. It wasn’t enough to earn a trip to the postseason, though, as a 60-8 loss to Vail Christian in the finale ended the season. The Panthers should have another strong rushing attack, with the return of Gage Fielder (637 yards, 6 TD), Chase Cochrane (163 yards, 5 TD), and Marcos Quintana (149 yards, 1 TD). Fielder (17/296/2) and Tristan Scott (10/252/5) will give the new QB the top two receivers back from last year. The defense lost a pair of 100+ tacklers, but a whole slew of seniors who recorded between 27 and 61 stops will return.

SOROCO RAMS (1-8 OVERALL, 0-5 LEAGUE)

For the third time in the last four years, the Rams found themselves in the basement of the league, failing to win a conference game. Soroco was in several tight games, eventually falling by 10 at Dolores and 13 at St. Mary’s in consecutive weeks. League play was tough on the Rams, as they allowed at least 48 points in all five contests. No stats were posted last season, but around half of the players on the roster were freshmen.

VAIL CHRISTIAN SAINTS (8-4 OVERALL, 4-1 LEAGUE)

The league title once again came down to Vail Christian and West Grand, and a 44-14 loss left the Saints as runners-up. A four-point loss to Front Range Christian earlier in the season put the Saints on the road in the opening round of the postseason and their run ended in a 54-34 loss at Dove Creek. Strong QB play should be in the cards for Vail Christian with the return of junior Asher Morris, who threw for 1697 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only one interception. He was also the leading rusher for the Saints with 585 yards, and he’s the only one on the roster who went for triple digits last year. The top six receivers are gone, leaving no one with more than one catch last year. No defensive stats were available.

WEST GRAND MUSTANGS (8-2 OVERALL, 4-1 LEAGUE)

The win over Vail Christian gave West Grand its first league title since 2018, but a loss to Plateau Valley in the regular season finale was the beginning of the end for the team. The Mustangs hosted Sedgwick County in the opening round of the playoffs, and fell to the Cougars 56-26 in a rematch of the 2017 title game. Blake Terryberry was one of the top QBs in the state as a sophomore, putting up 1852 yards and 29 touchdowns, while also running for 548 yards and 11 scores. He gets his backfield mate, Evan Crandall (782 yards, 8 TD) back, along with top targets Joe Probst (45/981/15) and Jackson Steinle (29/709/12). Defense could be the calling card for the Mustangs, as they return their top 11 tacklers. Steinle (90) and Crandall (83) are tops.

PLAINS

AKRON RAMS (6-4 OVERALL, 3-2 LEAGUE)

Following a 28-20 loss to Byers in the opener, Akron put things together and won five of its next six to position itself in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Rams would lose two of their next three games, including a 60-12 decision to Lyons in the opening round of the postseason. Akron’s running game looks really strong with the return of Anderson Filla (1565 yards, 24 TD) and Jakzon Livesay (265 yards, 3 TD), plus the addition of Jace Curtis from Merino. Curtis ran for 488 yards and six touchdowns for the other set of Rams in the league, and was also their top receiver with a 40/582/5 line. The passing attack may take some time to come together, as Filla is the only one on the roster to complete a pass last year. He completed exactly one for eight yards. Filla leads the defense with 112 tackles last year. Marek Charney tallied 73; Caleb Poss and Livesay, 57 apiece; Tucker Stahn, 41; and Curtis had 82 for Merino.

DAYSPRING CHRISTIAN EAGLES (2-7 OVERALL, 1-4 LEAGUE)

Dayspring Christian had its run of four straight seasons with a .500 record or better snapped last year, as the Eagles fell to 2-7. They began with a three-game losing streak, and after getting their first win, another three-game slide sealed the losing mark for the campaign. The Eagles bring back more experience on defense than offense, with seven of their top nine tacklers back. Logan Clark leads the unit after recording 74 stops a year ago. Jackson Polk (59), AJ Soucie (47), and Max Krehbiel (42) were also in the top five last season. Peyton Coleman nearly had a 1000-yard season at QB, and was also third in rushing with another 229 yards. Clark comes in as the top runner, having put together 317 yards last season.

HAXTUN FIGHTIN’ BULLDOGS (11-2 OVERALL, 4-1 LEAGUE)

Defense stood tall for the Fightin’ Bulldogs last year, with the unit throwing four straight shutouts at one point. The Plains title would come down to the regular season finale against Merino. Haxtun came up short, 22-16, in another contest dominated by both defenses. They allowed a total of 20 points in their first three playoff games, but the Fightin’ Bulldogs were on the wrong end of a 44-0 score in the championship game against Mancos. Five players had at least 90 tackles last year, and three return. Grant Statz (108) was second last year, followed by Zach Statz (98) who was fourth, and Ryland Wolff (92). Wolff picked off five passes and broke up 13 more. Wolff also stood out on offense, leading the team with 1259 yards and 19 TD through the air, and 1211 yards with 20 scores on the ground. G. Statz (925 yards, 11 TD) and Z. Statz (530 yards, 4 TD) added more than 1400 yards together.

MERINO RAMS (6-5 OVERALL, 4-1 LEAGUE)

Talk about being a model of consistency, Merino extended its streak of .500 or better finishes to 10 consecutive seasons. The last time the Rams failed to win as many as they lost was 2013. That streak looked to be in danger early, as a three-game slide left the Rams sitting 1-3 after the non-conference slate. Merino won five of its next six, including the tight victory over McClave in the opening round of the postseason, but the Rams were knocked out in the quarters by Simla, 37-14. As noted earlier, the Rams lost Jace Curtis, who was a big contributor on both units, to transfer, but Merino returns a ton of production. Coen Schmidt led them with 1545 yards and 11 scores in the passing game, and 1226 yards and 14 TD on the ground. Jacob Frank (211) and Zavier Trenkle (108) both had more than 100 yards rushing. Frank, Talon Ryles, and Josiah Mackintosh were all big factors as receivers. Schmidt and Frank tied for the lead in tackles with 97 apiece, and Mackintosh was third with 85.

SEDGWICK COUNTY COUGARS (6-5 OVERALL, 3-2 LEAGUE)

After a rare losing season in 2022, the Cougars bounced back last year. The win over Merino had them in the mix for a league title, but that was followed by consecutive losses to Akron and Haxtun. Still, Sedgwick County made the postseason and picked up a win over West Grand before bowing out in the quarterfinals against Mancos. Jaxon Carlson cemented himself at QB with 870 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also leading the Cougars in the running game with 947 yards and 15 TD. Brady Mollendor (854 yards, 10 TD) and Owen Harris (394 yards, 2 TD) make it the top three coming back. Those three are also the top three returning tacklers, but the Cougars will also be bolstered on that side of the ball with juniors Tate Renquist and Lucas Harris back on the field.

SIX COUNTY

CROWLEY COUNTY CHARGERS (4-5 OVERALL, 3-2 LEAGUE)

For the first time since 2008, Crowley County ended the season with a sub-.500 mark, missing the postseason. The Chargers began the year with three straight losses, and a defeat by Fowler in the league opener had them sitting 1-4. They won the next three to even their mark and have a shot at extending their run, but the Chargers lost their finale to Walsenburg. Keegan Halloran gives them a 1000-yard runner coming back to lead the rushing attack, while Anthoni Walter and Derreck Buford provide targets in the passing game. Defensively, Halloran’s 104 tackles were more than double the production of anyone else on the team last year. Donaven Bell led the unit with four sacks.

CUSTER COUNTY BOBCATS (3-6 OVERALL, 0-5 LEAGUE)

The Bobcats were flying high with three wins out of the gate last year, but they would finish the season by losing their final six contests. After a tough 8-6 loss to Dolores Huerta, Custer County allowed a season-high 84 points to Hoehne in the finale. The Bobcats did not share any stats last season. Participation numbers could be a problem, with only 14 listed on their initial roster according to MaxPreps.

FOWLER GRIZZLIES (5-5 OVERALL, 5-0 LEAGUE)

Last season got off to a very bumpy start for the Grizzlies, as they went 0-4 in non-league play. The silver lining was that three of the four were decided by 14 or less. Once the Six County slate started, Fowler found its stride, winning five straight, including three by shutout. The league title got them into the postseason, where the winning streak was snapped in the opening round by Mancos. Cael True (232 yards, 2 TD) is the top returning runner, and he’s also the top receiver coming back after a junior season that saw a line of 36/553/5. Brock True was right on his heels with 34/448/3. Those two combined for more than 150 tackles, adding to the return of Dominic Armijo, who was second on the team last year with 99.

HOEHNE FARMERS (4-5 OVERALL, 2-3 LEAGUE)

After winning the Spring 2021 title, Hoehne suffered its third straight losing season last year. Losses in the first two contests were followed by three straight wins, but the Farmers could not keep that momentum going, as they dropped their next four. The good news for the Farmers is that they return almost everyone. Jake Magninat and Bobby Terry both threw for more than 400 yards, Levon Bachicha ran for more than 1200 yards, and Nathan Zamora led the team with 18 catches and 457 yards. Jayson Guzzo had 107 tackles to lead the defense as a sophomore.

SANGRE DE CRISTO THUNDERBIRDS (6-MAN 3-7 OVERALL, 0-5 SOUTHWEST)

Sangre de Cristo spent the last cycle in 6-man, winning a total of five games. The Thunderbirds have not finished above .500 since 2016 and will be looking to put an end to that streak this fall. They were 2-1 early last year, but dropped five straight, and six of the last seven. No stats were provided last year, but a quick look at the roster shows that the Thunderbirds could have the size up front to compete in eight-man, with four players over 200 pounds, but depth could be a concern, with only 12 on the initial roster.

WALSENBURG PANTHERS (6-3 OVERALL, 4-1 LEAGUE)

Just two years removed from a winless campaign, Walsenburg saw its win total grow from four in 2022 to six last year. The Panthers were in the hunt for a league crown, but the loss to Fowler dropped them to second in the standing. An early season loss to Wiley likely kept them out of the postseason. Giovanni Aldretti could be asked to carry a heavy workload, after the Panthers lost dual threat QB Elton Chavez to graduation. Aldretti ran for 562 yards and five scores last season and he’ll get help from sophomores Taylor Torres and Xavier Lopez, who were both around 150 yards last year. Logan Tenorio (97), Aldretti (80), and Dante Pino (76) give Walsenburg three of last year’s top four defenders back.