EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW – WEEK ONE
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
A few teams broke the seal on the new season last week, but the rush to Pueblo and the state title game begins in earnest this weekend. Two games were played on Thursday night, with #2 Simla using six takeaways to ease past Hoehne 40-12 on the road, and Clear Creek taking a 48-6 victory over South Park. We use the MileHigh Prep Report Media/Coaches rankings for this preview, until enough data is available for the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index later in the season. Here is our look at the games involving top-10 teams, and other contests that caught our eye.
FRIDAY
#3 MANCOS BLUEJAYS VS MELROSE (NM) BUFFALOES (1-0) 4PM
Who we’re watching… The defending state champs return a nice trio of Evan Woody, Brandon Vannest, and Kaiden Wyatt, who will lead the Bluejays on both sides of the ball. Wyatt led the team with 19 catches last year and was second on the defense with 93 tackles. Woody is the top returning passer and runner, and Vannest does a bit of everything. Melrose won the New Mexico crown last year and last weekend, the Buffaloes took down preseason #1 Haxtun 44-36. Josiah Roybal threw for 224 yards and three scores, Jaxon Odom accounted for 366 yards of offense with three touchdowns, and Melrose outscored the Fightin’ Bulldogs 20-0 in the second half to get the win.
Series history… Tied 2-2. Mancos has won the last two meetings, 46-8 in 2022 and 58-28 last year.
#4 BYERS BULLDOGS VS ROCKY FORD MELONEERS 7PM
Who we’re watching… The Bulldogs bring back a ton of talent, including Chase Long (1564 passing, 22 TD), Kaleb Willoughby (1674 rushing, 25 TD), and AJ Engle (38/800/14 TD) on offense. Willoughby was also a standout on defense, racking up a team-high 95 tackles. It’s Rocky Ford’s first game in eight-man and the return of Isaiah Gallegos-Valdez (558 passing, 200 rushing) will help as the Meloneers look to put a winless 2023 campaign behind them. Shayne Gonzales led the team with 16 catches, 193 yards, and four TD last year. Cayson VanDyk is also back after posting a team-high 57 tackles last season.
Series history. .. Tied 3-3, with all previous meetings coming in Class 1A 11-man. Byers won the first three, Rocky Ford won the last three.
#5T MERINO RAMS AT CROWLEY COUNTY CHARGERS 7PM
Who we’re watching… Coen Schmidt (1545 passing, 1226 rushing, 97 tackles) is a two-way star for the Rams, but he’s not alone. Jacob Frank tied him for the team-lead with 97 tackles, and Josiah Mackintosh was third with 85. Those two also combined for for 43 receptions and 650 yards. Keegan Halloran went over 1000 yards on the ground for Crowley County as a sophomore and his 104 tackles were also tops on the team. Donaven Bell and Derreck Buford combined for 71 tackles.
Series history… Merino leads 1-0, winning 44-38 in 2022 playoffs. Schmidt threw for 161 yards and rushed for 107 in the win.
#5T AKRON RAMS AT CALHAN BULLDOGS 7PM
Who we’re watching… Anderson Filla led Akron in rushing (1565 yards, 25 TD), receiving (14/213/2), and tackles (112). The Rams added Jace Curtis, who racked up more than 80 tackles for Merino, and return Marek Charney, who brings back more than 70 tackles of his own. Defense may have to carry Calhan in the early portion of the season, as the Bulldogs bring back a top trio in Riley Cochran, Bryson Mosher, and Brock Burnside. The offense was hit hard by graduation and could need some time for everyone to feel comfortable in their roles.
Series history… Akron leads 2-0, last meeting in 2021.
#7 MCCLAVE CARDINALS (1-0) AT ELBERT BULLDOGS (1-0) 7PM
Who we’re watching…Ethan Bronniman threw for 131 yards and two scores, while running for a third TD in McClave’s 30-6 win over #8 Sedgwick County last week. Mason Barr caught one TD and ran for another, and also recorded a team-high 10 tackles. Cope Meston added a TD catch. Elbert opened the season with a 60-18 win over Belleview Christian last week, but did not report any stats. The Bulldogs brought back their top three receivers from last year in Caleb Cornell, Ethan Tesman, and Eli Cornell. They combined for 121 catches, more than 1700 yards, and 17 TD.
Series history… Tied 1-1. McClave won 42-6 in 2018, Elbert won 48-0 the next year.
#9 DOVE CREEK BULLDOGS VS PLATEAU VALLEY COWBOYS 7PM
Who we’re watching… Nicholas Aragon led Dove Creek with 87 tackles last season and he’ll have help coming back in Liam Hassell (61) and Sheldon Gardner (48). The 2022 state champs lost a ton of production from the offense to graduation, so the defense could be the focal point for the Bulldogs. Virgil James Kuper ran for just short of 1100 yards to pace the Cowboys last season and he’s one of three defenders who return with at least 60 tackles. Heston Bevan (63) and Hunter White (61) are the other two.
Series history… Dove Creek leads 15-2 since 2006, including the last five. Last year, the Bulldogs won 52-14.
SATURDAY
#8 SEDGWICK COUNTY COUGARS (0-1) AT CUSTER COUNTY BOBCATS 1:30PM
Who we’re watching… Jaxon Carlson is the most experienced player for the Sedgwick County offense after throwing for close to 900 yards and 11 TD last year. He also racked up 71 tackles and two picks. Brady Mollendor and Tate Renquist are also top two-way players for the Cougars. On a roster full of freshmen and sophomores, junior Ty Stoltzfus anchors both lines for Custer County.
Series history… This is the first meeting in the MaxPreps era (2004-current).
#10 WEST GRAND MUSTANGS VS SANFORD MUSTANGS 5PM
Who we’re watching… It’s hard not to notice the eye-popping numbers that Blake Terryberry puts up for West Grand after throwing for more than 1800 yards, running for close to 600, and finishing third with 55 tackles last year. Joe Probst averaged close to 100 receiving yards a game, and Jackson Steinle, another top receiver, led the defense with 90 tackles. Trason Gartrell led Sanford in passing (452 yards) and rushing (723 yards), while finishing second with 41 tackles. William Malouff returns with 24 tackles and Rylan Mortensen had 18 as a freshman.
Series history… West Grand leads 2-0, last meeting was in 2017.
OTHER GAMES OF NOTE
Lyons Lions at Walsenburg Panthers 7pm Friday
Dayspring Christian Eagles at Denver Christian Thunder 7pm Friday
Swink Lions at Fowler Grizzlies 7pm Friday
MileHigh Prep Report 