EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW – WEEK THREE
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Last week saw McClave pick up a big win in a ranked vs ranked match-up at Merino. This week, the Cardinals are in another one of those clashes, challenging top-ranked Simla. Merino also finds itself in another ranked fight, as the Rams take on the defending champs, Mancos. While those two games are front and center this week, all of the top-ten teams in the MileHigh Prep Report Media/Coaches poll are in action.
FRIDAY
#2 HAXTUN FIGHTIN’ BULLDOGS (1-1) AT SANFORD MUSTANGS (1-1) 7PM
Last week… Haxtun got TD runs from Coleman Firme, Grant Statz, and Zach Statz in a 22-12 win over Wichita County (KS). G. Statz was one of five Fightin’ Bulldogs with double digit tackles, recording a game-high 18. Corbin Andersen and Seth Seger both had 12, while Firme and Brandon Nall each had 10. Sanford got out to a 46-0 first half lead at Swink, and led 52-0 entering the fourth. The Mustangs went on to earn their first win of the season, 52-6.
Series history… Haxtun leads 1-0. Only other meeting was 2022 quarterfinal, 62-14.
#3 BYERS BULLDOGS (2-0) VS CLEAR CREEK (2-0) 7PM
Last week… Byers exploded for a 50-point first quarter on the way to a 68-12 win at Lyons. Chase Long hit on all four pass attempts for 123 yards and two scores, while Kaleb Willoughby ran for 113 yards and three TD. Jack Earl sparked the defense with two sacks and a forced fumble. Logan Ginter rushed for 94 yards and three touchdowns and Nathan Guerrero added two more TD on the ground in Clear Creek’s 60-6 win over Lake County. Ginter also had a punt return touchdown. Anthony Zacharias racked up 14 tackles and one of the Golddiggers’ five sacks.
Series history… Clear Creek leads 3-2, with wins in the last three meetings. The most recent clash was in 2017.
#9 WEST GRAND MUSTANGS (2-0) AT FRONT RANGE CHRISTIAN FALCONS (1-0) 3:30PM
Last week… Blake Terryberry had a hand in all six touchdowns for the Mustangs, running for four and throwing two more. Joe Probst caught eight passes for 113 yards and a score, while Jackson Steinle snagged five passes for 107 yards and a TD. Terryberry registered three sacks to lead the defense. Walker Howell picked off a pair of passes and Probst secured one. The Falcons got their season off with a 58-26 win over Rocky Ford, behind 243 yards and three rushing touchdowns from Gavin Gold. Gold also threw for more than 100 yards with two more scores. Torin Brautigam recorded 15 tackles and Peter Deridder added 13.
Series history… West Grand leads 1-0, winning 68-12 in 2018.
SATURDAY
#1 SIMLA CUBS (2-0) AT #4 MCCLAVE CARDINALS (3-0) 6PM
Last week… With heavy hearts, the Cubs got a 38-7 win over Fowler, with Caston Cox running for 136 yards and three scores, and passing for 138 and two TD. Treven Kochera and Wyatt Stanko each had a receiving TD. Kochera tallied a sack and a pick, while Tatum Kochera also collected an interception. McClave went on the road and pitched a shutout at Merino, 26-0. Zack Owens led the defensive effort with 15 tackles, with Tuff Kelley and Will Pacino both adding 11. Ethan Bronniman, who threw one TD and ran for another, also recorded 10 tackles.
Series history… Simla leads 1-0 in the MaxPreps era (2004-current), taking a 55-14 win last season. Cox threw for three touchdowns and ran for two in the win. Bronniman had a TD pass for the Cardinals.
#5 AKRON RAMS (2-0) AT FOWLER GRIZZLIES (1-1) 1PM
Last week… Anderson Filla scored a pair of touchdowns on just three carries, leading the Rams to a 52-6 win over St. Mary’s. He went for 113 yards, while Jax Kusel tallied 125 yards and a TD. Jace Curtis ran for one score and caught a short TD pass from Kolten Randel. Curtis and Filla also had a pick-six apiece. Fowler turned the ball over twice in the 38-7 loss to Simla, and the defense allowed more than 400 yards of offense to the Cubs.
Series history… Akron leads 8-3, with wins in each of the last three seasons. Ten of the 11 contests have come in 8-man. Last year, the Rams collected a 28-14 win, with Filla running for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Brock True caught 10 passes for 142 yards for the Grizzlies.
#6 MANCOS BLUEJAYS (1-1) VS #8 MERINO RAMS (1-1) 1PM AT SOUTH PARK HS
Last week… Mancos ground out a 26-8 win over #10 Sedgwick County, with Kaiden Wyatt running for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Brandon Vannest churned out 76 yards and a TD on 27 carries, and Jonah Ritter also hit paydirt on the ground. Merino held McClave to less than three yards per run play, but could not finish any drive off with points. The Rams had not been shutout since a 32-0 loss to Sedgwick County in 2020.
Series history… Mancos leads 5-1, winning the last four meetings. Last year, the Bluejays got a 66-14 win, also at South Park HS.
#7 DOVE CREEK BULLDOGS (2-0) AT ESCALANTE, NM LOBOS (1-2) 1PM
Last week… The Bulldogs eked out a 22-20 win over Rangely in OT, with the margin being a two-point conversion in the extra session. Cael Beanland threw on TD and ran for another, with Liam Hassell providing the other touchdown on a punt return. Josh Kibel caught the TD pass from Beanland and also scored the game-winning conversion. Escalante broke a two-game slide to begin the year by blanking Dulce (NM) 56-0. The Lobos had been shutout 54-0 the week before.
Series history… This is the first meeting between the programs in the MaxPreps era.
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