EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW – WEEK SEVEN
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
The week seven slate in 8-man is highlighted by a pair of ranked vs ranked match-ups, one in the Plains and the other in the Black Forest. League play is most divisions moves into its second week, meaning there are several pairings that will send someone tumbling down the standings. The rankings in this preview are from Thursday morning’s release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.
FRIDAY
#1 AKRON (5-0, 0-0 PLAINS) AT #6 HAXTUN (5-1, 1-0 PLAINS) 7:30PM
Last week… Akron had the week off following its 36-8 non-league win at Dayspring Christian. Kolten Randel threw a pair of TDs in the win, one each to Jace Curtis and Caleb Poss, and Anderson Filla ran for 196 yards and two scores. Curtis also went for more than 100 on the ground. Haxtun dropped the hammer early against Merino, building a 52-6 halftime lead en route to a 70-6 decision. Grant Statz (128/4) and Zach Statz (101/1) both went for more than 100 yards rushing, with five touchdowns between them. Colin Cone added a kick return TD to his rushing score.
Series history… Akron leads 8-6, but all of Haxtun’s wins are part of a current streak. The Fightin’ Bulldogs earned a 44-0 shutout last year.
#4 DOVE CREEK (4-1, 0-1 MOUNTAIN) VS NORWOOD (2-3, 0-1 MOUNTAIN) 7PM
Last week… Dove Creek gave up more points in the 48-0 loss to #3 Mancos than the Bulldogs had allowed in the four prior games, combined. The Bulldogs were held to 84 yards of offense, 51 on the ground. Teagan Larimore caught three passes for 33 yards, and Nicholas Aragon had an interception for the defense. Norwood dropped its league opener at Sanford, 20-13, getting touchdowns from Owen Tackett (rushing) and Cole Bray (receiving). Coulter Shumway contributed on defense with a sack and a fumble recovery.
Series history… The Mavericks own a 12-7 advantage in the MaxPreps era (2004-current), but Dove Creek has won the last two contests. They have not played since 2021.
#5 WEST GRAND (6-0, 3-0 NORTHWEST) VS SOROCO (0-5, 0-2 NORTHWEST) 7PM
Last week… Blake Terryberry ran for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw a pair of interceptions in West Grand’s 24-14 win at Rangely. Ryan Van Oosten (13) and Jackson Steinle (11) combined for 24 tackles, and each had a fumble recovery. Joe Probst picked off two passes. Soroco was held to one score for the third straight game, with the Rams falling 52-8 to #15 Vail Christian.
Series history… West Grand has won all 16 meetings in the MaxPreps era. The Mustangs have six shutouts in the last eight contests.
#7 SIMLA (4-1, 1-0 BLACK FOREST) AT #8 BYERS (5-0, 1-0 BLACK FOREST) 7:30PM
Last week… Simla had its run game cranked up in a 50-14 win over Calhan. Wyatt Stanko went for 136 of the Cubs’ 348 on the ground, and put four into the end zone. He also had a receiving TD from Caston Cox. Landon Vach gave the Cubs a score on a 69-yard kick return. Byers came back from its bye and did not miss a stride, blasting South Park 78-0. Kaleb Willoughby and Gabe Price had 94 rushing yards apiece and three touchdowns between them. Two of those were by Price. Cody Harris had three of the nine sacks by the defense, and AJ Engle returned a pair of kicks for scores.
Series history… Prior to the latest round of realignment, these new conference foes had not met in the MaxPreps era.
#9 SPRINGFIELD (4-1, 1-0 ARK VALLEY) AT HOLLY (3-2, 1-0 ARK VALLEY) 7PM
Last week… Colby Batterton found the end zone five times in his 14 carries and piled up 220 yards in Springfield’s 54-32 win at Rocky Ford. Wyatt Cohoon had a game-high 14 tackles, while Gunnar Mackey and Jett Konkel added seven apiece. Devin Eaton ran for one score and tossed two more to Drayden McCray in Holly’s 24-20 win over Las Animas. Tristan Cathcart was one of three Wildcats with double digits tackles, leading with 13. Eaton and Coy King added 12 each.
Series history… Holly has won five in a row and seven of the last eight to grab a 10-9 edge since 2004,
#10 ELBERT (3-2, 1-0 BLACK FOREST) AT SOUTH PARK (2-3, 0-1 BLACK FOREST) 7PM
Last week… Ethan Tesman and Matt Dooley put the Bulldogs on their backs in a 56-22 win over St. Mary’s to open league play. Tesman ran for 183 yards and four touchdowns, while Dooley added 126 yards and two scores. They were the only two to carry the ball. Kaleb Morano led the defense with 13 tackles. Not much went right for the Burros in their 78-0 loss to Byers. The offense was held to negative yardage and committed five turnovers. Gavin Street had a team-high eight tackles, while the duo of Gavin Fabel (forced fumble) and Kyle Basnett (fumble recovery) created the lone takeaway for South Park.
Series history… Elbert has won four straight and five of the six meetings overall.
SATURDAY
#2 MCCLAVE (5-0, 1-0 ARK VALLEY) VS LAS ANIMAS (3-2, 0-1 ARK VALLEY) 3PM
Last week… Tuff Kelley caught two scoring passes from Ethan Bronniman, covering 88 total yards, and McClave rolled to a 55-0 win at Swink. Ryan Steinbrunn had a pair of rushing touchdowns, while Bronniman and Mason Barr had one each. The Cardinals also got pick-sixes from Bronniman and Zack Owens. Orion Martinez rushed for 181 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough for Las Animas to get over the hump in the 24-20 loss at Holly. Nicholas Duran caught a TD from Braydon Ortiz, who also had one on the ground.
Series history… McClave owns all nine wins in the series, five by shutout.
#3 MANCOS (4-1, 2-0 MOUNTAIN) AT #11 VAIL CHRISTIAN (4-1, 2-1 NORTHWEST) 1PM
Last week… Brandon Vannest ran for three scores and threw two more in the Bluejays’ 48-0 win over Dove Creek. Kaiden Wyatt caught one and ran for one, and Michael Resner had the other TD reception. Jacob Martin recorded three sacks and a fumble recovery. Vail Christian had one of its best, if not the best, defensive efforts of the season in the 52-8 victory over Soroco. It was the fewest points the Saints had allowed in their first five games.
Series history… First meeting in the MaxPreps era.
OTHER KEY CONTESTS
Clear Creek at Belleview Christian (Friday) Winner stays atop the Central standings.
Sargent at Sanford (Friday) Winner keeps a share of Mountain lead.
MileHigh Prep Report 