8-Man League Predictions (Ark Valley, Black Forest, Central League)

8-Man League Predictions (Ark Valley, Black Forest, Central League)

We kick off our League Predictions by starting with 8-Man Football.  I will be doing 8-Man and 6-Man different than 1A and 2A because Kerry Sherman will have a full Season Preview out next week!  I am splitting 8-Man into two articles.  Good Luck to all teams this season.

Ark Valley League

1. McClave

2. Springfield

3. Las Animas

4. Holly

5. Rocky Ford

6. Swink

The Ark Valley League had two teams qualify for the playoffs last season and are hopeful to increase that number this season.  McClave is my pick to win the Ark Valley League.  McClave returns the core of their team.  Key leadership returns with Mason Barr, Tuff Kelley, Jr Mungaray, and Ryan Steinbrunn.  The offensive line for McClave will also be a key strength and this team should be a team to watch for a deep playoff run.  Springfield is my pick to finish in second in the Ark Valley.  Springfield made the playoffs last season and return key pieces to try and reach it again.  The offensive & defensive line for Springfield will be a huge strength but key pieces are missing at the skill position.  RB Gunnar Mackey and WR Slayde Cohoon could fill those holes.  Defensively Springfield will have a top unit led by Wyatt Cohoon and Jett Konkel.  Las Animas is my pick to finish 3^rd.  Las Animas found success last year going 5-4 and this year they will look for a playoff berth.  Las Animas has some holes on the offensive line and that is a key concern.  Las Animas does return key pieces at QB in Braydon Ortiz & RB Orion Martinez.  Defensively Orion Martinez lead that unit but look for Logan Servaes & Scott Banister to step up this year.  Holly is my pick for 4^th and my dark horse pick to make a run for the playoffs.  Holly lost some key leadership from last year’s team and will turn to some new players to step up this season.  Drayden McCray & Jessie Pizarro could be some of those players on offense.  Defensively, Holly returns their leading tackler in Coy King, but other players will have to step up around him look for Brandon Pecina & Dryvor Hatcher to do just that.  Rocky Ford is my pick to finish in 5^th.  Rocky Ford played their first season of 8-Man last season and will look to improve this year.  Rocky Ford will be searching for a new QB but return key pieces at RB in Oscar Ramirez and WR in Shayne Gonzales.  Defensively, Rocky Ford returns their leader in Cayson Vandyk but also look for Xavier Preciado & Elias Munson to step up this year.  Wrapping up the Ark Valley is Swink.  Swink went 0-9 last season, and they will be looking to rebuild this year.  Swink will be looking for some new players makers like Kyler Lagergren and Ryker White to step up this season. 

My predictions for the Ark Valley League

League Champion: McClave

Playoff Contenders: McClave, Springfield, Las Animas, Holly

Dark Horse: Holly

Preseason Player of the League: Mason Barr Sr. McClave

Others to watch for: Jr Mungaray Sr. McClave, Ryan Steinbrunn So. McClave, Tuff Kelley Jr. McClave, Wyatt Cohoon Sr. Springfield, Gunnar Mackey Sr. Springfield, Slayde Cohoon Sr. Springfield, Jett Konkel Sr. Springfield, Braydon Ortiz Jr. Las Animas, Orion Martinez Sr. Las Animas, Logan Servaes Las Animas, Coy King Jr. Holly, Jessie Pizarro Sr. Holly, Drayden McCray Jr. Holly, Oscar Ramirez Rocky Ford, Cayson Vandyk Sr. Rocky Ford, Kyler Lagergren Sr. Swink

Black Forest

1. St. Mary’s

2. Simla

3. Calhan

4. Elbert

5. Byers

6. South Park

The Black Forest League had two teams make the playoffs last season.  The Black Forest League could be very competitive this season with 5 teams hoping for a playoff run.  St. Mary’s is my pick to win the Black Forest League.  St. Mary’s returns a very talented team from a season ago including key leadership on both sides of the ball.  QB Michael Trechter is back to lead the offense and defense.  WR Lance Mathews & WR Jackson Beam both returned to help offensively.  Defensively, St. Mary’s will look for some other players to step up possibly Ethan Alvarez & Russell Shirola.  Simla is my pick to finish in 2^nd.  Simla was hit hard by graduation losing a good senior class.  Simla will be looking for the next group to step up this season.  Offensively Simla will turn to Evan Guy, Ethan Kissam, and Tatum Kocerha to lead this year.  Defensively, Tatum Kocerha is back to be a leader but also look for Taylor Kissam and Nathaniel Cauthon to step up this year.  Calhan is my pick to finish in 3^rd and is my dark horse pick to push for the league title.  Calhan returns their entire roster from last season, but can they put everything together to get over the hump.  Calhan will bring back RB Riley Cochran, RB Jeremy Billington, and QB Bryson Mosher.  All three must have improved since last season.  Defensively Calhan will be led by Brock Burnside and Jeremy Billington.  Calhan has all the pieces, but can a new head coach get them to play at the top.  Elbert is my pick to finish in 4^th.  Elbert brings back a lot of talent from a season ago but still has some big holes to fill, mainly on defense.  Elbert defensively lost some key leadership but brings back Kaleb Morano & Jeremiah Lachausse to lead the defense.  Offensively, Elbert brings back QB Ethan Tesman and WR Eli Cornell, but more weapons must step up this season.  Byers is my pick to finish in 5^th.  Byers made the playoffs last season but lost a talented senior class that powered them to that run.  Byers will be looking for new faces on both sides of the ball to step up this year.  Offensively, Byers will have to replace their QB, top RB, and top two WR.  Some new faces for Byers to step up this year will be RB Gabe Price, WR Quincy Eacret, and QB James Maes.  Defensively, Byers will return some key pieces, but leadership lost will have to be replaced.  Jack Earl and Krayton Ebert could be some names to watch on defense this year.  South Park rounds out the Black Forest League.  South Park went 2-7 last season and forfeit the final two games of the season.  They will be looking to rebuild their program.  South Park has solid pieces back in QB Niko Eaton and WR Michael Valenzuela.  South Park will look to keep building and play a full season this year. 

My predictions for the Black Forest League

League Champion: St. Mary’s

Playoff Contenders: St. Mary’s, Simla, Elbert, Byers, Calhan

Dark Horse: Calhan

Preseason Player of the League: Michael Trechter Sr. St. Mary’s

Others to watch for: Jackson Beam Sr. St. Mary’s, Lance Mathews Sr. St. Mary’s, Tatum Kocerha Jr. Simla, Ethan Kissam So. Simla, Ethan Tesman Sr. Elbert, Eli Cornell Sr. Elbert, Kaleb Morano Sr. Elbert, Jack Earl Sr. Byers, Gabe Price Jr. Byers, Quincy Eacret Sr. Byers, Jeremy Billington Sr. Calhan, Brock Burnside Jr. Calhan, Riley Cochran Sr. Calhan, Niko Easton Jr. South Park

Central League

1. Clear Creek

2. Gilpin County

3. Lyons

4. Belleview Christian

5. Front Range Christian

6. Justice

The Central League had just one team to make the playoffs last season.  The Central League most years is not the toughest league but this year they are hoping to get 2 or 3 teams into the playoffs.  Clear Creek is my pick to win the Central League.  Clear Creek made the playoffs last season and will look to build on that experience.  Clear Creek lost a talented senior class losing key pieces on both sides of the ball.  Clear Creek defensively will have some retooling to do as they lose their top 4 tacklers.  Clear Creek will turn to Nathan Guerrero, Titus Easter, and Merrell Harvey to step up this year.  Offensively, Clear Creek returns QB Jacob Young, and his leadership will be key to a young skill position group.  Gilpin County is my pick to finish in 2^nd.  Gilpin County went 6-3 but had a few losses derail their hopes at the playoffs last season.  Gilpin County is poised to push for the playoffs this season.  Gilpin County returns QB Vincent Schoell, RB Mason Sechler, and WR Landon Church.  These three are key for Gilpin County to have a big season.  Defensively Landon Church is back to be a leader, but he will look to Justin Johnson and Ben Bushey to take big steps forward this season.  Lyons is my pick to finish in 3^rd.  Lyons started playing well towards the end of last season and will look to build upon that this year.  Lyons offensively will be loaded returning QB Calvin Russell, RB Aiden Fitgerald, and WR Liam Bonner.  Defensively, Lyons has the most question marks returning just 3 of their top 10 tacklers.  Lyons does return a leader in top tackler Grady Pickering.  Pickering along with Landon Romero will have to lead a very young defensive unit.  Belleview Christian is my pick to finish in 4^th.  Belleview Christian lost some key pieces offensively but should have a tough defensive unit this year.  Belleview Christian offensively will have to replace their QB and top RB from last season.  Belleview Christian will look for players like Kaine Horton, Daniel Canda, and WR Matthew Simonds to take big steps forward this year.  Defensively Belleview Christian returns 7 of their top 10 tacklers and this unit will be key for Belleview Christian success.  Matthew Simonds, Tobin Galaty, and Daniel Canda are the leaders of the defense.  Front Range Christian is my pick for 5^th.  Front Range Christian went 4-5 last season, and they lose a very talented senior class taking their QB, top RB, and top WR.  New playmakers must step up this season and look for QB Lawson Edwards, RB Corbin Rounds, and WR Cruz Mullins to be some of those players.  Defensively Front Range Christian has some talent back returning 5 of their top 10 tacklers from last season.  Brody Mullins and Haedan Morton must step up as leaders this season.  Justice rounds out the Central League.  Justice went 0-9 last season but were competitive in some games.  Justice will look to build again this year and be competitive this season. 

My predictions for the Central League

League Champion: Clear Creek

Playoff Contenders: Clear Creek, Gilpin County, Lyons

Dark Horse: Belleview Christian

Preseason Player of the League: Jacob Young Sr. Clear Creek

Others to watch for: Merrell Jr. Clear Creek, Nathan Guerrero Sr. Clear Creek, Vincent Schoell Sr. Gilpin County, Landon Church Sr. Gilpin County, Mason Sechler Sr. Gilpin County, Calvin Russell Jr. Lyons, Aiden Fitgerald Jr. Lyons, Grady Pickering Sr. Lyons, Matthew Simonds Sr. Belleview Christian, Daniel Canda Jr. Belleview Christian, Brody Mullins Sr. Front Range Christian, Haedan Morton Sr. Front Range Christian