SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK ONE by Kerry Sherman

SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK ONE

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

There were two games on the slate in Zero Week, with Arickaree/Woodlin and Eads both getting wins. Those two meet this week, but that contest isn’t even the headliner, as the schedule features a state championship game rematch. Cheyenne Wells travels to Stratton, as the programs meet for the fifth time in the last three seasons. We take a look at those two games, as well as all of the others involving teams currently ranked in the MHPR Coaches and Media Poll.

THURSDAY

#2 IDALIA (0-0) AT PRAIRIE (0-0)

Last year… Idalia opened the season with a 52-8 victory over the Mustangs, getting 151 yards and three TD from Gabe Kechter, who also caught a touchdown pass from Broderick Kite. Kite hit on seven of nine attempts for 120 yards and two scoring passes. Riar Holloway caught at 12-yard TD pass from Derek Dollerschell for Prairie’s lone touchdown in the loss. The two teams would meet up again in the opening round of the postseason, where Kechter ran for 220 yards and five scores in Idalia’s 67-18 victory.

Series history… Idalia has won five of the last seven meetings, including three in a row.

#5 ARICKAREE/WOODLIN (1-0) VS #8 EADS (1-0)

Last week… Austin Wright rushed for 131 yards and three touchdowns for the Bison, and Jorge Ramos added 122 yards and three scores in the ground game, as Arickaree/Woodlin beat Cheraw 57-6. Wright led the defense with 20 tackles, including two sacks, while Ramos recorded 13 tackles. Daniel Goff had three sacks in his 11 tackle total. Eads held a slim 24-21 halftime lead over #9 Sierra Grande, before scoring 60 second half points. The Eagles ran away with an 84-54 victory.

Last year… Wright had a hand in five touchdowns for the Bison, including three passing and two rushing, in a 35-13 victory. Ramos was on the receiving end of one scoring toss. Ramos led all tacklers with 15, and Wright added 13, with a pair of sacks. Adyn Hough had two TD passes for Eads, who was held to 110 total yards in the loss.

Series history… Arickaree/Woodlin holds a 3-2 lead.

#13 PEETZ (0-0) AT POTTER-DIX, NE (0-0)

Last year… Potter-Dix ran wild in a 62-43 victory, amassing more than 400 yards and six touchdowns. Dylan Tabor rushed for 243 yards and four TD, and also threw for three more scores to lead the Coyotes. Conner Schumacher paced Peetz with four rushing touchdowns and one receiving TD. Dylan Wagner and Logan Vallier threw for one touchdown apiece.

Series history… Last year was the first meeting between the two during the MaxPreps era.

FRIDAY

#1 CHEYENNE WELLS (0-0) AT #3 STRATTON (0-0)

Last year… Trey Scheler ran for 168 yards and three touchdowns, and caught three passes for 100 yards and two more scores in Cheyenne Wells’ 53-40 win over the Eagles to open last season. He also had a game-high 17 tackles, while Kelby Leonard added 10 for the Tigers. Von Isenbart threw for 187 yards and four touchdowns, two to Gavin Ruhs, and Isenbart paced the Stratton defense with 11 tackles and an interception.

Scheler again proved to be too much for the Eagles to handle in the state title game, as the now-senior ran for 214 yards and three touchdowns, and also caught a pair of touchdown passes in the 50-27 win. Scheler (18) and Leonard (12) combined for 30 tackles. V. Isenbart ran for one score and threw for another before leaving the game with an injury at the end of the third quarter. Nolan Notter racked up 10 tackles for the Eagles’ defense.

Series history… Stratton owns a 13-8 lead, but Cheyenne Wells has won the last two meetings.

#4 OTIS (0-0) VS DEER TRAIL (0-0)

Last year… Otis got off to a hot start, starting the mercy clock with a 48-0 first quarter. The Bulldogs would go on to claim the victory by a 58-6 count. Austin Hornung threw for two scores, while Mitchell Stivers ran for two. Blake Stivers added one on the ground. Chris Manriquez-Bustamante hooked up with Jayden Mingee for the lone Deer Trail touchdown. Mingee caught four passes for 47 yards and the TD.

Series history… Otis has won four straight and five of six.

#6 GRANADA (0-0) AT COTOPAXI (0-0)

Last year… Sebastian Pizarro broke on the scene in a big way for the Bobcats, rushing for 151 yards and three scores in a 67-7 Granada win. Alejandro Perez rushed for two touchdowns, and Fernando Cadena added one more. Cadena also had a pair of fumble recoveries on defense. Jamison Thurston forced a fumble for the Pirates, and Kenny Teter recovered it.

Series history… Granada has won both previous meetings.

#7 FLEMING (0-0) VS LEYTON, NE (0-0)

Last year… Fleming’s defense had trouble containing Alec Watchorn, who led the Warriors with 296 yards of total offense. Watchorn threw for more than 100 yards with two touchdowns, ran for 126 with two more tuds, and added another TD as a receiver. Leyton won the game 42-14. Treyson Kirkwood threw for both of Fleming’s touchdowns, one to Pierson Japp and the other to Dane Cunningham. Japp added a pair of fumble recoveries on defense.

Series history… Last year was the first meeting between the teams.

#9 SIERRA GRANDE (0-1) VS #15 CHERAW (0-1)

Last week… Both teams were handed lopsided losses, but flashed reasons to be optimistic. Sierra Grande only trailed Eads by three at the half, with Jadyn Martinez throwing two long touchdown passes in the half. The Panthers would go on to lose by an 84-54 count. Cheraw showed the ability to maintain long drives, taking more than half of the first quarter off the clock on the opening series against Arickaree/Woodlin. However, the turnover bug stopped several of those possession in the 57-6 defeat.

Last year… Sierra Grande got 11 catches for 238 yards and three touchdowns from Martinez in a 46-34 win over the Wolverines on the road. Martinez led all defenders with 14 tackles in the victory. Rhett Dutton threw for two touchdowns, and William Ledbetter ran for two, powering the Cheraw offense.

Series history… The Panthers lead 2-1, with wins in the last two meetings.

#10 BRANSON/KIM (0-0) AT KIOWA (0-0)

Last year… Will Doherty had a pair of rushing touchdowns, while Cameron Rosas and Cooper Winter each had one passing, and Branson/Kim beat the Indians 55-7. David Gamez and Acoya Bartlett helped the Bearcat defense with an interception apiece. John White had 15 tackles, nine solo, for Kiowa, leading all defenders.

Series history… Last year was the first meeting between the teams.

#12 HANOVER (0-0) AT FLAGLER (0-0)

Last year… The ground attack was solid for the Hornets in last year’s 62-7 win over Flagler, as they piled up more than 300 yards and eight touchdowns in that phase. John Griffin had two of those touchdown runs. Tanner Lindsey add a 37-yard TD reception, as well. Keegan Isenbart accounted for the lone Panther touchdown, reaching paydirt on the ground. He finished with 49 yards on eight carries.

Series history… Hanover has won both previous meetings.

#14 PRIMERO (0-0) AT WALSH (0-0)

Last year… Primero used a balanced attack to beat Walsh 73-31 last year, with the Bulldogs throwing for six scores and running for five. Gabe Sintas hauled in five of the aerial touchdowns, finishing with five catches and 128 yards. Ralsten LePlatt had the other receiving TD for the Bulldogs. Hudson Gourley threw for 234 yards and four touchdowns, one to Samuel Wright, who also had a rushing touchdown for the Eagles.

Series history… Walsh had won the six previous meetings before losing last year.

SATURDAY

#11 CALICHE (0-0) AT NORTH PARK (0-0)

Last year… Caliche got its first six-man win by beating the Wildcats 36-6, with a 17-0 advantage in the third quarter providing most of the separation. Avery Bell threw for 151 yards and a TD, and also led the Buffs with 11 tackles. Zachary Yost added six stops for Caliche. Curtis Hopkins (8) and Aiden Pittington (7) combined for 15 tackles for North Park.

Series history… Last year was the first meeting between the two teams in six-man.