SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK TWO by Kerry Sherman

SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK TWO

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Weather impacted a good portion of the slate in week one, but all games got played during the weekend. There was a bit of shuffling in this week’s rankings following a wild first full week of action. Stratton knocked off #1 Cheyenne Wells, and Eads made a jump after outscoring Arickaree/Woodlin in what resembled a track meet.  All rankings in this report come from this week’s MHPR Coaches and Media poll.

THURSDAY

#2 STRATTON (1-0) AT GENOA-HUGO/KARVAL (1-0)

Last week… Stratton scored on its first two possession against Cheyenne Wells and never looked back, beating the Tigers 50-22. Von Isenbart tossed three touchdown passes, two to Judson Isenbart, and Drew Fox rushed for 142 yards and three scores to power the offense. Defensively, Fox and Gavin Ruhs led with 14 tackles, while V. Isenbart picked off two passes and forced a fumble. Ryker Lockhart had three TD passes, two to Clint Hale, and Spoke Carr caught one and ran for another, as Genoa-Hugo/Karval downed Briggsdale 25-7. Lockhart added an interception for the Pirate defense.

Series history… Stratton has won the past 10 meetings, including a 54-0 shutout last year. V. Isenbart had a pick-six, a punt return for a touchdown, and also threw a touchdown for the Eagles.

FRIDAY

#1 IDALIA (1-0) VS HANOVER (0-1)

Last week… In a game that saw a lengthy weather delay, Gabe Kechter ran for 255 yards and five touchdowns, and Idalia raced past Prairie 65-14. Hunter Drullinger racked up three sacks, and Edward Keller added two. The Wolves forced a pair of fumbles, one that went for a scoop-and-score by freshman Bode Monahan. Hanover got out to a 20-6 lead at Flagler, but could not hold the lead, as the Panthers rallied for a 42-26 victory. Thomas Griffin ran for three touchdowns, and Edgar Vera-Wences returned a fumble for another score for the Hornets.

Series history… The teams have one victory apiece, with Idalia winning 46-15 last year. Kechter scored three rushing touchdowns for the Wolves in that win.

#4 OTIS (1-0) VS WESKAN, KS (0-0)

Last week… The Bulldogs opened the season with a comfortable 52-12 victory over Deer Trail, and they will host the defending six-man champion from Kansas, Weskan. It will be the season opener for the Coyotes, who return a dynamic duo of Nick Cottrell and Karsyn Wright. Cottrell threw for more than 1700 yards with 30 TD and only one interception, while Wright ran for over 1100 yards and 27 TD.

Series history… First meeting between the programs.

#5 EADS (2-0) AT MIAMI-YODER (0-1)

Last week… Weather forced the game between Eads and Arickaree/Woodlin to be postponed from Thursday to Saturday. It made no difference to the Eagles, who had a big day, beating the Bison 87-48. Eads hit on 10 of 11 PAT kicks in the victory. Miami-Yoder had a rough start to the season, as Wiley had the sportsmanship clock running before the end of the first quarter. The Buffs trailed 48-0 after one and lost 60-6. They turned it over four times, with a fumble being returned, and allowing a kick return for another score.

Series history… Eads leads 5-0, including a 63-19 victory last year. The Eagles took forfeit wins in three of the other four scheduled meetings. Shaine Winder ran for just under 300 yards with seven touchdowns last year.

#6 GRANADA (1-0) VS #10 BRANSON/KIM (1-0)

Last week…Granada’s defense forced four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions) and held Cotopaxi to just 13 yards of offense in a 60-6 victory over the Pirates. The Bobcats erupted for 42 points in the second quarter to get the sportsmanship clock rolling. Branson/Kim’s defense also took a starring role in the team’s 40-0 shutout of Kiowa.

Series history… Granada has won all six meetings with the Bearcats, two of them coming last year. The Bobcats won the regular season match-up 32-0, and then earned a win in the postseason, 44-15.

#7 FLEMING (0-1) AT WAUNETA-PALISADE, NE (1-0)

Last week… Treyson Kirkwood threw a pair of touchdowns to Conner Marchant, who added one on the ground, but it wasn’t enough as Fleming fell to Leyton, NE by a 36-20 count. Marchant finished with 99 rushing yards, and 76 receiving. Pierson Japp led the defense with two fumble recoveries. Kreyton Wiese powered Wauneta-Palisade to a 44-28 win over South Platte, rushing for 237 yards and six touchdowns. He added 101 on kick returns, and also snagged an interception.

Series history… Fleming eked out a 35-33 win at home, with Dane Cunningham recording a key blocked PAT. Cunningham also had a TD catch on a pass from Kirkwood.

#8 SIEERA GRANDE (1-1) AT DEER TRAIL (0-1)

Last week… For the second straight week, Sierra Grande put 50 points on the board, beating Cheraw 50-34. The Panthers are averaging 52 points heading into this week’s match-up with Deer Trail. In the loss to Otis, Chris Manriquez-Bustamante threw a TD to Payden Miller, and Hunter Meredith added a rushing touchdown for the Eagles.

Series history… Sierra Grande won last year’s meeting, the lone one between the programs, 59-7. Jadyn Martinez scored twice for the Panthers, hauling in two TD receptions. He also had 13 tackles to lead all players. Mursal Hussein caught a TD pass from Manriquez-Bustamante, and also recovered a fumble. Jayden Mingee picked off a pass.

#9 ARICKAREE/WOODLIN (1-1) VS PRAIRIE (0-1)

Last week… Austin Wright rushed for 272 yards and five touchdowns in the lopsided loss to Eads. Jorge Ramos added 140 yards and two scores for the Bison. Both had double digit tackles, led by Ramos with 13. Brennan Bringelson and Liam Bringelson each threw a TD, with Dylan Chase catching one, in Prairie’s loss to Idalia. Landon Winjie led the Mustangs with eight tackles.

Series history… Arickaree/Woodlin has won five of the last eight meetings, with the Bison taking a 42-15 victory last year. Wright threw for 152 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 136 yards with one TD to lead the Bison. Wyatt Walker ran for a TD and added a fumble recovery and a blocked kick for Prairie.

#11 CALICHE (1-0) AT #12 PEETZ (1-0)

Last week… Caliche grabbed the early lead in the North division with a 56-0 shutout of North Park. The Buffs forced three turnovers, including a pair of fumbles. Dylan Wagner raced for 160 yards and three scores for Peetz in its 47-20 victory over Potter-Dix (NE). Conner Schumacher tallied 85 yards and two more touchdowns. Korbin Segelke led the Bulldog defense with 12 tackles and two interceptions.

Series history… Caliche edged out Peetz 46-36 on its way to the North title last year. Avery Bell threw two touchdown passes for the Buffs, while Schumacher ran for two for Peetz.

#13 WALSH (1-0) VS MOUNTAIN VALLEY (0-0)

Last week…Hudson Gourley had a day to remember in Walsh’s 65-37 win over Primero, tying a state record with 10 touchdown passes. The game was played at Branson on Saturday after the field at Walsh was hit with a huge deluge of rain. Mountain Valley did not field a team last year.

Series history… Walsh has won two straight and owns a 2-1 lead. The last meeting was in 2023, a 59-6 victory by the Eagles.

SATURDAY

#3 CHEYENNE WELLS (0-1) VS #14 WILEY (1-0)

Last week… Trey Scheler was held to just over 100 yards on 21 carries and was kept out of the end zone. Trevin Smith stepped up and had a big game for the Tigers in their 50-22 loss to Stratton, running for 96 yards and two TD on five carries, and catching three passes for 87 yards and another score. Scheler had a strong defensive outing, tying for game-high honors with 14 tackles. Grant Mauch threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in the 60-6 Wiley victory over Miami-Yoder. Corbyn Williamson added two rushing touchdowns and a kick return TD for the Panthers. Devonte Pizarro recorded three sacks.

Series history… Last year was the first meeting between the teams in six-man, with Cheyenne Wells earning a 64-6 victor. Scheler and Smith had two rushing touchdowns apiece for the Tigers, while a Mauch pass accounted for the lone Wiley score.