SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK THREE by Kerry Sherman

SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK THREE

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

As the regular season reaches week three, all 14 teams in the latest MHPR Coaches and Media poll are in action, giving us a full slate to break down. That includes three match-ups featuring two ranked opponents.

FRIDAY

#1 IDALIA (2-0) AT CHEYLIN, KS (0-1)

Last week…Idalia led Hanover 44-0 at the half and finished off the Hornets 58-0. Gabe Kechter touched the ball four times on offense and scored three touchdowns. He was one of six Wolves to catch a TD pass, joining Carson Helling, Hunter Drullinger, Grady Lengel, Kolby Morris, and Jaasiel Estrada. All five of Broderick Kite’s passes went for scores, and Beckett Kite also had one. Cheylin lost its opener to Wheatland-Grinnell 40-37.

Series history… Idalia leads 1-0, collecting a 77-19 win last year. Kechter ran for 209 yards and four TD on nine carries, and Broderick Kite threw for two scores.

#2 STRATTON (2-0) AT #14 CALICHE (1-1)

Last week… Drew Fox ran for 130 yards and three scores, and Judson Isenbart added two rushing touchdowns in Stratton’s 52-6 win at Genoa-Hugo/Karval. Von Isenbart returned a punt for a scored, and Ryan May and Phillip Hornung each blocked a punt. Caliche led Peetz 7-6 after one, but the Buffs were outscored 20-0 in the second and could not recover, eventually falling by a 41-21 count.

Series history… These two had quite a bit of history in eight-man, but this is just the third meeting in six-man. Stratton won 52-14 last year in the regular season, and 59-13 in the state quarterfinals. V. Isenbart threw two touchdowns in each meeting, and also intercepted a pass in both.

#3 CHEYENNE WELLS (1-1) AT #11 WALSH (2-0)

Last week… The Tigers played a bit of bully ball against Wiley, with Trey Scheler going for 133 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, and Trevin Smith adding 100 yards in the 52-0 victory. Mason Marriott hit on six of eight passes for 106 yards and three TD, two to Corey Hill and the other to Scheler. The Tigers picked off three passes and recovered two fumbles. Walsh had a shutout going in the fourth against Mountain Valley, before the Wolves got on the board. The Eagles improved to 2-0 with the 44-7 victory.

Series history… Cheyenne Wells holds a 9-3 edge with both programs playing six-man, with all of the wins coming in a current streak. It was a 64-6 win for the Tigers last year, with Cheyenne Wells racking up 324 rushing yards. A Hudson Gourley to Samuel Wright TD pass accounted for all of Walsh’s scoring.

#4 OTIS (2-0) VS #7 ARICKAREE/WOODLIN (2-1)

Last week… Otis picked up an impressive 58-38 win at home over the defending Kansas state champion, Weskan. Cambric Klinzmann ran for 220 yards and three touchdowns, and also had a receiving TD. Austin Wright had a monstrous game for Arickaree/Woodlin in a 45-6 win over Prairie, running for 359 yards and five touchdowns. He also had five sacks, while Jorge Ramos picked up two. Keith Page and Jaxson Cordell recorded an interception apiece, and Ramos recovered a pair of fumbles.

Series history… Otis holds a slim 10-8 advantage in recent match-ups, including two straight. The Bulldogs raced to a 69-12 win last year, holding the Bison to just 30 yards rushing, and 126 total offense.

#5 EADS (3-0) VS WILEY (1-1)

Last week… Eads had its lowest scoring output of the season in a 78-6 win at Miami-Yoder. The Eagles had scored 84 and 87 in their first two games. While the offense still put a ton of points on the board, the defense starred, holding the Buffaloes to just 121 yards of offense. Not only did Wiley have issues stopping the run against Cheyenne Wells, but the Panthers turned the ball over five times in the 52-0 loss to the Tigers.

Series history… Last year was the first game between the two in almost 20 years, with Eads taking a 32-12 win in Wiley’s first season of six-man. Adyn Hough threw three touchdowns for the Eagles, with Karsten Buller and Shaine Winder each catching one. Grant Mauch hit on 10 of 14 passes for Wiley, gaining 105 yards in the process.

#6 GRANADA (2-0) AT CHERAW (0-3)

Last week… Angelo Martinez tossed five touchdowns, two to Alejandro Perez, while Fernando Cadena and Sebastian Pizarro each ran for one and caught one, and Granada rolled past #12 Branson/Kim 47-7. Cadena finished with 101 yards on the ground, and Pizarro added 93. Pizarro topped the Bobcat defense with 15 tackles, including two sacks. Cheraw’s rough start to the season continued, as the Wolverines were defeated 24-8 by Flagler. The defense recovered a pair of fumbles, and held the Panthers to 44 passing yards, but allowed 200 rushing.

Series history… With last year’s 44-30 victory, Granada is 7-0 against Cheraw. Pizarro led the defense with 14 tackles and a fumble recovery, while William Ledbetter (54) and Jacob Herman (45) combined for 99 rushing yards to pace the Wolverines.

#8 PEETZ (2-0) VS WELDON VALLEY (1-1)

Last week… Conner Schumacher ran for three scores and caught another from Logan Vallier as Peetz beat Caliche 41-21. Vallier finished with two passing touchdowns, the other to Tanner Wood. Schumacher put together a 16 tackle performance on defense. Patrick Moreno and Parker Reker helped that unit with an interception apiece. Weldon Valley topped 50 points for the second time in as many games, but could not stop the run defensively in a 71-55 loss to Briggsdale. The Warriors gave up more than 500 yards and eight touchdowns to the Briggsdale rushing attack.

Series history… Peetz leads 19-2 in the MaxPreps era, including the last 13 straight. The Bulldogs ran for 264 yards and four scores in last year’s 75-26 victory. August Filter threw for a Weldon Valley TD ad also ran for one.

#9 SIERRA GRANDE (2-1) VS KIOWA (1-1)

Last week… The Panthers posted their third game with at least 50 points this season, as they overcame a 25-19 halftime deficit at Deer Trail in a 53-38 win. Jadyn Martinez ran for three touchdowns and threw for three more, one each to Jeremiah Lopez, Joell DeHerrera, and Warren Kirk. Kiowa got into the win column by eking out a 22-19 win at La Veta.

Series history… Last year was the first meeting between the two and was won by Sierra Grande, 63-18. Martinez and Rolando Najera combined for 225 receiving yards, and each caught three touchdowns. James Brewer tossed two TD passes for Kiowa.

#13 FLAGLER (2-0) AT WAUNETA-PALISADE, NE (2-0)

Last week… Keegan Isenbart ran for 115 yards and a TD, and also had one through the air in Flagler’s 24-8 win over Cheraw. Cody Homm rushed for one score, and Brayden Hill was on the receiving end of the Isenbart touchdown pass. Homm stacked up 14 tackles and a fumble recover to lead the Panther defense. Wauneta-Palisade piled up 241 rushing yards, 137 by Kreyton Wiese, in a 34-6 win over Fleming. Wiese scored three rushing touchdowns. David Bryner recorded 14 tackles, 12 solo, for the Broncos.

Series history… This is the first-ever meeting between the programs.

SATURDAY

#10 FLEMING (0-2) AT NORTH PARK (0-2)

Last week… Fleming couldn’t get much going in the 34-6 loss at Wauneta-Palisade, as the Wildcats were held scoreless into the fourth. They could only muster 65 yards on the ground, 37 by Jaron Monroe, and 109 through the air. Treyson Kirkwood accounted for the lone score by the Wildcats, tossing a short TD to Mason Mollohan. Conner Marchant was flying all over the place on defense, racking up 21 tackles, and Dylan Monroe made a pick. North Park had the week off following a 56-0 loss to Caliche in week one.

Series history… Fleming has won seven straight and 12 of 13 in this Clash of Wildcats in the North division. Marchant had 12 tackles, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble, and a blocked punt for Fleming in a 46-13 victory. Levi Telck had 13 tackles for North Park.

#12 BRANSON/KIM (1-1) VS COTOPAXI (0-2)

Last week… Cooper Winter threw for 111 yards and a TD, with Will Doherty catching four balls for 88 yards and that touchdown, but the Bearcats could not do much else on defense in their 47-7 loss to Granada. They were held to 69 yards rushing, 36 by Winter and 29 by Doherty. Those two posted 14 tackles apiece. Cotopaxi hung tough against Bethune, but came up short, falling 40-26.

Series history… Branson/Kim has won four straight and holds a 4-1 lead. The Bearcats won 54-8 last year, with the defense picking off four passes. David Gamez collected two of them, returning one for a TD.