SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK FOUR by Kerry Sherman

SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK FOUR

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Nine of the top-10 teams in this week’s MHPR Coaches and Media poll are in action during week four, and two of the games on tap are between ranked teams. Games get started on Thursday with one of those ranked clashes.

THURSDAY

#3 STRATTON (2-1) AT #10 ARICKAREE/WOODLIN (2-2)

Last week… Stratton had troubles converting good field position into points, as the Eagles were upset by Caliche, 34-24. The Eagles gave up 13 points in the final 90 seconds. Arickaree/Woodlin had its own close loss last week, as they were handed a 36-28 loss in East Central play by Otis. Austin Wright ran for 166 yards and three touchdowns, and added a TD pass to Jorge Ramos, who caught four passes for 75 yards.

Series history… Stratton leads 9-2, with the wins all coming in an active streak. Last year, Stratton jumped out to a 46-0 first quarter lead and ran away with a 54-14 victory. Von Isenbart completed all three of his pass attempts, all going for touchdowns. Ramos led the Bison with 72 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

FRIDAY

#1 IDALIA (3-0) VS WALSH (2-1)

Last week… Idalia racked up more than 350 rushing yards, 175 coming from Gabe Kechter, in a 75-30 win at Cheylin, KS. Kechter scored three times. Broderick Kite added 88 yards and two scores, plus a passing TD to Carson Helling, and Bode Monahan tacked on 78 yards and a touchdown. Monahan returned a kick for a touchdown, and Kechter and Hayden Drullinger both notched pick-sixes. Walsh’s defense allowed 263 yards and seven touchdowns to the Cheyenne Wells running attack. The Eagles also gave up a touchdown through the air in the 63-12 loss.

Series history… Idalia leads 1-0, with the previous meeting coming in the 2023 playoffs. The Wolves won 32-22, with Kechter running for 133 yards and two scores. Samuel Wright was the only current Eagle to record a stat in that contest, picking up one tackle.

#2 OTIS (3-0) AT GENOA-HUGO/KARVAL (1-1)

Last week… Otis took a slim 30-28 lead into the fourth quarter against Arickaree/Woodlin and sealed the victory with a touchdown in the final quarter to make it 36-28. Cambric Klinzmann topped the century mark on the ground with 108 yards, and also racked up 14 tackles to spearhead the Bulldog defense. Malakye Reese added 13 tackles, and Emiliano Varela picked off a pass. Genoa-Hugo/Karval had the week off following a 52-6 loss to Stratton in week two.

Series history… Otis leads 7-0, with the Bulldogs collecting a 66-7 win last year. Six different Bulldogs scored on the ground, led by Mitchell Stivers, who took two in to paydirt. Austin Hornung threw for two TD. Ryker Lockhart had a passing touchdown for the Pirates.

#4 CHEYENNE WELLS (2-1) VS CHERAW (0-4)

Last week… Trevin Smith ran for 85 yards and three touchdowns on four carries against Walsh, and Caden Muth added two rushing scores. Trey Scheler ran for one and caught another in the 63-12 victory. Mason Marriott aided the defensive effort with an interception. Cheraw gave up close to 400 yards of offense to Granada in a 61-24 loss to the Bobcats. The Wolverines also lost four fumbles.

Series history… Cheyenne Wells has won eight straight and leads 9-1. Scheler ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns in a 66-0 win by the Tigers last year. Rhett Dutton led the Wolverines with 94 passing yards.

#5 GRANADA (3-0) VS #6 EADS (4-0)

Last week… Sebastian Pizarro ran for 130 yards and four touchdowns, and Angelo Martinez threw for 137 yards and four more scores in Granada’s 61-24 win over Cheraw. Wyatt Pete recovered a pair of fumbles, while Adam Hainer and Alejandro Perez each pounced on one. Karsten Buller just missed the century mark, finishing with 99 yards and three TD in a 52-0 Eads victory over Wiley. Anthony Paez added 78 yards and two scores. The Eagles defense recorded five takeaways, including two fumble recoveries by Paez and two Adyn Hough interceptions.

Series history… Granada has won the last two meetings, and eight of the last nine. Fernando Cadena rushed for 98 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s 40-14 win. Hough had a TD pass for the Eagles.

#7 PEETZ (3-0) AT BRIGGSDALE (1-2)

Last week… Five different Bulldogs had at least 40 rushing yards in the 70-12 Peetz win over Weldon Valley. Dylan Wagner led the way with 125 yards and two touchdowns. Tanner Wood and Conner Schumacher also had two rushing touchdowns. The Bulldogs forced eight turnovers, five fumbles and three interceptions. Scot Francis ran for more than 150 yards and two scores, but Briggsdale couldn’t overcome three turnovers in a 51-13 loss to Prairie.

Series history… Briggsdale had won five straight before a 51-45 Peetz victory last year. Wood ran for two scores and caught another for the Bulldogs, while Francis had three passing touchdowns in the loss. Peetz has won 13 of the last 22 overall against the Falcons.

#8 CALICHE (2-1) AT WILEY (1-2)

Last week… After returning the opening kick for a touchdown, Caliche had to come from behind three times to upset Stratton 34-24. The last of those comebacks came with under 90 seconds to play and gave the Buffs their first win in three tries against the Eagles in six-man. Between allowing more than 350 yards of offense, and turning the ball over five times, Wiley hurt itself in a 52-0 loss to Eads.

Series history… Last year was the first meeting between the two in six-man, with Caliche eking out a 33-30 victory. Avery Bell led the Buffs with 21 tackles and an interception, while Grant Mauch threw three touchdowns for Wiley. Mauch also had a scoop-and-score on defense.