SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK SIX
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
The season has rolled beyond the midway point, and four teams are still undefeated. Six more have only one loss. The top-10 of CHSAA’s latest Selection and Seeding Index will be busy this weekend, as all are in action.
FRIDAY
#1 IDALIA (5-0) VS #15 ARICKAREE/WOODLIN (2-4)
Last week… Gabe Kechter ran for 300 yards and five touchdowns on 11 carries, and freshman Bode Monahan added a rushing TD and a 77-yard kick return for a score in Idalia’s 80-32 romp over Stratton. Broderick Kite rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another, as five different Wolves reached paydirt. Hayden Drullinger racked up a team-high 16 tackles. Austin Wright piled up 255 yards and three touchdowns on the ground against Peetz, but Arickaree/Woodlin dropped its third straight, 50-20. Wright also led the Bison with 11 tackles, two of them sacks, and Keith Page added nine stops.
Series history… Wins in the last two meetings have given the Wolves a 9-8 lead in the recent history of this match-up. Idalia won 12-8 in 2023 and 24-14 last year. Kechter ran for 91 yards and three scores last season, while Wright was limited to just 16 yards.
#2 EADS (6-0) AT CHERAW (1-5)
Last week… Eads got pushed to the limit by #12 Walsh, who led 31-22 at the half, before the Eagles took the lead with a 22-0 third. They would hold on for a 52-44 victory. Shaine Winder ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns, and Karsten Buller added 156 yards and four TD. The duo combined for 31 tackles, 16 by Winder, and recorded a combine three takeaways. Cheraw broke its five-game losing streak with a 62-44 victory over Genoa-Hugo/Karval. William Ledbetter did a bit of everything on offense for the Wolverines, running for 127 yards and two touchdowns, throwing for 76 yards and a TD, and catching two passes for 74 yards and another touchdown. Rhett Dutton had three TD passes, and Colton Bruna caught two.
Series history… Eads leads 16-2, including wins each of the last two years. Winder amassed 233 yards and three touchdowns for the Eagles in a 40-36 victory last season. Ledbetter tallied 166 yards and four scores for Cheraw.
#4 OTIS (5-0) VS BRIGGSDALE (1-3)
Last week… The Bulldogs had few troubles defeating North Park on the road, as they held the Wildcats to 41 rushing yards, and 163 total offense. Otis’ defense picked off two passes and recovered a fumble in the victory. Briggsdale had a bye after falling to Peetz 60-6 the week prior. Koy Gebauer threw a TD to Val Alvarez for the lone Falcon score in that loss.
Series history… Otis has won three straight and seven of the last 12. Mitchell Stivers went for 125 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, and he added a receiving TD. Austin Hornung, who threw for two sores, also had a fumble recovery for the Bulldogs in a 66-0 win. Briggsdale only had 73 yards of offense in the loss.
#6 CALICHE (4-1) VS PRAIRIE (2-3)
Last week… The Buffs rolled Weldon Valley 70-12, after trailing 6-0 early. Caliche reeled off 64 consecutive points before the Warriors found the end zone again. Prairie pushed Fleming to the very end, eventually falling 33-32. The Mustangs held a 32-20 lead late in the third. Brennan Bringelson ran for 131 yards and two scores to lead the Prairie offense. Freshman Tatum Bailey added a pair of touchdown receptions. Bailey tacked on two sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception on defense.
Series history… Caliche is 1-0, winning last year’s meeting 43-22. The Buffs rushed for 324 yards, but none by any player on this year’s squad. Avery Bell led the defense with a dozen tackles. Zachary Yost added an interception. Bringelson caught four passes for 43 yards and a Mustang touchdown.
#8 CHEYENNE WELLS (3-1) AT #11 FLEMING (3-2)
Last week… Cheyenne Wells took its bye week after beating Cheraw 52-16 in week four. Mason Marriott threw a pair of touchdowns to Corey Hill, while Trevin Smith and Trey Scheler both added two rushing touchdowns in that victory. Treyson Kirkwood tossed a pair of touchdowns, one each to Mason Mollohan and Dylon Monroe in Fleming’s 33-32 win over Prairie, helping to hand coach John King his 200th career victory. Monroe also ran for a TD, as did Jaron Monroe and Conner Marchant. Marchant stacked up a game-high 18 tackles and also intercepted two passes.
Series history… Fleming leads 3-0, but the most recent meeting was back in 2018.
#9 SIERRA GRANDE (4-1) AT #16 PRIMERO (4-1)
Last week… Sierra Grande rolled to its fourth straight victory, drubbing Mountain Valley 85-6. Jadyn Martinez completed four passes, all for touchdowns, and also scored twice on the ground. Rolando Najera and Jeremiah Lopez had two receiving touchdowns apiece. The Panthers recorded seven takeaways, including a pair of picks by Martinez, who returned one for a score to go with a scoop-and-score and a punt return for a TD. Primero outscored Kiowa 65-38, with Gabe Sintas throwing four touchdown passes, three to Ralsten LePlatt. LePlatt ran for 162 yards and three more TD, while Kailain Sanford added 127 yards and a touchdown.
Series history…Sierra Grande has won the previous eight meetings, including a 54-44 decision last year. It was the second straight decided by 10 or fewer. The Panthers outscored Primero 16-6 in the fourth quarter to secure the win last season. Najera caught four touchdown passes for Sierra Grande, while Sintas had three for the Bulldogs.
SATURDAY
#3 PEETZ (5-0) AT NORTH PARK (0-4)
Last week… Logan Vallier hit on four of five passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns, both to Tanner Wood, who also had a TD pass to Patrick Moreno in the 50-20 Peetz victory over Arickaree/Woodlin. Dylan Wagner topped the century mark on the ground and had two touchdowns. Wagner made a game-high 20 tackles and picked off a pass. Aiden Pittington threw for 97 yards and a TD for North Park in its 58-6 loss to Otis. Clay Utley was on the receiving end.
Series history… With wins in each of the last two match-ups, Peetz has taken a 7-6 lead. The Bulldogs claimed a 39-18 win last year, with Wagner running for three touchdowns and throwing for another. Vallier added two scores on the ground. Levi Seely had a sack and a forced fumble for the Wildcats, and Wyatt Seely recovered a fumble.
#5 STRATTON (3-2) VS #7 GRANADA (4-1)
Last week… Stratton allowed more than 500 yards to Idalia, 407 on the ground, in last week’s 80-32 loss to the Wolves. Big plays hurt the Eagles, as they allowed four touchdowns of more that 45 yards. Granada bounced back from its first loss of the season to Eads and beat Wiley 47-32. The Bobcats led 27-6 at the half.
Series history… These two had quite a bit of history in 8-man, with the teams meeting four times in the championship game. Stratton won three, while Granada’s lone victory, a 47-46 triple overtime win, is considered by many as one of the best title games in state history. Since both teams became 6-man programs, Stratton has won all seven match-ups.
#10 FLAGLER (4-1) AT GENOA-HUGO/KARVAL (1-3)
Last week… Keegan Isenbart scored four touchdowns, three rushing and one on a kick return, as Flagler shutout Bethune 54-0. Adria Castells converted all six PAT kicks, and also nailed a 25-yard field goal. Cody Homm led the defense with 14 tackles, and JR Kountz tacked on a dozen, including two sacks. Ryker Lockhart threw four touchdowns for Genoa-Hugo/Karval, two to Clint Hale, in the Pirates’ 62-44 loss to Cheraw. Cash Stone added two rushing scores, and Isiah Yoder went for more than 120 yards on the ground. Lockhart led the defense with 16 tackles and two picks.
Series history… These two are tied at four wins apiece, with the Pirates winning the two most recent contests, including a 59-21 decision last season. Lockhart threw six touchdown passes for the Pirates, while Isenbart ran for two to pace Flagler.
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