EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK NINE
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
With just two weekends of regular season football left in eight-man, a couple divisions are still up for grabs. Those may not be decided until next weekend. One potential division winner (Fowler) currently hold the final play-off spot, but the Grizzlies won’t face Six County co-leader Crowley County until the final weekend of the season. The Chargers sit 23rd in the current CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.
THURSDAY
#6 MANCOS (5-2) AT #11 NORWOOD (5-2)
Last week… Michael Resner threw for 153 yards and a touchdown, but Mancos allowed close to 400 yards to Sanford in the running game and fell 42-14. James Potts caught the TD from Resner, and Jonah Ritter ran for one. Brycen Rummel had 183 passing yards and two touchdowns for Norwood in the 58-12 win by the Mavericks over Sargent. Owen Tackett went for 122 yards and two TD in the ground attack. Tackett, Holten McCluer, and Porter Black all picked off a pass in the win. McCluer took his back for a touchdown.
Series history… Norwood had won eight straight in the series, but Mancos has won the last six and only trails by two. Ritter ran for 109 yards and a TD in last year’s 46-16 win by the Bluejays. Cole Bray caught two touchdown passes for the Mavs.
FRIDAY
#1 AKRON (7-0) VS #7 SEDGWICK COUNTY (4-2)
Last week… Trailing 8-0 entering the fourth quarter, Akron scored twice to snare a 14-8 win at Dayspring Christian and take sole possession of the lead in the Plains division. Jace Curtis scored the tying touchdown on the ground, and then made his way through traffic for the winning TD on a pass from Kolten Randel. Randel threw for 138 yards and that touchdown. Jakzon Livesay led the Rams with 16 tackles and two forced fumbles. Tucker Webb recorded 2.5 sacks. Sedgwick County rolled Merino 52-6 to remain in contention for the league title. The Cougars piled up more than 400 rushing yards, with Owen Harris going for 163 with three touchdowns, and Brady Mollendor adding 152 yards and three scores. Cameron Smith led the defense with three sacks.
Series history… Akron’s won four straight, but still trails 7-9. In last year’s 28-6 win, Curtis threw for 69 yards and a TD with Randel out because of an injury. Livesay scored a rushing TD.
#3 MCCLAVE (7-0) VS HOLLY (1-6)
Last week… McClave took a big step towards claiming the Ark Valley title with a 52-24 victory at Las Animas. Drew Howe went for 162 through the air with two TD passes, and the sophomore added 94 yards and three scores on the ground for the Cardinals. Mason Barr also had 94 rushing yards, and he caught a touchdown, as did Ryan Steinbrunn and Tuff Kelley. Barr and Steinbrunn both snagged an interception. Holly allowed close to 500 yards of offense to Springfield in a 58-20 loss. The Wildcats gave up eight rushing touchdowns.
Series history… McClave has won the last two meetings, but Holly still owns a 12-8 lead over the Cardinals. The Cards led 56-12 at halftime of last year’s 64-18 victory. Barr racked up 137 yards and a TD on the ground, and added one receiving touchdown, while Steinbrunn and Kelley also caught a touchdown pass apiece. Drayden McCray and Jessie Pizarro both rushed for 81 yards for the Wildcats, with McCray scoring on a run and Pizarro returning a kick for a score.
#5 SANFORD (6-1) VS DOLORES (4-2)
Last week… Sanford took sole possession of first place in the Mountain division with a 42-14 win over Mancos. Trason Gartrell amassed 227 yards and three touchdowns in the running game, and he also threw a TD to Kaden Cary. JD Faucette and Huntley Duran rushed for a touchdown apiece. Colton Reynolds and Colter Canty both had an interception for the Mustangs on defense. Dolores suffered its second league loss, dropping a heartbreaker to Dove Creek, 20-12. The Bears turned it over four times, three times on fumbles.
Series history… Sanford is 5-0 head-to-head with the Bears, including wins each of the last three years. Last season, the Mustangs earned a 51-17 victory, with Gartrell rushing for 140 yards and passing for 131. He had a hand in four touchdowns, three through the air. Michael Rantz caught eight passes for the Bears, covering 87 yards. One of the grabs was for a TD.
#8 BYERS (6-1) AT CALHAN (4-4)
Last week… Byers took over sole possession for the lead in the Black Forest with a 36-24 victory over Elbert. James Maes threw for 140 yards and two scores, one apiece to George Wyatt Earl and Caleb Eastwood. Earl added a rushing touchdown, and Benjamin McPherson scored twice on the ground. Earl led the defense with 20 tackles and an interception. Calhan stayed hot on offense, posting a 72-0 win over South Park. In their last two games, the Bulldogs have scored a total of 158 points. Brody Burnside ran for two scores and threw for three more last week. Calhan also got two return touchdowns, a pick-six by Burnside and a scoop-and-score by Brock Burnside.
Series history… Byers grabbed a 62-6 win last year, giving it an 11-6 lead in the battle of Bulldogs. McPherson shared the team lead for Byers with five tackles. Calhan was limited to 48 yards of offense.
SATURDAY
#2 HAXTUN (6-1) AT #4 DAYSPRING CHRISTIAN (6-2)
Last week… Haxtun had a bye following its week seven loss to Akron. The Fightin’ Bulldogs got 125 yards and two rushing touchdowns from Zach Statz in that defeat. Dayspring Christian suffered a tough 14-8 loss to Akron, with the Eagles allowing two fourth quarter scores. Hawkins Flanagan rushed for 105 yards and the lone touchdown for the Eagles. Elijah Martin racked up 22 tackles, and Jackson Polk added 16. Polk picked off a pass.
Series history… The Fightin’ Bulldogs have won five straight and maintain a 12-9 lead in the MaxPreps era. They’ve posted back-to-back shutouts, winning 48-0 two years ago, and 62-0 last season. Haxtun rushed for 441 yards in that most recent meeting, 113 by Statz and 102 by Coleman Firme. Martin paced DCA with 17 tackles.
#9 CLEAR CREEK (7-0) AT JUSTICE (2-5)
Last week… Clear Creek remained unbeaten in Central division play with a 52-6 win over Lyons. Jacob Young completed 11 of 12 passes for 242 yards and four TD, with Merrell Harvey catching two, and Donovan Miller and Nathan Guerrero each snagging one. Skyler Clark added two rushing touchdowns. Guerrero led the defense with 14 tackles. Justice was handed a 60-32 loss by Front Range Christian. The Phoenix allowed more than 500 yards of offense to the Falcons, 300 of it rushing. Justice also tossed four interceptions.
Series history… Clear Creek won last year’s meeting 65-6, behind 177 yards and four TD passes from Young. Harvey caught one of them.
#10 ELBERT (6-2) VS #14 SIMLA (4-3)
Last week… Elbert ran 78 plays in last week’s 36-24 loss to Byers, 44 of them passes. Ethan Tesman threw for 196 yards and a TD, and also ran for 139 yards and two scores. Eli Cornell caught 12 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for a score. Simla outscored St. Mary’s 54-38, with Ethan Guy throwing for 296 yards and four touchdowns. Three went to Tatum Kochera. Guy also had two rushing TD. Ethan Kissam ran for one and caught another.
Series history… Last year’s 54-6 win by Simla was the fifth in a row by the Bear Cubs, and 11th in the last 14 meetings. Kissam ran for one touchdown and Kochera caught one. The Bulldogs were held to 140 yards of offense.
OTHER KEY GAMES
#16 FOWLER (4-3) AT WALSENBURG (1-6)
#23 CROWLEY COUNTY (4-3) VS SANGRE DE CRISTO (4-3)
If Fowler and Crowley County both win, next week’s contest between the two is for the Six County crown.
#17 SPRINGFIELD (5-2) AT SWINK (0-7)
A win by Springfield makes next week’s clash with McClave an Ark Valley league championship game.
MileHigh Prep Report 