SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK NINE
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
It’s the penultimate week of the regular season in six-man football and the postseason field is all but set. Hanover, a league champion, occupies the 16th spot in the Selection and Seeding Index, and the Hornets are guaranteed a spot in the bracket. Deer Trail, #17 in the metric, would have to jump to 15th, vaulting Branson/Kim in the process, to steal a berth, and the gap between the two looks to be too significant for that to happen. Heading into the weekend, all division champions have been crowned.
THURSDAY
#1 IDALIA (8-0) VS #11 FLEMING (4-4)
Last week… Idalia was tied at 12-apiece with Otis after one quarter, and then the Wolves exploded for the final 44 points to officially claim the East Central title, 56-12. Broderick Kite threw two touchdown passes, one to Hunter Drullinger and the other to Gabe Kechter, and Kechter rushed for 240 yards and three scores to lead the Wolves. Carson Helling stood out on defense, racking up 11 tackles, five for loss (one sack), and recovering a fumble. Jace Morris blocked a pair of extra point kicks. Treyson Kirkwood had a big night for Fleming in a 78-33 win over Briggsdale, tossing five TD passes. Three of those went to Pierson Japp, and the other two to Dylon Monroe. Monroe also had three rushing touchdowns and 144 yards. Conner Marchant led the defense with 10 tackles, while Jaron Monroe (nine) and D. Monroe (eight) combined for 17.
Series history… Idalia leads the recent history 8-7, with wins in the last two years. Last season, it was a 77-22 decision for the Wolves. Kechter ran for 277 yards and six TD for Idalia, wile Kirkwood threw for two scores to pace the Wildcats.
FRIDAY
#2 STRATTON (6-2) AT #12 PRAIRIE (4-4)
Last week… Von Isenbart completed all three of his passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns for Stratton, who beat Eads 66-30. Gavin Ruhs hauled in two passes for 130 yards and two scores, and Drew Fox ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Grady Steerman led the defense with 13 tackles, including a sack, and V. Isenbart and Judson Isenbart both had a pick-six. Brennan Bringelson and Derek Dollerschell each had a receiving TD for Prairie, but the Mustangs came up short in their upset bid, falling to Peetz 27-12. Four Mustang defenders finished with double digit tackles, led by Bringelson with 15. Wyatt Walker added 11, while Tyler Troudt and Tatum Bailey tallied 10 apiece.
Series history… Stratton leads 6-0, including a 61-14 victory last season. J. Isenbart rushed for 142 yards and two scores, and V. Isenbart picked off two passes, returning both for touchdowns.
#4 CHEYENNE WELLS (6-1) AT #16 HANOVER (5-3)
Last week… Cheyenne Wells locked up the Southeast division championship with a 52-0 shutout of Granada. Trey Scheler tallied 108 yards and four touchdowns on the ground to lead the Tigers. Corey Hill caught a TD pass from Mason Marriott to help out. Defensively, Scheler racked up 11 tackles, and he and Kelby Leonard both recovered a fumble. Hanover had its five game winning streak snapped in a 62-26 loss to Walsh. The Hornets gave up more than 300 yards and seven touchdowns through the air.
Series history… Cheyenne Wells has won three in a row and leads 3-1. The Tigers got a 62-18 win last year, with Scheler scoring three rushing touchdowns and catching another. Leonard had a scoop-and-score for the Tigers. Nolan Sweazy had a pick-six for the Hornets.
#7 CALICHE (6-2) VS BRIGGSDALE (2-5)
Last week… The Buffs collected their second straight shutout, blanking La Veta 57-0. They led 33-0 after one, and 45-0 at the half. Defensively, Caliche picked two passes and recovered a pair of fumbles. Briggsdale gave up more than 400 yards of offense, nearly 300 on the ground, in its 78-33 loss to Fleming.
Series history… Caliche won 35-34 last year in the first meeting between the two sides. Zachary Yost had 11 tackles for the Buffs, while Scot Francis had four receptions for the Falcons.
#8 SIERRA GRANDE (7-1) VS LA VETA (2-5)
Last week… Sierra Grande put the clamps on the Southwest division title with a 54-6 win over Cotopaxi. Jadyn Martinez went over 1000 yards passing and 1000 yards rushing on the season. La Veta couldn’t get much going in its 57-0 loss to Caliche, as the Redhawks were held to 120 yards of offense. Marcelo Lofgren had 69 of it on the ground. He also had a reception for eight yards.
Series history… Sierra Grande got a 56-14 win last year, and the Panthers have won five of the last six to take a 7-6 lead. Martinez caught six passes, four of them touchdowns for Sierra Grande. David Roel tossed a TD pass for La Veta.
#9 WALSH (4-4) VS CHERAW (1-8)
Last week… Hudson Gourley threw for 293 yards and seven touchdowns, as Walsh raced past Hanover 62-26. Woodrow Wright and Grady Mundell had two receiving scores apiece, while Samuel Wright, Beau Foster, and Maddox Gourley had one each. M. Gourley led the Eagles with 15 tackles and a fumble recovery. Cheraw was outscored by Deer Trail 67-37. Colton Bruna and William Ledbetter both rushed for two touchdowns, and Samuel Goheen caught one from Rhett Dutton. Ledbetter and Goheen had an interception apiece.
Series history… Cheraw took a 6-5 lead with last year’s 52-0 decision. It was the fifth win in the last six meetings for the Wolverines. Ledbetter ran for 178 yards and three scores to lead the way.
SATURDAY
#3 PEETZ (8-0) VS #6 OTIS (6-2)
Last week… Peetz secured the North division title with last week’s 27-12 win over Prairie. Tanner Wood, Dylan Wagner, and Conner Schumacher each had a rushing TD. Wagner also took a kick-off to the house for another score. Mitchell Stivers and Cambric Klinzmann each reached paydirt once for Otis in its 56-12 loss to Idalia. Emiliano Varela caught four passes from Austin Hornung, covering 81 yards. Klinzmann paced the defense with 17 tackles, and Tristen Stivers added 10.
Series history… Wins in the last two years by Otis have the series between the two teams of Bulldogs tied at five wins apiece. Otis took a 58-12 win last year, with M. Stivers scoring on all three of his rushing attempts. Parker Reker had 10 tackles and a fumble recovery for Peetz.
BYE WEEK
#5 EADS
#10 GRANADA
MileHigh Prep Report 