SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – QUARTERFINALS
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Chalk nearly held in the opening round of the six-man playoffs, with only one lower seed pulling off an upset. The quarterfinal round will see three rematches of regular season games, with Otis and Peetz getting the round started on Friday. Among Saturday’s games are the repeat performances for Cheyenne Wells and Branson/Kim, and Caliche and Stratton. All games are listed in bracket order.
#1 IDALIA (11-0) VS #8 SIERRA GRANDE (10-1) SATURDAY NOON
Last week… Idalia raced to a 65-6 opening round win over #16 Hanover, with Gabe Kechter running for 142 yards and four touchdowns on just six carries. Kolby Morris added two rushing touchdowns, and Broderick Kite tallied one. Carson Helling tossed a 27-yard TD to Hunter Drullinger, and Beckett Kite completed a pair of passes to Trace Wieser for 60 yards. Kechter paced the defense with nine tackles, and Bode Monahan added six.
Jadyn Martinez threw for 112 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for 106 yards and four more scores in Sierra Grande’s 62-19 win over #9 Granada. Rolando Najera caught four passes for 107 yards and three touchdowns, and Sammy Gonzalez snared a TD catch. Martinez and Najera had eight tackles apiece to lead the Panther defense, and Jeremiah Lopez tacked on seven. The defense forced four turnovers, two interceptions and two fumbles.
Series history… This will be the first meeting between the two programs in the MaxPreps era.
#4 PEETZ (10-0) VS #5 OTIS (8-3) FRIDAY 7PM
Last week… Peetz had no trouble dispatching #13 Arickaree/Woodlin in the opening round, with the Bulldogs collecting a 44-0 shutout. It was the second win of the season over the Bison, following a 50-20 decision in the regular season. Dylan Wagner picked up 124 yards on the ground, with three touchdowns, and he threw for 78 yards and a touchdown. Logan Vallier, who threw a TD to Conner Schumacher, was on the receiving end of the scoring toss from Wagner. Schumacher added 91 yards and a TD on the ground, and Tanner Wood also reached paydirt. Parker Reker led the defensive effort with 13 tackles, one more than Korbin Segelke.
Otis saw Fleming score the first and last touchdowns of the game, but the Bulldogs scored 56 points in between to grab the 56-16 opening round victory. The Bulldogs did all of their damage on the ground, with Cambric Klinzmann going for 200 yards and three touchdowns, and Mitchell Stivers adding 156 yards and four scores. Klinzmann spearheaded the defense with 16 tackles, and Austin Hornung picked off two passes.
Previous meeting… These two squads of Bulldogs met three weeks back, with Peetz earning a 37-22 victory. Wood ran for 191 yards to lead Peetz, while Wagner and Schumacher each added 85 yards and two scores in the ground attack. Schumacher completed seven of eight passes for 140 yards and a TD. Wagner’s 14 tackles tied for game-high honors. Stivers had 118 yards and one rushing touchdown for Otis, and Hornung threw for 135 yards and a touchdown, with Klinzmann hauling it in. Klinzmann also scored on an interception return, and matched Wagner with 14 tackles.
#3 CHEYENNE WELLS (9-1) AT #11 BRANSON/KIM (7-3) SATURDAY 1PM
Last week… Cheyenne Wells trailed upset-minded #14 Prairie at halftime, but roared back to claim a 45-16 win to advance to the quarterfinals. Trevin Smith ran for 97 yards and two touchdowns, and Trey Scheler added 84 yards and three scores for the Tigers. Mason Marriott passed for 112 yards and a TD, with Kooper Brossman hauling in two catches for 69 yards and the touchdown. Scheler led a trio of Tiger defenders with double figure tackles, racking up 17. Kelby Leonard and Corey Hill had 11 apiece. Hill added two sacks and an interception. Cheyenne Wells got five takeaways, including a scoop-and-score from Daryon Campbell.
Will Doherty and Acoya Bartlett both topped the century mark on the ground and scored two rushing touchdowns apiece, as Branson/Kim upset #6 Eads 37-28 in the opening round. Doherty went for 153 yards and also threw for 60 and a touchdown, while Bartlett added 133 rushing. Cash Neugebauer caught two passes for 65 yards and a TD. Doherty topped the Bearcats with 12 tackles, and Cooper Winter added 10. Liam Doherty and Blake Olguin had nine stops apiece.
Previous meeting… These two met two weeks ago in the regular season finale, a game in which Cheyenne Wells won 56-0. Scheler ran for 137 yards and five touchdowns on seven carries. Leonard led the Tigers with 10 tackles in the win. The Bearcats were limited to just 92 yards of offense, 68 passing from Winter. W. Doherty had 11 tackles and a pick for the defense.
#2 STRATTON (9-2) VS #7 CALICHE (9-2) SATURDAY 1PM
Last week… Drew Fox led Stratton with 132 yards and two rushing touchdowns, as the Eagles eliminated #15 Flagler 48-8 in the opening round. Gavin Ruhs also had a pair of running scores, while Corbin Notter and Von Isenbart both threw for a TD. Austin Weickum and Judson Isenbart caught one scoring pass apiece, and Grady Steerman ran for one. Haxden Mills recorded 2.5 sacks, while the Isenbarts each added an interception.
With winds howling near 30 mph all day long, Caliche ran out to a 20-0 first quarter lead against #10 Walsh, and the Buffs kept adding to their advantage. They advanced with a 57-24 victory.
Previous meeting… Back in week three, Caliche scored late at home and held on for a 34-24 win, with Zachary Yost running for 178 yards and three touchdowns. Yost also threw for a TD and caught another. Mason Hernandez led the Buffs with 10 tackles. Ruhs caught two touchdowns from V. Isenbart, who also had an interception on defense. J. Isenbart also picked off a pass for the Eagles.
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