SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – SEMIFINALS by Kerry Sherman

SIX-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – SEMIFINALS

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Outside of one upset in the opening round, chalk has held in the six-man playoffs, with all four of the top four seeds fighting in the semifinal round. The round gives us a showdown between two unbeatens, as well as the latest installment of a rivalry that is a rematch of the season-opener. The remaining teams are working to earn a spot in next Friday’s state finals, which is currently slated to be played at CSU-Pueblo. Both of this weekend’s games are scheduled for 1pm kicks, and will be played at the higher-ranked team’s home site.

#1 IDALIA (12-0) VS #4 PEETZ (11-0)

Last week…For the seventh time this season, the Wolves held an opponent to one score of less, as they beat #8 Sierra Grande 56-7. Idalia led 26-0 after one, and 48-0 at the half.

The Wolves ran for close to 300 yards in the win, with Gabe Kechter racing for 125 of them on 13 carries. The junior also scored three touchdowns on the ground. Kolby Morris added 70 yards and two touchdowns on four carries, and Broderick Kite tacked on 50 yards to go with 40 through the air. He tossed a pair of touchdowns, both going to Hunter Drullinger. Carson Helling went 3-3 passing, going for 33 yards. Kechter and Hunter Drullinger tied for the team-lead with eight tackles. Helling, K. Morris, and Jace Morris all had five tackles apiece. J. Morris had a pair of sacks in his tally.

Peetz had to work to the wire to remain undefeated and stay in the postseason field, as the Bulldogs trailed #5 Otis 30-24 in the final minute, when Dylan Wagner went in from two yards out to tie it up. The PAT gave Peetz the lead and the defense closed out the 31-30 decision.

Wagner ran for 93 yards and two scores to lead the offense, and he completed four of eight passes for 36 yards and a TD. Conner Schumacher tallied 74 rushing yards, and Ryder Bayne tossed a TD pass Patrick Moreno and Logan Vallier grabbed a TD reception apiece. Wagner and Parker Reker recorded  nine tackles apiece to lead the Bulldogs, and Wagner blocked a kick. Schumacher and Tanner Wood added seven tackles each, while Bayne tallied a sack.

Series history…The series is tied at three wins apiece in the MaxPreps era, with one of the match-ups coming in the postseason. Idalia won in the opening round back in 2008. The Wolves took a 64-12 win in last year’s regular season finale. Kechter went for just over 100 yards and scored three touchdowns on the ground, while Kite threw two TD for Idalia. Wagner reached the end zone for the Bulldogs on a scoop-and-score and also tossed a TD pass.

#2 STRATTON (10-2) VS #3 CHEYENNE WELLS (10-1)

Last week… Stratton pushed its winning streak to seven by avenging an earlier loss to #7 Caliche, winning 70-32. The Eagles led 30-16 at the half, but then scored three times in the third to pull away.

Drew Fox went crazy in the ground attack, running for 259 yards and seven touchdowns on 23 carries. Von Isenbart added a pair of touchdown passes, both going to Judson Isenbart. Gavin Ruhs was a tackling machine, leading the Eagles with 17 stops. Fox followed with 15, and Grady Steerman tacked on 14. J. Isenbart was also in double figures, recording 10, while V. Isenbart added nine. Austin Weickum had an interception. V. Isenbart recovered two fumbles, and Haxden Mills pounced on one.

Speaking of winning streaks, Cheyenne Wells ran its to 10 with its 70-21 victory at #11 Branson/Kim. The Tigers have not lost since the season-opener at Stratton.

Mason Marriott tossed three touchdowns, one apiece to Corey Hill, Daryon Campbell, and Kooper Brossman, and Trey Scheler ran for two more scores and 135 yards for the Tigers. Caden Muth added 88 yards and a TD on the ground, and Trevin Smith went for 86 yards and a score. Defensively, Cheyenne Wells recorded five takeaways, four on interceptions. Three went back to the barn, as Hill, Scheler, and Brossman all scored on pick-sixes. Brossman had another interception, and Marriott recovered a fumble. Scheler and Kelby Leonard had seven tackles apiece to lead the unit.

Series history… Stratton owns a 9-7 lead since 2014, when the Eagles dropped to six-man. Seven of the meetings have come in the postseason, where the Eagles have a 4-3 edge. Two of the wins by the Tigers have come in title games, including last year. As noted above, this is a rematch of the season-opener, won by Stratton 50-22. V. Isenbart threw for three touchdowns and Fox ran for three. Smith led the Tigers with two on the ground and one of a receiver. Hill did not play in the game for Cheyenne Wells. This is the last scheduled meeting between the two, as Stratton is slated to move back up to eight-man next season.