MileHigh Prep Report

MileHigh Prep Report Preseason 6-Man Football Rankings

Practice got underway on Monday and we are a few weeks from Scrimmages and Zero week which will feature a few games.  6-Man should be a great year and look for some top teams to remain atop the Rankings.  Good Luck to all teams going into 2026.

6-Man

Rank	Team	Notes
#1	Idalia HS   Defending State Champions	Idalia is your defending State Champions.  Idalia had a fantastic season a year ago running the table plus never giving up more than 8 points in any playoff game.  Idalia will lose 3 seniors from last year’s team but are loaded for another playoff run.  Offensively Idalia returns POY Gabe Kechter, and he will look to build on last season campaign.  Also, returning for Idalia is QB Broderick Kite and RB Kolby Morris.  Defensively, Idalia returns 6 of their top 8 tacklers including 3 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Hunter Drullinger, Bode Monahan, and Gabe Kechter.
#2	Peetz HS Made the Playoffs, lost in the Semifinals	Peetz made it to the Semifinals last season falling to Idalia 52-0 in that game.  Peetz had a fantastic season going 11-1 and they will look to build on that.  Peetz will lose 5 seniors from last years team.  Offensively Peetz returns POY Candidate RB Dylan Wagner, RB Conner Schumacher, and WR Tanner Wood.  Defensively Peetz should also sport a top unit returning 5 of their top 8 tacklers including 3 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Parker Reker, Dylan Wagner, and Conner Schumacher.
#3	Cheyenne Wells HS   Made the Playoffs, lost in the Semifinals	Cheyenne Wells made it to the Semifinals last season, falling to Stratton 28 to 24.  Cheyenne Wells lose 5 seniors who helped capture a state title in 2024.  Cheyenne Wells won’t be rebuilding though as they return plenty of talent to be competitive.  Offensively Cheyenne Wells must find a QB but return key weapons in POY Candidate Trevin Smith and RB Caden Muth.  Defensively Cheyenne Wells returns 6 of their top 8 tacklers including 3 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Kelby Leonard, Kooper Brossman, and Trevin Smith.
#4	Granada HS   Made the playoffs, lost in the first round	Granada made it to the playoffs last season, falling in the first round to Sierra Grande 62 to 19.  Granada has had a young roster for the past two seasons, but this will be a big year for this junior class to take a big step forward.  Granada lost just 2 seniors last year.  Offensively Granada should be explosive returning POY Candidate RB Sebatian Pizarro, along with RB/WR Fernando Cadena, and QB Alejandro Perez.  Defensively Granada should also take a big step forward returning 6 of their top 8 tacklers including 3 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Fernando Cadena, Sebastian Pizarro, and Jesus Perez.
#5	Caliche HS   Made the playoffs, lost in the Quarterfinals	Caliche made it to the playoffs last season falling in the Quarterfinals to Stratton 70 to 32.  Caliche will once again look for another deep playoff run and return the pieces to do it.  Caliche will lose 4 seniors from last year and lose over 2000 yards of total offense.  Don’t look for the offense for Caliche to take a big step back as they do return POY Candidate RB Mason Hernandez, QB Brett Breidenbach, and RB Avery Bell.  Defensively Caliche should have a top unit again returning 6 of their top 8 tacklers including 4 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Mason Hernandez, Cooper Rockwell, and Tayten Gerk.
#6	Fleming HS     Made the Playoffs, lost in the first round	Fleming made the playoffs last season falling in the first round to Otis 56 to 16.  Fleming will look to build off last season’s success and return nearly their entire roster losing just 2 seniors from last season.  Offensively Fleming will return POY Candidate QB Treyson Kirkwood, RB Dylon Monroe, and RB Conner Marchant.  Defensively Fleming should make the biggest improvement returning 6 of their top 8 tacklers including 4 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Jaron Monroe, Conner Marchant, and Dylon Monroe.
#7	Otis HS Made the playoffs lost in the Quarterfinals	Otis made the playoffs last season falling in the Quarterfinals to Peetz 31 to 30.  Otis will be losing a talented senior class, losing 7 seniors.  Otis will still be competitive as they return key pieces to make a playoff run.  Offensively Otis returns POY Candidate RB Cambric Klinzmann and QB Gracen Bechtle.  Defensively Otis was hit the hardest and return 3 of their top 8 tacklers but key leadership returned with their top 2 tacklers back from a season ago.  Key defensive returners are Cambric Klinzmann, Gracen Bechtle, and Malakye Reese.
#8	Walsh HS   Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round	Walsh made the playoffs last year falling in the first round to Caliche 57 to 24.  Walsh had one of their most successful seasons in a few years and they will hope to build on the success of last season and make a deeper playoff run.  Walsh will have a few holes to fill mainly at WR losing 3 seniors.  Offensively Walsh returns POY Candidate QB Hudson Gourley, TE Beau Foster, and WR Grady Mundell.  Defensively look for Walsh to improve returning 5 of their top 8 tacklers including 3 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Woodrow Wright, Hudson Gourley, and Beau Foster.
#9	Wiley HS     Missed the playoffs, went 4-6	Wiley missed the playoffs last year going 4-6 and finishing in 5th in the competitive Southeast League.  Wiley showed glimpses last year of being a contender and must take a step forward this year to do just that.  Wiley will lose 4 seniors from last year’s team.  Offensively, Wiley should be explosive returning POY Candidate QB Grant Mauch, WR Devonte Pizarro, and WR Ivan Chavez.  Defensively, Wiley should also improve returning 5 of their top 8 tacklers including 3 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Luke Rohlman, Grant Mauch, and Devonte Pizarro.
#10	Flagler HS     Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round	Flagler made the playoffs last season falling in the first round to Stratton 48 to 8.  Flagler got back into the playoffs something they have not done in a few years.  Flagler will now look to build off that success.  Flagler will lose 3 seniors from a year ago.  Offensively Flagler will have a few holes to fill but return POY Candidate RB Keegan Isenbart, Gabe Harvey, and Dillon Brent.  Defensively Flagler should also be a top unit returning 5 of their top 8 tacklers but lose key leadership returning just 2 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Gabe Harvey, Adrea Castenls, and Jordan Wilson.
#11	Prairie HS     Made the playoffs, lost in the First Round	Prairie made the playoffs last season, falling in the first round to Cheyenne Wells 45 to 16.  Prairie will lose 5 seniors from last year’s team taking over 1200 yards of offense and some key leadership.  Prairie won’t be rebuilding though as they return plenty of key players plus have a talented freshman class coming in.  Prairie will look for QB Liam Bringelson to take a big step forward as well as RB/WR Derek Dollarschell and WR Tatum Bailey.  Defensively Prairie will have a few holes to fill returning 4 of their top 8 tacklers and just 2 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Wyatt Walker, Tatum Bailey, and Owen Kilmer.
#12	Branson/Kim     Made the playoffs, lost in the Quarterfinals	Branson/Kim made the playoffs last season, falling in the Quarterfinals to Cheyenne Wells 70 to 21.  Branson/Kim will lose 4 seniors from last year’s team taking with them key leadership from a year ago.  Offensively Branson/Kim will look for POY Candidate QB Cooper Winter to take another big step forward this year.  Also look for Acoya Bartlett and Cash Neugebaurer to have breakout seasons.  Defensively Branson/Kim will have a few holes to fill returning 4 of their top 8 tacklers but have key guys back returning 3 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Cooper Winter, Collin Doherty, and Acoya Bartlett.
#13	Kiowa   Missed the playoffs, went 4-6.	Kiowa missed the playoffs last season, going 4-6.  Kiowa finished second in the Central league going 3-2 and were just on the outside looking in for the playoffs.  Kiowa had zero seniors on their roster last year and looked to make a run for the playoffs.  Kiowa offensively had over 1100 yards of passing and over 1300 yards of rushing and look for them to continue to build on that.  QB Jacob Crippen, RB John White, and WR Adler Krieg are a few names to watch.  Defensively, they return their entire roster, and they must improve on giving up 45.5 ppg.  Key defensive returners are John White, Mykai Steverson, and Eric Shoup.
#14	Hanover   Made the playoffs, lost in the first round	Hanover made the playoffs last season falling in the first round to Idalia 65 to 6.  Hanover has been a constant in the playoffs, and they will look to keep that going this year.  Hanover will lose a big senior class taking 7 seniors and taking over 2500 yards of total offense.  Hanover won’t have empty cupboards though bringing back Nolan Sweazy, Jonathan Quiroz-Reyes, and Joseph Molina.  Defensively Hanover should still be a top unit returning 5 of their top 8 tacklers including 3 of their top 5.  Key defensive returners are Jonathan Quiroz-Reyes, Edgar Vera-Wences, and Joseph Molina.
#15	Mountain Valley Missed the playoffs, went 2-6	Mountain Valley missed the playoffs last season going 2-6.  Mountain Valley did not have a team in 2024 and were rebuilding their team last year.  Mountain Valley had some success last season and will hope to build off it.  Mountain Valley returns their entire roster from last year.  QB Tye Salaz, RB Tanner Shellabarger, and WR Wyatt Boehm look to all break out for Mountain Valley.  Defensively, Mountain Valley must improve on giving up 48.4 ppg and they should with their entire roster returning.  Key defensive returners are Tanner Shellabarger, Greysin Scanga, and Kyngston Taylor.
	Other Teams to Watch	Eads, Bethune, La Veta, Deer Trail, Primero

Note: Eads would have been ranked but due to lower numbers I left them at #16 for now.  If they can get the numbers, they need and have success look for them to quickly move back into the rankings.  I also think the top 12 feel solid but after that I could see things changing up.  Some playoff spots are open this year!