MileHigh Prep Report

EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL REPORT – WEEK TWO

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Week two of the eight-calendar is a busy one for the teams that received votes in this week’s MHPR Coaches/Media Poll. Eighteen teams received votes, and all but one will be in action this weekend. We get several ranked vs ranked match-ups, including one at the top of the rankings. We take a look at the games involving teams in the top-10 this week.

FRIDAY

#1 MCCLAVE (1-0) VS #2 SEDGWICK COUNTY (0-0)

McClave got things going last week with a 54-0 rout of 1A Ellicott on the road. That was played as an 11-man game. The Cardinals raced out to a 40-0 lead in the first quarter to get the sportsmanship clock rolling early. Kolten Randel rushed for two touchdowns, and Kielan Mallard starred on special teams, blocking two punts and returning one for a score. The Cards got another TD on a return by Cash Phares. It’s the opener for Sedgwick County, and the Cougars are likely to use a heavy dose of Owen Harris in the ground attack. Sedgwick County won the first three meetings in the series, but McClave has won the last two, including a 16-12 decision last year.

#3 SIMLA (1-0) AT LYONS (1-0)

Simla put one on #13 Haxtun, building a 33-0 halftime lead and taking a 46-6 win. Evan Guy hit on 17 of 27 passes for 207 yards and six touchdowns. He added 102 yards and a TD on the ground. Tatum Kochera hauled in three of the TD passes, and Ethan Kissam caught two. Defensively, Keygon Frihauf recovered two fumbles. Lyons had its way with Walsenburg, rolling to a 40-0 shutout. Aiden Wahlstrom led the defense with 10 tackles, including a pair of sacks, while Zebadiah Heiby and Beck Shelton intercepted two passes apiece. The Lions recorded six picks in the win. These two have only played one time, back in the 2020 season. Simla won 38-8.

#4 MANCOS (1-0) VS ST. DAVID, AZ (2-0)

Mancos opened the season last week with a familiar out of state opponent, Melrose (NM), and after a scoreless first quarter, the Blue Jays got a rhythm and picked up a 30-8 win. James Potts ran for two touchdowns, and Traycer White caught two. Potts and Levi Gardner each racked up a dozen tackles to pace the defense. St. David has had a heck of a start to the season, outscoring opponents 118-12. Much of that came in an 88-6 win by the Tigers last week. They led 46-0 after one quarter. The Tigers got seven sacks, two by Luke Gorman, and Xavier Martinez picked off two passes. St. David also scored twice on kick returns. This will be the first meeting between the two.

#5 STRATTON (1-0) VS CALHAN (0-1)

Stratton held an 8-6 lead late in the first half at Springfield last week, but a touchdown as time expired in the half gave the Eagles a 16-6 cushion. They would control the second half and take a 46-6 victory. Calhan was locked in a close one with #6 Akron, trailing 22-18 entering the fourth. Things fell apart in the final frame, as the Bulldogs ended up dropping the contest 58-18. Brody Burnside threw for 295 yards, with a TD and two picks, and added two scores on the ground. Ethan Whitener caught four passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. The Bulldogs forced three turnovers, including two interceptions. This will be the first meeting between Stratton and Calhan in the MaxPreps era.

#7 CROWLEY COUNTY (1-0) AT SANFORD (0-1)

Crowley County won one of the wildest games in several years in the classification, outlasting #11 Fowler 58-52 in four overtimes. After coming up with an interception to start the fourth overtime, the Chargers punched in the winning touchdown on the ground. Sanford dropped its opener on the road at #8 West Grand, 48-6. Sanford was held to 96 yards of offense, 44 by Colton Reynolds in the ground attack. He also scored the team’s only touchdown. Sanford won the only previous meeting with Crowley County in the MaxPreps era, 52-14 back in 2021.

#8 WEST GRAND (1-0) AT #10 MERINO (1-0)

West Grand got a strong performance from Landon Lockhart in that 48-6 win over Sanford, as the threw for 111 yards and two TD, and also ran for 143 yards and two scores. West Grand saw Walker Howell (122) and Ruben Hatcher (118) top the century mark in the rushing attack. Howell scored twice. Sanjay Geffers caught two TD passes. Merino pitched a shutout in its opener against Rocky Ford, 58-0. The Ram defense held Rocky Ford to just 10 yards of offense, negative eight on the ground. Merino won the only previous meeting with West Grand, 14-8 in the 2019 postseason.

#9 HAYDEN (1-0) AT GRAND COUNTY, UT (1-1)

Hayden picked up a solid 38-30 win last week at #14 Norwood. The game was tied at 30-all entering the fourth, before the Tigers got the game-winner in the final frame. Peyton Johnson threw for 168 yards and three touchdowns, two to Carson Campbell, and added 77 rushing yards. Jarrett Davis went for 111 yards and a TD in the ground game. Davis recorded a pick and two fumble recoveries. Located in Moab, Grand County enters the contest off a 43-6 loss to Gunnison Valley, UT. The Red Devils gave up over 300 yards rushing. This will be the first meeting between Hayden and Grand County.

SATURDAY

#6 AKRON (1-0) VS #17 HOLLY (1-0)

For Akron, its big 36-point fourth quarter last week helped the Rams avoid the upset big of Calhan. Jefferson Hunt had a big night, rushing for 202 yards and two TD, and also catching a scoring pass from Jax Kusel, who went for 156 yards and a TD in the ground attack. Hunt and Trigg Weis had a dozen tackles apiece, while Hunt and Kusel each had an interception. Kusel’s was a pick-six. Holly got a nice 36-20 win at home over Hoehne last Saturday. Akron has won six of nine with Holly, including three straight, The Rams won 55-7 in 2024, and 53-0 last year.