Our preseason coverage of six man football has been delayed a bit this year as programs sort out if they can field teams and then the remaining clubs set up official schedules. After the preseason meeting last week, it appears the division is ready to roll with 31 teams set to compete to for the championship. Fleming is the two-time defending state champion but it’s Granada that opens the season ranked number one.
Colorado Preps and Kerry Sherman provide a look at each club in each conference. Games get started on Thursday and the each team can play up to ten regular season games in 2021. Coverage throughout the season will be presented by Stratton Equity Coop.
CENTRAL
DEER TRAIL EAGLES: Coming off a postseason appearance in 2019, Deer Trail struggled through an 0-4 campaign last year. The Eagles were outscored 192-26, allowing more than 50 points in three of the four games. They will have a lot of holes to fill, but Dayne Woodis returns for his senior season. Woodis enters the season with 101 career receptions, 2222 yards, and 30 touchdowns.
GENOA-HUGO PIRATES: The Pirates missed the postseason last year despite putting together a 4-2 record. Entering the 2021 season, most of the roster returns, including senior running backs Wyatt Miller (356 yards, 4 TD) and Colby Simmons (233 yards, 6 TD). They were first and third on the squad in tackles, with 44 and 31, respectively. Sophomore quarterback Trey Smith completed 70% of his passes last year, good for 356 yards and six scores. Juniors Jack Kissel, Zach Wilson, and Kyler Rowden-Stum should all see increased production with more playing time.
HANOVER HORNETS: After being a regular in the playoffs, Hanover suffered its third straight losing season in 2021, finishing the year at 2-3. The good news for the Hornets is that they return almost everyone from a year ago and with that extra experience, they could put an end to the playoff drought. David Brown led the squad with 715 rushing yards last season and he was third on the team with 38 tackles. Dalton Sweazy led the defense with 63 stops, and he was an important cog on the offense, as well. Devin Johnson had a team-high 530 passing yards as a sophomore, and that number should increase significantly with a full slate of games this year.
KIOWA INDIANS: Kiowa came out of the gates slow last year, dropping its first three games before closing the season with a win over Deer Trail. Their roster was senior-laden a year ago, meaning the Indians will be looking for a lot of younger players to step up and fill those roles this season. Juniors Wesley Brogger, Leo Kuhn, and Kayden Kalisch are the most experienced players returning this year, and will be leaned upon heavily while other members of the team develop.
EAST CENTRAL
ARICKAREE/WOODLIN INDIAN-MUSTANGS: It will be year two for the Indian-Mustangs under Paul Griese, who brought his longtime assistant Tim Hunt out of retirement to run the offense this season. They lost one senior to graduation after going 4-3 in 2020, so the roster has a lot of game experience coming back. Logan Wright is back at QB and DB after throwing for 184 yards, rushing for 338, and recording 51 tackles with two interceptions. Samuel Koolstra led the team with 369 yards on the ground, 81 tackles, four fumble recoveries, and two picks. Jacob Jefferson, the 1A track male athlete of the year this past spring, and Hayden Page will give the Indian-Mustangs speed on the outside as receivers and pass rushers.
FLAGLER PANTHERS: In the first season following the dissolution of their coop with Hi-Plains, the Panthers went 0-3 last year, scoring a total of 13 points. Junior QB Camden Bledsoe is back and he’ll have most of his weapons back from last season. That includes Lance Homm, who led the team with 111 receiving yards. Rylee Nichols was the leading tackler as a freshman, and he should lead a defense that will look for big improvements.
HI-PLAINS PATRIOTS: The Patriots only fared a little bit better last season than their former coop teammates, finishing the year at 1-3 after dropping their final three games of the season. A lot of this season’s success will hinge upon three key returning players. Cooper Seaman, Bex Seaman, and Cody Banks combined for just short of 600 yards of offense last season, and they were also the top three tacklers on the squad. Logan Cordell and Shannon King will be asked to assume larger roles than they filled as sophomores.
IDALIA WOLVES: The biggest off-season change for the Wolves came on the sideline, where Toby Kechter assumes the head coaching role. The Wolves went 2-2 last season and will return QB Eduardo Estrada, who threw for 465 yards and nine touchdowns. Also coming back are leading rushers Yahir Enriquez and Kye Towns. Idalia also added Logan Breyer, who played for Kechter the last two seasons as part of the Stratton/Liberty coop. The junior will help anchor both lines.
OTIS BULLDOGS: Otis relied heavily on young players last season and the Bulldogs went 0-5, allowing at least 55 points in each game. Those young Bulldogs all have a season under their belts and they look to make some noise in the division. Jack Willeke is back to run the show at QB and the junior will have a lot of familiar faces around him on offense, including Peyton Wells and Erick Thorn. Wells was the leading tackler with 28 stops, followed by Taylor Ringlein and Willeke.
STRATTON EAGLES: Last season saw the Stratton/Liberty program reach its fourth consecutive state title game, where they were defeated for the second straight year by Fleming. The coop dissolved earlier this year, and the Eagles have a new head coach leading them, as former assistant Jesse McConnell was named to replace Kechter at the helm. He’ll have plenty of weapons at his disposal with the return of last year’s QB, Charlie Tagtmeyer, running backs Alex Cruz and Riggin Williams, and kicker Braden Wedel.
NORTH
BRIGGSDALE FALCONS: Under Rick Mondt, the Falcons always have one of the top passing attacks in the classification, and that shouldn’t change this season. Braden Krise, who threw for 946 yards, with 17 touchdowns and just one interception in last season 3-2 campaign, is back for his senior year. He’ll have multidimensional running back Malik Carlson at his side in the backfield, and targets Tanner Fiscus and Michael Bittinger on the outside. Defensively, Shane Donoho, Isiah Nava, and Jonathan Malovich help the Falcons return five of their top six tacklers from a season ago.
FLEMING WILDCATS: The Wildcats won their second straight crown last season, and despite being hit hard by graduation, they expect to be in the mix again. Braylen Feather looks to be slotted as the new QB,, while the duo of Nolan Japp and Blake Feather should help limit the sting of losing their top two runners to graduation. One of the areas that will need a new threat is the return game. Brady Kuntz set a new state record for kick returns for touchdowns during his Fleming career. Blake Feather could be the man to get that call.
NORTH PARK WILDCATS: North Park lost just one senior (Cordell Garriott) from last season’s 3-3 squad, giving Wildcat fans reason to be optimistic heading into the 2021 campaign. Hunter Sessions, who led the team in passing, was also the top tackler on the squad. As a team, the Wildcats ran for over 1300 yards last season, led by Evan Pieper’s 666 yards. He, and everyone else who carried the ball as a runner, returns.
PAWNEE COYOTES: For the first time since 2016, Pawnee will field its own team. The Coyotes will be young and depth could be an issue in the rough-and-tumble North division. However, opposing coaches have noted that the Coyotes will have some very good talent on the field this season.
PEETZ BULLDOGS: Injuries and low numbers forced the Bulldogs to play a lot of freshmen in key positions last year. They opened with two wins, but lost their final five games, allowing 60 or more points in four of those losses. Chance Segelke finished second on the team with 344 passing yards to go with a team-high six TD tosses. Brayden Weinbender is the top returning runner, with 102 yards last season. Sophomores Noah Naegele and Joseph Fehringer are the top tacklers coming back from last season, while Mike Kissell and Ryan Schilz will add experienced depth to that unit.
PRAIRIE MUSTANGS: Last season saw the Mustangs make the playoffs once again, but they were ousted in the opening round by Cheyenne Wells. Andy Long is back after throwing for more than 1200 yards in seven games last season. He’ll have his top four targets back from 2020, including Claytin Hove, who is also the team’s top returning runner. Defensively, the Mustangs bring back their top four tacklers from last year, led by Parker Jaeger, who recorded 69 stops.
WELDON VALLEY WARRIORS: Weldon Valley put together a 2-2 record last season, and the Warriors were very close to finishing 4-0. That was a very senior-heavy squad, leaving Westin Filter, Cade Groves, and Jayden Felts as the most experienced players on the roster. Angel Servin, who played his first three years at Arickaree/Woodlin, should be a key player for the Warriors this season. He’s fast and has good hands. QB will be a question mark, as everyone who threw a pass last season is gone.
SOUTH CENTRAL
BRANSON/KIM BEARCATS: When the Bearcats take the field this fall, they’ll be doing so on an all new playing surface. Fundraising efforts allowed the program to put in an artificial turf field, and the Bearcats hope it will help them improve upon last year’s 4-3 finish. QB Brody Doherty threw for just over 600 yards and nine touchdowns last year, and everyone who caught a pass is back, including Brock Doherty, who led the team with 14 catches, 241 yards, and five TDs. Peyton Cranson leads an experienced group of runners, coming back after recording 918 yards and 12 scores. Cade Smith (51) and Bridger Keeler (50) combined for more than 100 tackles as sophomores.
MIAMI-YODER BUFFALOES: Their first year back in six-man resulted in a 1-4 mark for the Buffaloes. The Buffs had a roster that was almost an even mix of seniors and freshmen in 2020, leaving Nick Albin and Michael Velasco as the most experienced upperclassmen on the roster this season. With a season of six-man under their belts, the Buffs hope to be more competitive in 2021.
PRIMERO BULLDOGS: Primero was the lone six-man squad to not play last fall. The Bulldogs were slated to play eight-man during the Season C slate, but were unable to field a team. Their last season was in 2019, when they finished 1-7. The Bulldogs won’t have much experience on the roster this year, but they could still cause teams problems.
SOUTH EAST
CHERAW WOLVERINES: The Wolverines went 4-2 last season, with the two losses coming by a total of 13 points. It was a 26-20 loss to Branson/Kim in the regular season finale that kept the Wolverines out of the postseason. Cade Phillips is back at QB after a sophomore season that saw him throw for 1168 yards, with 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He lost two of his top three receivers from last year, but he will have Braden Harris and Wade Goodrich back. Harris led the team in rushing and was second in receiving. Harris will also likely lead the defense, as he’s the top returning tackler for the Wolverines.
CHEYENNE WELLS TIGERS: An injury to top runner Evan Worley derailed the Tigers in the semifinals last season, and with him returning (along with most of the roster), they’re a strong contender to go even deeper this season. Worley gained 774 yards on the ground, and was one of the top tacklers with 54. Rogelio Rangel, Ty Scheler, Blake Gilmore, Cade Mitchek, Kody Ryser, Dillon Ball, and Wyatt Ball give the Tigers one of the most experienced squads in the state.
EADS EAGLES: The Eagles made yet another postseason appearance last season, falling to division rival Granada in the opening round. They will have to replace one of the most dynamic players in the classification, as Damien Barnes graduated in the spring. Porter Spady, who had a breakout freshman season, is poised to step into that role. Not only was he one of the top performers on offense, he also led the Eagles in tackles and takeaways, while being one of the better kickers in the state. Cade McDowell should hold down the QB position once again, giving Eads a ton of experience at that spot.
GRANADA BOBCATS: Granada opens the year as the preseason #1 team in the coaches poll, and with good reason. The Bobcats return all but one player off last season’s semifinal squad. That includes QB Dominic Coleman and big running back John Hainer. Granada went 6-2 last year, with both losses coming to Fleming in the final minute. Coleman enters his final campaign with 4696 yards and 68 touchdowns through the air, and 1832 yards and 28 scores on the ground.
KIT CARSON WILDCATS: Injuries nearly kept the Wildcats from making another postseason appearance, but they got in, eventually losing to Fleming in the first round. They must replace Sullivan Farmer, who was their version of a Swiss Army Knife, as he was among the leaders in almost every category last year. Brett Mayhan is back from injury, and he’ll be joined by Daniel Arnold, Paul Mitchek, Alex Mitchek, and Keaton Marriott, who all gained valuable experience last season.
WALSH EAGLES: Last year was a difficult one for the Eagles, as they lost their final four games to finish 1-5. Leyton Jones established himself as a talented dual-threat QB, throwing for more than 300 yards, and rushing for 434 yards, leading the team in both stats as a freshman. Justin Wright added more than 200 yards on the ground, while Axton Bishop led the squad’s receivers as a freshman. Those three are also the top returning tacklers in 2021.
SOUTH WEST
COTOPAXI PIRATES: It was a rare losing season for Cotopaxi in 2020, as the Pirates finished 2-4. Ty Coleman provided a bright spot throwing the ball. As a sophomore, Coleman recorded 865 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’ll have one of his favorite targets back, with Simon Bertolino expected to lead the receiving corps after snagging 10 balls for 271 yards last season. Bertolino and Coleman were the top two defenders for the Pirates last year, combining for 108 stops.
CRIPPLE CREEK-VICTOR PIONEERS: The Pioneers enter the 2021 season riding a 24-game losing streak after last year’s 0-3 campaign. While the Pioneers will be inexperienced at QB, everyone who caught a pass last year is back. Isaiah Rich, Dayton Woods, Myles Durham, and Jayden Woods all contributed as freshman last season, and could be the core of the team for years to come.
LA VETA REDHAWKS: La Veta had a lot of trouble keeping opponents out of the end zone last year, allowing at least 58 points in each of their five losses, including 74, 79, and 74 in the final three games of the season. That unit has a chance to be much improved as the Redhawks return six of their top seven tacklers, including Brayden Nix. Nix led the team with 37 tackles as a freshman. Offensively, Gus Andreatta and Gabe Vigil were solid last year and give the Redhawks a nice 1-2 punch in the backfield.
MOUNTAIN VALLEY INDIANS: Despite a three-week lay-off because of COVID issues early in the season, the Indians put together a 4-1 mark. It wasn’t enough to get into the postseason, however, as the team just missed out on one of the final spots in the field. Salvador Vigil led the team in passing and rushing, but he’s gone. That leaves the Indians without much experience at QB, but the trio of Tristan Martinez, Ziah Pesqueira, and Jacob Martinez gives the team three solid running backs. Pesqueira led the team with 71 tackles as a freshman, 15 more than anyone else on the roster.
SIERRA GRANDE PANTHERS: Sierra Grande handed Mountain Valley its only loss of the season last year, but even at 4-2, they too missed out on the postseason. The Panthers will have to replace AJ Ojeda at QB, who was also the team’s second leading rusher last season. Isaiah Chairez is the only returning player who threw a pass last year, and he was also the team’s leading rusher and receiver. Tyler Kester topped the defense with 64 tackles during his freshman season.
