The week eight schedule in eight-man sees most of the top teams trying to strengthen their leads in their respective divisions, while many of the top challengers try to stay within striking distance. The action gets started early this week, with a big clash in the Mountain division on tap for Thursday night.
Tenth-ranked Sargent (15th RPI) is home to Dove Creek (17th RPI) and both teams need the win as they are on the fringe of the postseason field. Both are part of a three-way tie for second place in the division, along with #7 Sanford (7th RPI), all chasing #5 Mancos (4th RPI). Dove Creek is the only challenger who still has a shot at Mancos, as the Bulldogs and Bluejays close out the regular season against each other.
Each team enters Thursday’s contest on a three-game winning streak, but only one of those victories came against a team in the top 25 of the RPI. That was Sargent’s 27-22 victory over Norwood (14th RPI). Dove Creek’s offense has been sparked by freshman QB Chorbin Cressler, who had close to 1000 yards from scrimmage through five games. The Farmers rely on a core group of seniors, led by Frank Torrez, who has thrown for 753 yards and rushed for another 453. Jacob Deacon, Eddy Gonzalez, and Blaine Behil all have rushed for more than 200 yards.
Mancos and Norwood square off on Friday, with the Bluejays looking to make it two straight wins in the series after dropping eight consecutive to the Mavericks prior to last season’s 22-14 OT thriller. Chance Garcia (91 tackles) and Colt Fury (79 tackles) lead a Mancos defense that has registered 20 sacks and 14 takeaways. Junior Breccen Morelli has recorded a team-high six sacks, while also accounting for over 800 yards as the starting QB.
Norwood snapped a two-game skid with last week’s 34-6 win at Del Norte, with the defense taking the starring role. The Mavs held Del Norte to just 100 total yards of offense, including a minus-three on the ground. An upset win over the Bluejays this week would be huge for a Norwood squad that also finds itself right on the bubble for the postseason according to the RPI.
Coming off its bye week, #2 West Grand (#1 RPI) looks to take another step towards claiming the Northwest title as the Mustangs host Hayden on Friday. Senior Hugh Wheatley has been a key two-way contributor for the Mustangs this season, as he stands third in tackles with 46, while also serving as the leading receiver and third leading rusher. His 19 receptions are three more than the rest of the team, combined.
Hayden enters the contest having dropped three in a row and the Tigers have lost five straight to West Grand. The last four have been lopsided, with the Tigers having been outscored by a total tally of 209-32. The Mustangs scored at least 50 points in each of those four contests.
Sixth-ranked Rangely (2nd RPI) bounced back from its loss to West Grand two weeks ago to down Hayden 58-12 last week. Drew Brannan threw for a career-high 315 yards and six touchdowns in the win, with Tytus Coombs hauling in three of the TD tosses. That duo will look to have another big night on Friday when they lead the Panthers on the road against Soroco (18th RPI).
The Rams suffered their first loss of the season in a shootout at Vail Christian last week, 74-66. Soroco piled up 501 yards on the ground, 380 by Jace Logan, who also scored eight times. As a team, the Rams are averaging 453 rushing yards per game. Soroco has won five straight against Rangely, including a 48-6 decision last year. Logan went for 234 yards and two scores on 13 carries in that contest. Soroco stays in the hunt for the league crown with a win, as the Rams still have a date with West Grand on the slate.
One week after nearly wrapping up the Ark Valley title with a 54-20 victory over #9 Holly (11th RPI), third-ranked Hoehne (5th RPI) steps out of league play to host Sangre de Cristo (32nd RPI) on Friday. The Farmers trailed last week’s game 20-8 after one quarter, but they stormed back behind 159 yards and four touchdowns in the rushing attack by Trystan Moltrer. Hoehne faces an outgunned Thunderbird squad that has allowed 57 or more points in five of six games this year, and has only scored 66 all season.
This week’s only contest featuring ranked opponents takes place in the Plains. Fourth-ranked Caliche (8th RPI) looks to keep pace with idle #1 Sedgwick County (3rd RPI) when the Buffs visit #8 Akron (6th RPI) on Friday. The Buffs have won four straight, including a 28-14 rivalry victory over Merino last week, with Adam Zink and Josh Kokes each scoring a pair of touchdowns. Akron won its second straight, beating Byers (22nd RPI) 58-16 on the road. Derrick Poss (208 yards), Justin Traxler (205 yards), and Cande Medeles (101 yards) helped the Rams churn out 521 yards on the ground. Poss and Traxler each scored four times.
Caliche won last year’s contest 46-20, snapping a two-game skid in which the Rams had outscored the Buffs 108-0. In the six meetings since Akron dropped to eight-man, the series is split 3-3.
Still smarting from its 34-18 loss to Mancos, Sanford will try to get back to its winning ways on Friday against Del Norte. The Indians had only allowed 26 points in their first five games and had scored at least 41 in all but one outing. They will host a Tiger team that has dropped its last three games. That streak started with a heartbreaking 24-20 defeat against Mancos. The Tigers feature a passing attack of QB Keegan Medina and a pair of receivers with over 300 yards, Izeah Petersen and Kaleb Batzer. Del Norte is just 1-3 in the most recent meetings with Sanford, but that lone win came last year, 26-22.
Kobe Davis threw three touchdown passes to Gus Dominguez in the first quarter of Holly’s loss to Hoehne last week. The duo looks to build on that effort as the Wildcats try to rebound against Wiley (39th RPI) in Ark Valley league play on Friday. Holly has won 10 of the last 11 against the Panthers.
Pikes Peak Christian (10th RPI) can put a bow on its Southern division championship with a Friday night victory over Swink (33rd RPI). The Eagles are unbeaten in league play and after this week’s game with the Lions, they finish the season with a non-league game against Justice. Simla (13th RPI) is the only challenger in the division with less than two losses, so even a Swink upset cannot keep Pikes Peak Christian from claiming the title.