| By: Randy Savage Jr. Division I
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Tuesday, September 13, 2016
1A Sixman Rankings - DI - Week 3
Friday, September 9, 2016
The Best Kept Secret In American Sport
The Best Kept
Secret in American Sport:
By: Leman Saunders
If you find yourself in need of an adventure one Friday night and venture out in search of a football game, you may stumble across a type of football that seems a little different. In the smallest classification of schools in Texas, an abbreviated game known as 6-Man Football is played. It is a game played by over 250 schools, public and private, in the state of Texas, as well as a handful of schools in Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, and Idaho. This fast paced, exciting brand of football is probably the best kept secret in American sports. It is all the excitement of the 11-man game, long runs, jaw dropping hits, electrifying special team plays, amazing passes and catches, nail biting coaching calls, all magnified in every play. However, before you head out to one of these Texas outposts to discover for yourself and experience this secret first hand there are a few things that a novice to 6-man needs to know...
If you find yourself in need of an adventure one Friday night and venture out in search of a football game, you may stumble across a type of football that seems a little different. In the smallest classification of schools in Texas, an abbreviated game known as 6-Man Football is played. It is a game played by over 250 schools, public and private, in the state of Texas, as well as a handful of schools in Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, and Idaho. This fast paced, exciting brand of football is probably the best kept secret in American sports. It is all the excitement of the 11-man game, long runs, jaw dropping hits, electrifying special team plays, amazing passes and catches, nail biting coaching calls, all magnified in every play. However, before you head out to one of these Texas outposts to discover for yourself and experience this secret first hand there are a few things that a novice to 6-man needs to know...
How to Watch a
6-Man Football Game
Know the History:
Born out of the depression, 6-man football was the brain
child of a rural Nebraska educator named Stephen Epler who thought that rural
American schools with limited enrollments should be able to play football. Most of these small schools had high
participation in basketball, so Epler concluded that surely if 5 players could
be found to make up a basketball team, 6 should not be out of the question to
make up a football team...and that was how the number 6 was chosen. The first game was played in Nebraska in 1934
and quickly spread across the county in each passing year. It found its way to Texas in 1936 and became
an officially sanctioned sport by the UIL in 1938.
Show up early:
There is no doubt the game is unique, but a big part of that
allure is found in the towns and communities that bear witness to the game
every Friday night. The very essence of
what high school sports should be all about, community involvement and school
pride and no other classification of football or high school sport can match a
6-man community when it comes to this.
So show up a few hours early, take in the town, visit the antique store
on the corner where the old bank use to be…stop into the “Greasy Spoon” and
enjoy a cup of coffee and a slice of pie while eves dropping on the table of
old timers about their thoughts on tonight’s game… arrive at the field early
and watch the teams warm up while eating a frito pie made by one of the players’
moms in the concession stand. Be sure to
pick out a good midfield seat on the 40 yard line (as you notice that there is
no 50 yard line in 6-man football) and watch as slowly two whole towns come out
to support their teams.
Pay Attention:
Unlike its 11-man counterpart, the 6-man game is fast paced
and wide open, and therefore it is important to time your trips to the
concession stand and bathroom properly, in order to miss as little of the
action as possible. If there is a large
crowd, be aware that this isn’t their first rodeo and they all will be better
versed in this than you are, yes even the fans must be fast paced and quick with
their timing during breaks in the action (which only occur briefly after
touchdowns and at the end of every quarter), so plan out your path ways and
know your order before you leave your seat to save you time, as it is not
unheard of for 2 and sometimes 3 touchdowns to be scored within a span of
seconds off the game clock…you wouldn’t want to miss back to back kickoff
returns for a touchdown would you!
Know the Rules and Terminology:
There are slight differences in rules for the 6-man game and
it is better to know them before hand, or catch onto them as quickly as possible,
in order to let yourself get fully immersed in the game. There are a few other rule differences other
than the ones listed here, but these are the main ones you need to be aware of
early on…
Early on you will probably notice that the field is slightly
smaller, to be exact it is an 80x40 field, thus making midfield the 40 yard
line and eliminating the 50 yard line (as well as 19 other yard lines) all
together.
Next, the phrase “1st and 10” should be replaced
with “1st and 15” as it takes 15 yards to make a 1st down
and not 10.
Every player is eligible to move down field and receive a pass! This one rule, more than any other, helps make the game of 6-man football more fun for its players than its older 11-man brother by giving every player the opportunity to know what it feel like to score… and just maybe a game winning… touchdown!
Be aware that what is traditionally referred to as the “Quarterback”
(the player who receives the snap from the center) cannot advance the ball
across the line of scrimmage without the ball being in possession of another
player first. As a result some teams
will have offensive schemes that involve a pitch back to a “Spreadback” that
will give them the option to run or pass the ball.
Due to a number of factors, there is a premium on kicking
and thus a kicked PAT is worth 2 points and a run or pass play resulting in a
PAT is worth 1 point. Also, if you are
lucky enough to witness one attempted, a field goal is worth 4 points instead
of 3. While we are talking about
kicking, don’t be alarmed to see teams kick onside kicks early and often (if
not all the time) and more often teams will try for the first down on 4th
down plays than punt the ball way…which leads to a far more exciting game than
the “crowded field” version of the sport.
Sometimes games can get out of hand and to help with that
there is a mercy rule in 6-man football.
If a team is leading by 45 points or more at halftime or any point after
halftime the game is official ended via the 45 point mercy rule and thus the
term “45’d” is often used in the vernacular of the 6-man community and their
own brand of number sense has evolved to where every fan knows with little
thought needed just how many more points need to be scored in order to end the
game early.
Truly “It ain’t over till it’s over”:
A common rookie mistake of upstart 6-man spectators is to
assume a game is out of hand and one team cannot possibly come back and make it
competitive, let alone win. Unlike the
11-man game, in 6-man there if there is a missed tackle or 100% blocking on the
part of the offense a touchdown is not that hard to come by as there is no
second line of defense there to back you up.
Add to this the explosiveness and athleticism of the athletes and the
river boat gambling style of coaches when it comes to the kicking game it all
makes it very possible to score quickly and get the ball back and score again
within literally a matter of seconds. I
have seen team down by as much as 32 points mount a comeback and win, and teams
that were 1 or 2 points away from being “45’d” come back and almost pull off an
upset and win! Do not make the
assumption that a game is over because in 6-man, more than any other sport, “it
ain’t over till it’s over!”
Most Importantly…Be Respectful:
What really makes 6-man football unique is not only does the town, it’s players, and coaches love, respect and rally around the game, but unlike any other classification in the state of Texas every single school in the state that plays the game comes together and forms a “6-man Community”. These individual towns, communities and teams band together and will stick up for one and other and be there in support for one another when needed. 6-man football in a sense is a representation of life in these small towns. It is something that only they understand and there is a constant fight for respect and acceptance with the outside world. The game, and by proxy the towns and the life it represents is something that can only be truly appreciated if you have experienced it and lived it firsthand…something that people from larger cities cannot fully know the joys or the struggles of. 6-man football is one common thread that runs through many of these places across the Texas landscape and the people who show up every Friday night in these towns hold the game dear to their hearts and consider a slight against the game as a slight against themselves and their community… so please above all else be respectful and enjoy and respect the game, and everything that it represents.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Sixman Standouts - Week 2
Outstanding Performances from Week 2 of Sixman Football
By: Leman Saunders
With a few more schools sending in stats this week we have a
better representation of some of the standout performances in six-man across
the state from Week 2. Coaches can submit
game stats anytime before Wednesday night for consideration each week. I do my best to include someone from every
team that sends in their weekly info. Leman.saunders@gmail.com
Clay Griswold –
Jayton – 10 carries for 200 yards and 4 TD rushing; 3 kick returns for 175
yards and 2 TDs; 1-2 for 44 yards passing; 8 tackles
Griswold’s explosiveness in the backfield and on special
teams helped propel Jayton to a 66-19 win over Aspermont.
Jarrett Wigington –
Throckmorton – 22 carries for 283 yards and 4 TDs rushing
In a game that was back and forth for the better part of the
first 2 quarters, Wigington put up a solid performance all within the first
half as he suffered an injury that took him out of the game in before the first
half was over in their 96-48 loss to Gorman.
Dylan Reagan –
Chillicothe – 4 catches for 150 yards and 3 TDs receiving; 2 carries for 104
Yards and 2 TDs rushing; 1-1-0 for 25 yards passing; 8 tackles, 1 INT
Almost every time he touched the ball he scored (4 catches
for 3 TDs, 2 carries for 2 TDs) in Chillicothe’s 51-6 win over Higgins
Trent Padron – Gorman
– 11-13 for 259 and 6 TDs passing; 1 catch for 25 yards and a TD; 1 carry for
11 yards; 9/12 on PAT kicks; 19 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT returned 80
yards for a TD
Padron threw for 6 TDs, caught one and lead his team with 19
tackles and scored once more on a 80 yard INT return for a TD. He also scored 18 point by going 9/12 kicking
PATs in Gorman’s 96-48 win over Throckmorton.
Justin Rainwater –
Benjamin – 19 carries for 192 yards and 5 TDs rushing; 14-18 for 185 yards and
3 TDs passing
Rainwater had a hand in 8 touchdowns for the Mustangs in their
64-38 win over Wilson.
Melvion Pimpton – Mt.
Calm – 8 catches for 179 yards and 2 TDs; 20 tackles
Pimpton was instrumental on offense as well as defense in Mount
Calm’s 42-38 upset win over Abbott.
Passing:
Logan Wehmeyer – Mt. Calm – 16-26-0 for 268 yards and 2 TDs
passing; 2 tackles
Travis Simank – Chillicothe – 8-10-1 for 240 yards and 5 TDs
passing; 2 carries for 22 yards rushing
Tristen Hayes – Crowell – 13-19-0 for 238 yards and 3 TDs
Daniel Rivas – Whiteface – 13-16-2 for 237 yards and 3 TDs
Jaquan Thompson – Calvert – 11-12-0 209 yards and 4 TDs
passing; 7 carries for 137 yards and 4 TD rushing; 9 tackles, 1 forced fumble
Zach Bronkhorst – High Island – 10-12-0 for 175 yards and 4
TDs passing; 1 carry for 57 yards and a TD
Wyatt Mote – May – 9-12 for 171 yards and 2 TDs passing; 2
carries for 51 yards and 1 TD rushing; 2 INTs on defense
Trent McMillan – Garden City – 4-6-1 for 47 yards and 3 TDs
passing
Matthew Lopez – Whitharral – 3-3-0 for 55 yards and 2 TDs
passing; 5 carries for 37 yards and 2 TDs rushing; 2 tackles
Alston Mays – Southland – 2-3-0 for 60 yards and 1 TD
passing; 10 carries for 25 yards rushing
Jon Basye – Highland – 4-4-0 for 44 yards and 2 TDs passing;
1 carry for 6 yards rushing; 3 tackles
Rushing:
Landon Roberts – Guthrie – 12 carries for 272 yards 4 TDs
rushing; 1-1-0 for 37 yards 1 TD passing
Preston Lyons – Saint Jo – 20 carries for 253 yards and 2
TDs; 70 yards and 1 TD passing; 2 INTs of defense
Tyler Spurgeon – Mt. Calm – 19 carries for 244 yards and 3
TDs rushing; 1 catch for 7 yards receiving; 10 tackles
Carter Wisdom – Cherokee – 17 carries for 238 yards and 3
TDs rushing; 1 catch for 28 yards and 1 TD receiving; 6 tackles, 1 INT, 1
fumble recovery
Jaden Benavidez – O’Donnell – 23 carries for 227 yards and 3
TDs rushing; 1-2 for 25 yards and 1 TD passing; 10.5 tackles, 1 INT
Brock Martin – Whitharral – 16 carries for 211 yards and 4
TDs rushing; 1 catch for 15 yards receiving; 5 tackles
Arron
Luna – Marfa – 15 carries for 204 yards and 5 TDs rushing; 1 catch for 21 yards
receiving; 3 returns for 113 yards and 1 TD
Carlos Villanueva – Strawn – 9 carries for 190 yards and 2 TDs rushing; 1-2-0 for 42 yards and 1 TD passing
Carlos Villanueva – Strawn – 9 carries for 190 yards and 2 TDs rushing; 1-2-0 for 42 yards and 1 TD passing
Keegan Freeman – Whiteface – 21 carries 184 yards and 4 TDs;
3.5 tackles
William Simpson – Zephyr – 148 yards and 4 TDs rushing
Jose Gallegos – Garden City – 6 carries for 133 yards and 1
TD rushing; 4 tackles
Nicholas Moody – Zephyr – 129 yards and 4 TDs rushing
Tanner Hodgkins – Strawn – 6 carries for 129 yards and 2 TDs
rushing
Sal Roman – Marfa – 7 carries for 129 yards and 3 TDs
rushing; 1-1-0 for 27 yards and 1 TD passing
Mathew Urbanovsky – Abbott – 31 carries for 121 yards and 2 TDs rushing; 1-2-1 for 38 Yards passing; 6.5 tackles
Ben Muniz – Walnut Springs – 17 carries for 121 yards
rushing; 3 catches for 10 yards and 1 TD receiving; 13 tackles, 1INT
Angel Morales – Hart – 18 carries for 118 yards and 1 TD
rushing; 7 tackles
Kole Rodriguez – High Island – 8 carries 114 yards and 1 TD
rushing; 8 tackles, 1 INT
Brent Mynar – Abbott – 11 carries for 110 yards rushing;
3-9-0 for 82 yards and 1 TD passing; 5.5 tackles
Eli Sauer – Highland – 7 carries for 78 yards and 3 TDs
rushing; 2 catches for 20 yards and 1 TD receiving; 6.5 tackles
Receiving:
Ismael Herrera – Gorman – 6 catches for 162 yards and 4 TDs
receiving; 11 carries for 140 yards and 3 TDs rushing
Kade Meyers – High Island – 4 catches for 124 yards and 4
TDs receiving
Trevor Balague – O’Donnell – 4 catches for 113 yards and 4
TDs; 5.5 tackles
Drew Mosley – Whiteface – 5 catches for 97 yards and 3 TDs
receiving; 11 carries for 42 yards and 2 TDs rushing; 2 tackles, 1 INT
Tyler Durham – Crowell – 5 catches 91 yards and 1 TD; 4
carries for 82 yards and 3 TDs rushing
Evan de los Santos – Crowell – 4 catches 91 yards and 1 TD
Josue Loyola – Abbott – 2 catches for 89 yards and 1 TD; 3
tackles
Trevon Schells – Calvert – 4 catches for 74 yards 1 TD; 3-5
for 55 yards and 1 TD passing; 2 INTs, 6 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 2 forced
fumbles
Zavion Winegeart – Strawn – 2 catches for 67 yards and 2 TDs
Christian Sanchez – Southland – 1 catch for 50 yards and 1
TD receiving; 10 carries for 33 yards rushing; 4 tackles
Riley Eggemeyer – Garden City – 3 catches for 30 yards and 2
TDs receiving; 8 carries for 54 yards rushing; 1.5 tackles
Defense:
JW Montgomery – Strawn – 21 tackles, 1 forced fumble
Melvion Pimpton – Mt. Calm – 20 tackles
Trent Padron – Gorman – 19 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT
returned 80 yards for a TD
Ivan Ruiz – Strawn – 17 tackles
Kale James – O’Donnell – 14.5 tackles; 10 carries for 85
yards and 2 TDs rushing
Ben Muniz – Walnut Springs – 13 tackles, 1 INT
Patrick Grant – O’Donnell – 13 tackles
Damian Leyva – Saint Jo – 12 tackles, 1 Forced Fumble; 11
carries for 69 yards and 1 TD; 3 catches for 24 yards and 1 TD; 44 yard KO
return for a TD
JR Cervantes – Strawn – 12 tackles
Kellen Everett – Cherokee – 11 tackles, 1 fumble recovery
EJ Esquivel – Hart – 11 tackles
Abram Carlos – Hart – 10 tackles
Cameron King – May – 10 tackles; 2 catches for 48 yards; 3
carries for 50 yards and 2 TDs rushing
Brandon Marvin – High Island – 10 tackles, 1 fumble recovery
Wyatt Mote – May – 2 INTs
AJ Martin – May – 2 INTs
Preston Lyons – Saint Jo – 2 INTs
Trevon Schells – Calvert – 2 INTs, 6 tackles, 2 forced
fumbles, 1 fumble recovery
Monday, September 5, 2016
Behind the Rankings - Week 2
By: Randy Savage Jr.
This was an interesting week in Sixman Football, and we
learned a good bit. For one thing, it looks like the top 10 in Division 2 is
better than the top 10 in Division 1 …. at this point.
You would think things would start to balance out about now,
but don’t bet on it. Teams are just now
finding out who showed up this year, and you should not expect things to settle,
until we get into the middle of district play. A few teams are seemingly coming
out of nowhere and moving up in the ranks, and that is a matter of coaching, or
a kid coming into his own potential.
As the season progresses, teams will continue to move up and
down, but that is to be expected.
These kids are the warriors, representing our towns, putting
on the pads, and going to war. Every week that they show up ready to play, is a
win. The pressure put upon them is more than any kid should ever be expected to
carry upon his shoulders, but at times it is the heartbeat that keeps a
community alive in small town Texas.
This is why we love Sixman Football.
Sunday, September 4, 2016
1A Sixman Rankings - DII - Week 2
| Division II | |
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Richland Springs |
| 2 | Valley |
| 3 | Crowell |
| 4 | Calvert |
| 5 | Milford |
| 6 | Guthrie |
| 7 | Balmorhea |
| 8 | Strawn |
| 9 | Mount Calm |
| 10 | Amherst |
| 11 | Follett |
| 12 | Motley County |
| 13 | Oakwood |
| 14 | Sands |
| 15 | Lefors |
| 16 | Grandfalls-Royalty |
| 17 | Highland |
| 18 | Jayton |
| 19 | Petersburg |
| 20 | Groom |
| 21 | Loraine |
| 22 | Silverton |
| 23 | Dawson |
| 24 | Cherokee |
| 25 | Lueders-Avoca |
| 26 | Blackwell |
| 27 | Fort Elliott |
| 28 | Walnut Springs |
| 29 | Chillicothe |
| 30 | Iredell |
| 31 | Southland |
| 32 | Aspermont |
| 33 | Whitharral |
| 34 | Kress |
| 35 | Higgins |
| 36 | Panther Creek |
| 37 | Grady |
| 38 | Mullin |
| 39 | Oglesby |
| 40 | Wellman-Union |
| 41 | Trinidad |
| 42 | Rule |
| 43 | Moran |
| 44 | Rochelle |
| 45 | Benjamin |
| 46 | Cotton Center |
| 47 | Throckmorton |
| 48 | Rising Star |
| 49 | Hedley |
| 50 | Lazbuddie |
| 51 | Morgan |
| 52 | Woodson |
| 53 | Sanderson |
| 54 | Wilson |
| 55 | Brookesmith |
| 56 | Sierra Blanca |
| 57 | Northside |
| 58 | Loop |
| 59 | Cranfills Gap |
| 60 | Sidney |
| 61 | Prairie Lea |
| 62 | Trent |
| 63 | Patton Springs |
| 64 | Gustine |
| 65 | Dell City |
| 66 | Harrold |
| 67 | Paint Creek |
| 68 | Buckholts |
| 69 | Lohn |
1A Sixman Rankings - DI - Week 2
| Division I | |
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Borden County |
| 2 | Jonesboro |
| 3 | Happy |
| 4 | Zephyr |
| 5 | Gorman |
| 6 | Garden City |
| 7 | Sterling City |
| 8 | Ira |
| 9 | May |
| 10 | Buena Vista |
| 11 | Gordon |
| 12 | Abbott |
| 13 | Bryson |
| 14 | Knox City |
| 15 | Newcastle |
| 16 | Spur |
| 17 | Paducah |
| 18 | New Home |
| 19 | Nazareth |
| 20 | Westbrook |
| 21 | Meadow |
| 22 | McLean |
| 23 | Water Valley |
| 24 | Avalon |
| 25 | Blum |
| 26 | Anton |
| 27 | Coolidge |
| 28 | Rankin |
| 29 | Aquilla |
| 29 | Whiteface |
| 30 | Klondike |
| 31 | O'Donnell |
| 32 | White Deer |
| 33 | Lingleville |
| 35 | Blanket |
| 36 | Santa Anna |
| 37 | Ropes |
| 38 | Hermleigh |
| 39 | Veribest |
| 40 | Lometa |
| 41 | Marfa |
| 42 | High Island |
| 43 | Eden |
| 44 | Rotan |
| 45 | Evant |
| 46 | Union Hill |
| 47 | Tioga |
| 48 | Chester |
| 49 | Robert Lee |
| 50 | Forestburg |
| 51 | Hart |
| 52 | Gholson |
| 53 | Lorenzo |
| 54 | Miami |
| 55 | Penelope |
| 56 | Nueces Canyon |
| 57 | Medina |
| 58 | Covington |
| 59 | Paint Rock |
| 60 | Savoy |
| 61 | Fannindel |
| 62 | Apple Springs |
| 63 | Fort Davis |
| 64 | Leverett's Chapel |
| 65 | Saint Jo |
| 66 | Fruitvale |
| 67 | Kopperl |
| 68 | Bynum |
| 69 | Gold-Burg |
| 70 | Irving Universal Academy |
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