There is a huge 6-man football showdown in Stratton tonight, October 5.
Otis, 6-0, travels southeast to Stratton, 6-0, for a 7 p.m. kickoff, in a rare Thursday game. Stratton is ranked No. 1 in the MaxPreps Rankings and No. 1 in the CHSAA Rating Percentage Index. Otis is No. 3 in MaxPreps Rankings, and No. 2 in the 6-man RPI.
Both teams are well on their way to making the playoffs, but tonight’s winner will have the inside track on the top seed.
(The Bulldogs ended up losing 73-6.)
Otis remained perfect in 2023 with a 70-52 shootout win at Genoa-Hugo, last Saturday.
It was a bit hairy at first as the Pirates built a 20-6 lead in the first quarter. However, the Bulldogs busted out with 32 points in the second for a 38-34 win. They then outscored the Pirates 32-18 in the second half to secure the wild win.
The Bulldogs racked up 468 total yards, 276 rushing and 192 through air, while the Pirates had 564 total yards, 214 running and 350 passing.
Tayte Smith ran for 173 yards and one touchdown, Erick Thorn 97 and two touchdowns, and Mitchell Stivers six yards and a TD. Austin Hornung completed six of 12 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, and Smith three of four for 19 yards and two touchdowns. Thorn had three catches for 120 yards and one touchdown, Sawyer Packer three for 39 yards and two touchdowns, Charlie Kendrick two for 17 yards and a score, and Jacob Perry one catch for 16 yards.
Stivers and Smith each grabbed an interception. Kendrick was in on 18 total tackles, Stivers eight, Bohden Klinzmann eight, Smith six, Cambric Klinzmann five, Gavin Price four, Thorn three, Packer two, and Blake Stivers one.
ARICKAREE FOOTBALL
Arickaree’s football team will have this week off since Flagler does not have a team this season.
It will give the Bison time to prepare for a big showdown at Washington County rival Otis on October 13. They are 5-1 overall, 2-1 in league play, after cruising to a 66-14 homecoming win over Hi-Plains, last Friday night. They are No. 9 in the 6-man CHSAA Rating Percentage Index and No. 5 in the MaxPreps Rankings.
It did not take long to start celebrating last Friday as the Bison led 35-0 by the end of the first quarter, and 48-0 at halftime. They had a balanced attack with 128 passing and 110 rushing. Jorge Ramos ran for 60 yards and two touchdowns on four carries, Wyatt Sperry 21 yards on five carries, Nic Hermes had a 17-yard TD run, and Dillon Noletubby 12 yards and a TD on two attempts. Austin Wright completed two passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns, Sperry one completion for 50 yards and a TD, and Noletubby two completions for six yards. Zarron Skubal had a 64-yard TD catch, Cody Homm a 50-yard TD catch, Ramos an eight-yard TD catch, and Wright two catches for six yards.
Hermes and Wright each returned a fumble for a touchdown, and Rylee Nichols returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Keith Page, Luis Machado and Ramos also each recovered a fumble. Hermes was in on seven total tackles, Skubal seven, Wright six, Homm five, Noletubby five, Ramos five, Page three, Machado three, Angel Palomo two, Nichols one, and Levi Kalcevic one.
OTIS VOLLEYBALL
The Otis High School volleyball team keeps positioning itself for a strong seeding in the postseason.
The Bulldogs entered today’s rematch at Stratton sitting at 12-4 overall. They lost to Stratton in a five-set thriller two weeks ago at the Akron Tournament. Otis is No. 3 in 1A in the MaxPreps Rankings and No. 4 in the CHSAA Rating Percentage Index. Stratton is No. 6 in MaxPreps and in the RPI.
Otis also is at Weldon Valley on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs had one match last weekend, cruising past Loveland Classical at home, 25-8, 25-14, 25-13. Otis statistics were not available.
ARICKAREE VOLLEYBALL
The Arickaree volleyball team is staying in the hunt for the postseason.
The Bison were 9-8 overall heading into this past Tuesday’s home league match against Lone Star and are at Flagler on Friday. They entered this week No. 25 in the 1A CHSAA Rating Percentage Index, and No. 22 in the MaxPreps Rankings.
Arickaree picked up a key win last Friday for Homecoming, beating Hi-Plains in five, 25-23, 25-17, 19-25, 20-25, 15-10. Arickaree statistics were not available.
LONE STAR VOLLEYBALL
Lone Star’s volleyball team is trying to stay in the running for a postseason berth.
The Longhorns entered this past Tuesday’s league match at Arickaree with a 7-6 overall record. They were No. 29 in the 1A MaxPreps Rankings, and No. 34 in the CHSAA Rating Percentage Index.
This past Tuesday’s match at Arickaree was their first since a home loss to Briggsdale last Tuesday. They next will host Idalia today, October 5.