SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Three area teams ready for state championship action

Daniel Youngblood

5 months ago

We’ve reached the final week of the season, and as expected, teams from the Big Country Preps coverage area will play a significant role in deciding both six-man state championships.

In Division I, the two-time defending state champion Gordon Longhorns will try to further cement their legacy as one of the most impressive dynasties in six-man football history when they take on Rankin for a third consecutive title at 11 a.m. Wednesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

And in Division II, it’s an all-area matchup between the defending state champion Jayton Jaybirds and perennial power Richland Springs immediately following the Division I game.

The culmination of another outstanding year of six-man action, these two contests should provide a fun celebration of the sport for both longtime fans and those newer to the six-man game. Without further ado, let’s dive in and take a look at both matchups in our final “Six-Man Lookahead” column of 2025.

THIS WEEK’S MATCHUPS

Gordon (13-0) vs. Rankin (12-2) — This wasn’t the matchup most were expecting see for the Division I title. While the Longhorns were viewed as a virtual lock to claim one of the spots, Rankin’s run to its second state title game (and first since 1980) has come as more of a surprise. Not only did the Red Devils have to overcome a 4-2 start to advance to this point, they had to avenge both of those losses in the playoffs, beating Borden County 50-39 in the bi-district round and Water Valley 54-46 in the state semifinals after get routed by both during nondistrict play. And between those victories, Rankin had to take down defending state runner-up Whiteface in the region finals, giving the Red Devils three wins as underdogs during this run. To complete it and shock the six-man world with a win over Gordon, though, RHS would need its biggest upset to date, as the Longhorns are favored by 14 to 22 points depending on the source. But if history is any indication, it won’t be that close. Gordon, which rides a remarkable 43-game winning streak into this matchup, has yet to a play a full game against any of its six-man opponents this year, winning its 13 games by an average of 51 points per outing. If that streak holds, and frankly I expect it to, coach Mike Reed and Co. will be celebrating a rare three-peat by lunchtime on Wednesday.
Jayton (14-0) vs. Richland Springs (12-1) — There’s nothing surprising about the participants in Wednesday’s second game, as the Jaybirds and Coyotes have been among the top Division II teams all season long. Jayton, which has won 29 straight games dating back to the start of the 2024 season, has been utterly dominant, outscoring its 14 opponents by a combined margin of 822-158. That includes recent wins over previously unbeaten squads from Benjamin (76-62) and Lamesa Klondike (64-19) the last two rounds of the playoffs. Richland Springs, meanwhile, has been almost as impressive, rebounding from a season-opening loss to Gordon to rattle off 12 consecutive blowout wins, including a region finals victory over recent playoff nemesis Oglesby (72-22) and a state semifinals rout of always-tough Strawn (66-20). This matchup, which pits Richland Springs’ do-it-all junior Cohen Ethridge against a balanced Jaybirds squad led by QB/DB Sean Stanaland, RB/DB Bode Ham and TE/DL Colt Gentry, is expected to be a tight one, with a spread between five and 13 points. I like the favorites here as well in Jayton, but this should be an outstanding game between two truly excellent teams. And if the Coyotes were to pull off the upset, they’d claim their 10th state title in program history and first since 2019, when they capped a run of six championships in a span of a decade.