It’s State Championship Saturday!
Nov. 12, 2007 @ 3:50 p.m. by Jeff LutzWell, only if you’re a fan of 8-man football. And judging by some of the crowds I’ve seen at these games, there are a lot of you out there.
The thing I like about 8-man football is that different teams seem to show up in the championship game every year. Aside from sustained “dynasties” from Midway-Denton in the late 1980s and Hanston more recently, no dominant team has emerged in 8-man ball. Eight-man fans, why do you think that is?
Anyway, since 1983, when 8-man split into two divisions, 26 schools have won at least one 8-man state championship. Now granted, 24 years is a long time — some of the schools that have won have since either merged with other schools or become big enough to field 11-man teams. But in general, parity has ruled the 8-man game.
I bring this up because the schools in Saturday’s 8-man championship games in Newton don’t exactly have trophy cases full of football hardware. We’ll be looking at at least one first-time state champion when Macksville meets Hanover in the Division I game, while South Haven can become a first-time winner in Division II. Its opponent, Sharon Springs, hasn’t won since 1991.
At least, I think these facts are correct. The print of past state champions in the annual football programs is so small that I may have missed something. But I don’t think so — I double checked.
For 8-man newbies, let me tell you why it may be worth your time to drive up to Newton and watch at least one of these games on Saturday — lots and lots of scoring. In most games I’ve seen, one team has a tight end that towers over everybody and weighs about 250, so he just takes short passes and rumbles down the field, usually to the end zone. Last year, the Waverly quarterback tossed seven touchdowns in leading his team to the championship.
I won’t be covering the games this year, so the Newton game officials won’t have to put up with me putting up signs in the press box for them not to announce the outcome of the Ohio State-Michigan game. That game has a lot less meaning than it did last year, anyway. But these games will definitely be worth watching, and we’ll get at least one first-time champ. It happens every year.
November 12th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
I think you mean South Haven, not South Barber in the division II game.
November 13th, 2007 at 10:04 am
We’re so excited about Saturday! I had never seen 8 man football until I moved here. But, we are definitely fans now! [The only thing that REALLY gets to me is the shorter field. I mean, it’s almost un-American to not have a fifty yard line.]
But having said that, I love it! We have 29 players, not to mention our 3 outstanding coaches, that are ready to take the field on Saturday and do their best to bring home a championship title. These boys are genuinely nice boys both off and on the field. They know and utilize good sportsmanship. It’s going to be a very exciting game.
Guys (Cardinals), the Johnson family is still praying that you are able to play to the best of your ability, that you continue to glorify Him in all that you do, and that no player for either team gets injured.
Woo Hoo! Newton, here we come!
November 13th, 2007 at 11:34 am
I grew up watching 11-man football, went to Garden Plain High School, which is 11-man (who by the way is 12-0!! Go OWLS!) so when I went to my first 8-man football game I was, well let’s say confused… Why isn’t there a 50 yard line? Is this field smaller? Do they have to go for 2 after a touchdown? These were some of the questions I had for my husband. And you’ll never believe it the crowd doesn’t sit in the stands. Nope, they are lined around the field. Well, at least at all the games I’ve been too. If you’ve never seen an 8-man team play get your butt up to Newton this Saturday or wait until next year. South Haven has an incredible team this year and I am so excited for them. I don’t know a single guy on that team but it’s just so fun watching the game that you just get into it. I’ll be there…will you?
November 13th, 2007 at 11:59 am
OMG, what a joke… move to a bigger system and play real ball… 8 man is an extention of track season………
November 13th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Wow! 8 man is a joke? Anyone know who Rick Bowden is? He is in charge of football for KSHSAA. Do you know where he was Friday night? At an 8 man game. Quote, “This is the hardest hitting game I have been to all year from 6A on down.” What is a joke is the lack of committment in most of the bigger programs. In an interview on ESPN when asked who the hardest hitting team he ever played was, John Riggins (MVP SuperBowl XVII) said, “Hanover” (an 8 man school). The interviewers were clueless what he meant.
November 13th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Stupid question: Is Midway-Denton even in existence anymore? I could not find it on the list of schools on Varsitykansas.com.
As for eight-man football being a joke, well, that’s just plain ignorance. After watching 11-man football all season, I was stunned at how hard hitting, efficient, and up-front-and-personal an eight man game is. I think if the football gods had to do it all over, they would have adopted the eight-man rules. Very entertaining.
November 13th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
8 man football sucks…. is right… If it were so great, why not adopt it everywhere… simple answer is revenue…..Riggins was a freak…. a stud none the less, 8 man was lucky to have him, as was KU…..
It’s just a matter of opinion……. I do not see recruiters swarming to the 8 man fields every friday night scooping up all that talent!
November 13th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
8 man: The reason you don’t see recruiters watching the talent is b/c you are obviously not there to watch the games. {or you wouldn’t be claiming it’s not real}. Having grown up in Texas — where football is obviously a well-known priority in schools — I was used to 11 man football. They have 8-man teams there as well. But, as here in Kansas, it is played by the smaller schools. Not because there’s no talent, no real hits, etc., but b/c there’s usually not enough players to support both offense and defense on a larger team.
If you think this is an extension of track season, I doubt very seriously you would line up against any of the players playing in Saturdays games. I’m sure they would crush you.
Since you are obviously not a fan, stay on the blogs where you belong. Maybe try the “wanna-be” section.
To all four teams on Saturday: Good Luck and play a safe game.
November 13th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Recruiters, 8 man Kensington’s back turned down KU last year for Michigan. He is at a feeder juco for Michigan this year. Probably regretting it.
November 13th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
I grew up in an area where the “large” schools in Kansas would have been small. High schools with 3500 students. I have never seen heart, hitting, and committment like I have in 8 man. Cueballks is right on track. More is not better, look at the Canadian Football League - bigger field + 12 players = the minor leagues.
November 13th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
By the way, Kensington’s back was in Sports Illustrated last year. Of the 50,000 students in Wichita, how many were in S.I. last year?
November 13th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
Smallschoolfan: “He is at a feeder juco for Michigan this year. Probably regretting it.”
-Your right, hes probably regretting it because i’m sure he would have got the chance to play over Mike Hart…
8 for real: “Canadian Football League - bigger field + 12 players = the minor leagues.”
-What does that have to do with 8 man football in Kansas. Just so you know…Cananda blows, at everything except hockey. Were not talking about playing with 12 guys or a 120 yard field or however big it is. Were talking AMERICAN FOOTBALL.
I’m sure all 17 or 18 people in your town are the only people that would rather watch 8 man football over 11 man.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
The hardest hitting game I’ve seen in the past three years was a 2-1A game between Colgan and Oxford. Outside of a Coffeyville vs Butler game of course.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:05 am
Which one of those teams are 1A?
November 14th, 2007 at 8:53 am
I believe there are more schools in 8-man. I don’t know if there is actually any dynasty in the larger classes. 6A and 5A only have 32 schools in each, so that’s a pretty watered down system. I know the 4A state asketball tournament in Salina seems to have most of the same teams year after year. We have way too many State champions in both football and basketball for a smaller populated state as Kansas to mean a whole lot to most sports fans.
November 14th, 2007 at 9:07 am
There may be 17 or 18 in the town, but they are decent folk and I would rather hang with 17 or 18 decent folk than any number of harsh, narrow minded, megalomaniacs like yourself. Grow up.
November 14th, 2007 at 9:07 am
No dynasty in larger classes??? Hutchinson, what are they at? 3 in a row going for there 4th straight state championship? Conway Springs back in early 2001, 2002-ish with Josh Barbo and Caleb Handy. Pittsburgh Colgan if you would count them as a larger class.
4A State basketball- 2 years ago Scott City and Belle Plaine went to the State championship. I believe those were the 2 smallest 4A school in Kansas. Besides that most of the teams are the same. TMP, Atchison, Rose Hill or Andover Central.
I agree that there are to many State Champions. I had a friend that moved to Missouri, and their 3A was about the same as a 5A in Kansas.
November 14th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Well if you would go to a small town of say 1,000 I’m sure you could find 17 or 18 people to hang out with…. oh and sorry about criticizing your little 8 man game. Didn’t think you take it so hard. And how come you’re calling all city people narrow minded, harsh, and megalomaniacs? So you keep hanging out with your “17 or 18 decent folk” (…you country hick) and keep making me some bread. Heard harvest wasn’t too good last year…
November 14th, 2007 at 9:34 am
I didn’t say everyone in the city. Unlike yourself, I don’t lob insult grenades at entire populations. I said “Like Yourself”. I hope your bread turns out okay.
November 14th, 2007 at 9:54 am
like I say, 8 man blows! most people in small town are inbred and don’t want to leave their cousin, I mean wife behind…. not all, but most. And you can alway… i mean Always find an exception to anything… the kid from 8 man that turned down KU probably couldn’t get the grades to keep his full ride, why do you think he is in a feeder JUCO….. inbreeding stymies the brain activity ya know. of the 50000 kids in wichita, I can name a few who are STUDS….. most recently the brown brothers, maybe you’ve heard of them, if not read the papers… oh wait, that may be a problem, they are written at a 9th grade reading level…….
how about Kameron Whimbley, Wichita NW, Florida State Star and current NFL stud…
the randall brothers…. John, flamed out at KU but was a monster RB, next brother, played at emporia and stared, and the younger is getting a full ride next year at D1..
Man I could go on and on…
8 man Blows when you compare it to 11…… that is just my IGNORANT postition…..
November 14th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Ease up on the intelligence criticism. I may not know of any 8 man player who “played at emporia and stared”, but I know a few who played at Emporia State and starred. Please do not criticize my reading when you struggle in spelling and grammar.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Granted, the Brown brothers are studs, possibly the best in the nation. How did East do this year in the playoffs?
November 14th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Even at my “9th grade reading level”, I know that you capitalize proper nouns such as Randall, Brown, and Wichita. You don’t capitalize words like Blow. I can also type without the repeated usage of ellipses. I case you are wondering, that is the …..
Good luck this weekend 8-man teams.
Go South Haven!
November 14th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I know Joe Randle is good, but why would he skip both his junior and senior high school seasons just to play D-1 football?
November 14th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Whats with all you people preaching about grammer? Were talkin sports not English class. English BLOWS!!!! Just like canada and just like 8 man football.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
“I case you are wondering, that is the …..”
Get off the internet and go back to your frosh English class.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
I wasn’t old enough to remember, but my dad tells the story of my mom filming a game he was coaching his first year in Western KS. Our family had moved from the Promised land oc Mid Continent Football (Hill City, Smith center, Norton, P-Burg) to South western KS. My mom’s first comment to my dad when they were walking the field was… Where’s the 50-yard line. We all laugh about this still today.
I’ve heard stories about the 8-man greats. Nolan Cromwell played 8-man and then starred at KU. We’ve had some great 8-man players go on and do wonderful things at Div I and II schools.
I never played 8-man and I have seen South Haven play and they are well coached and pretty darn good. They can just flat wear a team down.
I think that 8-man is special to all the schools that play in that division. It’s faster, but you can still see teams utilize ball control. Waverly is very good at doing that year in and year out.
Newton is great place for the championship with the field turf on their field. If you love football and you like a fast paced game and you enjpy watching athletic kids paly their tails off. Be in Newton Saturday for two interesting games.
My best to South Haven and Good Luck. Enjoy the moment and have fun.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Although I will agree with those that say that there are too many classes in Kansas football (being an ex-KSian myself), 8-man is still a fantastic game to watch. There are plenty of athletes, both in terms of power and quickness, and no shortage of national recognition (MN’s 9-man dynasty, Stephen-Argyle, has been featured in the New York Times).
I wouldn’t mind seeing things come down to 4-5 11-man classes and 2 (maybe one) 8-man class. Thoughts?
November 15th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
I think 8-man and 1/2A thru 4A 11-man have more games than 5A and 6A. In football or basketball they need to win more games to get to State. I believe 5A and 6A schools only have to win two games in basketball to get to the State tournament. There is no reason to have two 32 team classes in Kansas. Those are the classes I believe are watered down.
November 19th, 2007 at 7:08 am
Football is great no matter what the level. For those who are so ignorant to think that only 11 man teams have talent, well you are just that, ignorant. There are many 11 man athletes who could not keep up with the fast paced 8 man game. Just as there are some 8 man athletes who could not matchup with some 11 man teams. Running down a team because they come from a small town shows your immaturity. From small to large town teams it is outstanding when you see a community really back their team and Coaches. I enjoyed watching Conway Springs win their first State Championship and they had an awesome following. I was at Derby’s state championship win and by the time we drove back to Derby their were countless stores who had the score of the game already posted on their signs. And for those who are so high on the city league and KC area schools let me add this, at least at smaller schools you don’t have to go through metal detectors just to watch a football game.
November 19th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
i always thought my school was really small when i moved from maize to gp but now i realize my school is big compared to eight man schools
November 24th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
gp state champs