Usually by the time sequel No. 6 hits, the plot line stinks.
But feel free to roll out the red carpet for Merino versus Haxtun, Part VI.
“How ’bout that?” Haxtun coach Dave Shafer said.
In a deep year, the 8-man quarterfinals include a matchup between the Nos. 1 and 2 teams (Granada and Dove Creek) in The Denver Post’s final regular-season poll.
Not only have the old Plains League teams duked it out during the regular season, it has been the final game of the 8-man season the past two years. Haxtun, at home for both, won 30-0 in 2004 and Merino won 26-12 in 2005. The 2006 game is in Phillips County.
“It’s hard to beat a good team twice,” said Merino coach John Barber, whose Rams won 30-0 in Week 3 in Logan County. “We’d like a shot at the semifinals, but we know this is going to be like climbing Mount Everest, having to go there again.”
The hardest thing, at least for the coaches, is trying to come up with a different wrinkle, that little something extra that just might catch the other off guard.
“You hear it all the time, this time of year, but you’ve got to dance with the girl that got you here,” Shafer said. “But there are always things you can do to spruce her up.”
The traditionally run-happy Bulldogs have a three-headed monster in the backfield, led by senior Garrick Biesemeier. Biesemeier scored twice on runs of 25 and 58 yards last week at Elbert. Grant Edwards and Gerry Brown also scored for the Bulldogs.
Merino will run with Ross Brunkhardt and Chance Barber will do most of the work out of the backfield. Quarterback Ethan Kurtzer gives the Rams a different element out of the backfield, and is prone to taking off.
“The big thing for us, is we have to be able to change things up during the game,” John Barber said. “Of course we have to clean up a few little things as well.”
8-man football
MERINO (7-1) AT HAXTUN (7-2)
The past two seasons, this has been the title game we’ve all come to expect. Merino won the regular-season tilt 30-0 at home. It is one thing to beat a team twice in a season, another to do it on their turf.
DOVE CREEK (9-0) AT GRANADA (10-0)
These teams finished 1-2 in The Denver Post’s final regular-season poll. Go figure. Granada will be well rested after coach Manuel Gonzales, who has put a team in the semifinal five times since 1999, pulled his starters after one half against Plateau Valley. Dove Creek, which never has advanced past the second round of any playoff venture, will need another big performance from Matt Stiasny (21 carries for 233 yards and three touchdowns last week).
STRATTON (9-1) AT SEDGWICK COUNTY (8-2)
Stratton got all it could handle last week against Dayspring Christian, hanging on for a 20-13 win. Quarterback Todd May threw two touchdown passes and ran for another. Stratton is clearly the more playoff-savvy of the two teams, and is gunning for its 11th semifinal appearance in 13 visits.
SANGRE DE CRISTO (8-1) AT NUCLA (8-2)
Another rematch this week for Sangre’s Thunderbirds. Last week, the Mountain Division champions made quick work of Springfield in the second half to avenge their only loss of the season. Sangre won the regular-season matchup at home 22-14 in Week 3. Nucla’s Daniel Herron had a field day last week against Wiley, rushing for 407 yards and five touchdowns in a wild 56-51 win over the Panthers.
Playoffs: In bracket order
QUARTERFINALS
SATURDAY
Merino (7-1) at Haxtun (7-2), 1 p.m.
Dove Creek (9-0) at Granada (10-0), 1 p.m.
Stratton (9-1) at Sedgwick County (8-2), 1:30 p.m.
Sangre de Cristo (8-1) at Nucla (8-2), 1 p.m.
Semifinals: Nov. 18
Championship: Nov. 25
Jon E. Yunt can be reached at 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com.
