The BIG Buildup and PICKS

By
December 15, 2006

I became hooked on Six-Man, again, after carrying what was then my future son in law and now is to watch Throckmorton beat Valley 68-22 here in Abilene last year. I played Six-Man in high school at Lueders-Avoca back when the earth was still cooling down.

When I graduated High School back in May of 1970, I found my way over to the big city of Abilene. Lycia, and I married in 1972. Our oldest child, Angela, was born in 1977. That made a huge change in our life together. Then the son, Bradley, came along in 1983 followed my another girl, Casie Jo, in 1985. We pretty well raised those kids here in Abilene although we did move to the Dallas area in the late 80's before coming to our senses and moving back to Abilene in the early 90's. Those kids were Taylor Trojans, Franklin Broncos, and Abilene High Eagles. During that stretch I followed a different kind of football but I never totally forgot about my roots in Six-Man. I saw a few games here and there and checked on scores especially the Raiders.

Throckmorton's team a year ago was one of the best teams to ever pad up in Six-Man in my humble opinion. They cruised to the State Championship winning it with ease en route to a perfect season of 15-0. The memories of that team will linger for a long, long time. They have a real nice monument out in front of the school in Throckmorton that will help remind and inspire future Greyhounds. It, along with hard work, seemed to inspire this season's group of Greyhounds. They finished up this year at 9 and 3. I think that was an outstanding season for them considering the adversity they faced all year long. That all started with a new head coach. They got a fine one in Clyde Parham. He took a group of young men that wasn't quiet as experienced as the team from a year ago. They fought the injury bug. They had a huge target on their back, defending State Champs, that they carried into every game they played. Just a play here or there going their way and they might have been playing for a second championship in a row. You can all chime in now if you would like, “If and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a merry Christmas.” Congratulations to the Throckmorton Greyhounds. You gave it your all.

Beginning with seven games I saw in Week Zero, I have witnessed 25 games this year. The 2 championship games that are to be played here this weekend will give me 27 games this season. So far, I have traveled approximately 4000 miles round trip this season. No one made me do that. I did it on my own and I loved ever minute of it. I have eaten a hamburger at every game. There were some real good ones and a bad one or two along the way. The best part of it has been the people I have come in contact with over the season. Coaches, players, fans, cheerleaders, officials, people running the concession stands and the folks that sold me gasoline late at night are all memories I will carry with me the rest of my life.

Where did I go? Let's see.

Week Zero. I went to Richland Springs on Thursday night to the Coyote Kick Off classic. Liked it so well I went back there on Friday night. Saturday I spent the day in Hico at the Hico Super Six. If you never done either one of those, make plans right now to take part in one or both next season.

Week One. I found my way to Valley to watch them host the Rule Bobcats. After seeing Rule that night, I knew it was going to be a special season for them. They didn't play great but they showed resolve and won the game 39 to 15.

Week Two. It is a far piece from Abilene to Whitharral. I went there to see Whitharral host Meadow. Wow, that Streety boy can kick that ball. Meadow could score too. They won 99-60. If it were not for a few missed PAT's, I would have seen my first 100 point game.


Week Three. North again. This time I saw a great Division 2 game between Jayton and Patton Springs in Afton. Jayton scored with very little time left to win 24 to 22. I believe they were trailing 16-0 at the half. It was an exciting game even though there wasn't that many points scored. Quite a contrast to the game I saw the week before.

Week Four. I drove out to Highland to watch them host Jayton. Highland won that game 32-14. Those Highland folks sure fix a mean hamburger. Highland lost the week before to Spur by one point because they didn't play ball the way they were capable of playing. They played an outstanding game against Jayton. Offense, Defense, Special teams, they had it all going against Jayton. Highland is the best team I saw play this season that did not make the playoffs. They finished 7 and 3. That was a tough district.

Week Four. On Saturday I tripped off to Rule to watch Richland Springs play Petersburg. RS won that game 64-0 and it was over at the half. I left wondering what the Rule team and coaches thought about the Coyotes and if they were thinking then that they would be seeing them in the playoffs??

Week Four. Came back to Abilene and went out to Shotwell to catch a little of the Throckmorton and Abilene Christian High School game. Friends from Richland Springs told me in Rule that they were thinking about going back to Abilene and watching this game. I told them they would be wasting their time and that the game would be over at the half. I was wrong. ACHS who played the hardest early season schedule of anyone grew up that day. Throckmorton won the game but ACHS scared them. The final was 59-40.

Week Five. I found my way to Jayton to watch them host Rule. I expected a close game with Rule winning. Well, Rule won. 50-0. Jayton has a fine team. This game solidified my thoughts on Rule. I left thinking Rule is going a long ways this season. Maybe all the way.

Week Six. District 7 opening week and a heck of a match up. Rule traveled to Throckmorton to take on Bryce Hogue and the defending State Champs. I knew where I had to be on this night! It was a great game and Rule prevailed by the score of 69-57. 12 points. It was a close game but not as close as the score indicated. Rule pretty much controlled the game. I knew then that Rule had the total package. Offense, Defense, and SPEED. I left Throckmorton that night thinking to myself that Rule could quite possibly win the State Championship in Division 1.

Week Seven. I had been keeping up with some teams out East and decided the Abbott and Blum game was a must see Six-Man game. Both teams were undefeated and neither had come close to breaking a sweat yet or being tested. Abbott came into Blum a little banged up and Blum routed them. 47-0. I left there with the thought in mind, Rule is not the only team with speed. Not just speed, I mean SPEED. I figured I would see Blum again in the playoffs.

Week Eight. I decided to go back to Highland to watch them play Robert Lee. I was getting into this thing about speed and I heard that Robert Lee had some. After seeing Highland against Jayton a few weeks back I thought this should be my “game of the week”. Yes, I did have another Highland Hamburger. Robert Lee did show some speed. Highland played well again but Robert Lee won the game 54-42. There is something about this speed thing!!

Week Nine. I had been keeping up with the young man at Richland Springs that was closing in on the National Six-Man career touchdown passes record. He needed two or three to tie the record. RS was playing Eden and I thought there is a good chance that the record would fall and I wanted to be there to see it if it did. It fell. It was smashed. So was Eden and so would be the program at Richland Springs. The final score was 96 to 0 and that was at the half. All the people in the world came down on RS and the program there for running up the score on Eden. I was there and I saw every play and every point that was scored and my take on it was IF and you see that is a BIG IF. IF Richland Springs really wanted to have run up the score it could have been 300 to 0. Really!
Week Ten. The May Tigers had been making some noise and had been playing some tough defense so I decided to go to May and watch them play Santa Anna for the District 13 Championship. Both teams would make the playoffs but who would be the District Champ??? May won the game 82 to 62 and with that the right to play Richland Springs in round two of the playoffs.

THE PLAYOFFS BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!
Week Eleven. Vernon Northside and Moran settle on Shotwell Stadium for their Bi District game and choose to play on a Thursday night. Sweet! I have been wanting to watch Northside all season but it just hadn't worked out. During the regular season, I ranked teams here at Six-Man Central. I had the Indians of Northside ranked as the Number One team in Division 2. Northside was 5 and 0 and looked worthy of that ranking. They then hooked up with Amarillo Bible Heritage. Northside scored 87 points and STILL lost by 15 points!!!! That's right. 102-87. I did not know much about ABH but I figure if you let anyone score over a 100 points on you you are deserving of the Number One ranking. Quite frankly, I have picked against them ever since and ever since they have proved me wrong. I gave them no chance whatsoever of beating Gustine. Northside won that game 76-29.

Week Eleven. I decided for the Friday night game I would drive out to Stanton to watch Meadow and Robert Lee play. Meadow was a 45 point favorite. I had watched Robert Lee beat a good Highland team and besides that Robert Lee had speed. There was no way that Meadow would 45 Robert Lee!! Yes way. 72-24 Meadow. That set up a game of Meadow against Garden City if Meadow could get by Fort Davis and I knew I would have to see that as I had picked Garden City all season to face Rule at the Semi Final round.

Week Twelve. How could I resist going to watch May and Richland Springs? There were people that really thought May could beat Richland Springs. I did not but I thought it would be a close game. It is a simple fact that I know now. Tyler Ethridge will not allow a close game. The previous week with his team appearing to be in a close game, Tyler came out of his street clothes at he half ( he had been injured earlier in the final regular season game) and led his team to a 40-16 victory. I don't know if he changed his clothes in a telephone booth or not but he certainly played like he might have. The legend grows more and more. Tyler can't be stopped. BTW, RS is not a one man team. Tyler Ethridge is the key player NOT the only player. Back to the game at hand, May didn't have a clue what hit them. 56 to 8. RS Coyotes advance. Speaking of hitting, Richland Springs DEFENSE does just that. HITS

Week 13. A decision must be made. Do I watch a Rule and Throckmorton rematch OR do I head down Interstate 20 again this time to see Meadow and Garden City? My thought process was, Rule will beat Throckmorton with one hand tied behind their back and Garden City will advance and I will have the match up I have expected. Funny how things don't always go just like you figure it to. First, The Rule Bobcats escaped with a win over Throckmorton. The score was 36-28 and it came down to an unbelievable pass and catch for a TD at the end. Meanwhile, out in Stanton where I decided to go, Garden City can't hang on to the ball and Meadow scores 20 points off turn overs and win the game by twenty points 54 to 34. Meadow is looking stronger than ever.

Week 14. Rule and Meadow play is Lubbock on Saturday night. Sweet! That means I can make another trip to Comanche to watch to super DEFENSES go at it in Blum and Richland Springs. Here you have not one but two Six-Man teams whose defense is only allowing 9 points a game!!!!!! Oh! My Gosh!!!

The battle begins and it looks like it will be close. Do you remember what I told you back in week 12?
Tyler will not allow a close game. Tyler does not allow a close game with Blum and Blum has lots of SPEED. Blum decides to rush one on TE. Doesn't work. OK, plan B. Rush two guys on Mr. Ethridge. Same result. One thing left to do, that's right, rush three on that guy. Once again Superman responds. Blum with all their SPEED manage to score 26 points. Blum with all their SPEED manage to hold Tyler Ethridge to just 23 of 32 passing for 381 yards and another 145 yards rushing. Did I mention he threw for SIX touchdowns which by the way allowed him to break the all time record for career touch down passes that was held by the Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell when he played high school ball at Ennis? While rushing he did score a touch down. That is 7 touchdowns through the air and on the ground.

Saturday night in Lubbock, Meadow comes in to town having scored 804 points. A powerful offense to say the least. A defense good enough to have secured 13 wins against no losses. Rule brings their stout DEFENSE and all their team SPEED and they walk a way with a 45-0 win over Meadow. The whole world is shocked. Not that Rule won but how convincing they won.

Saturday right here in beautiful Abilene, Texas, four teams are coming here to play their hearts out to win a State Championship. Game one is the Six-Man Division 2 State Championship between the (12-2) Jayton Jaybirds and the (13-1) Vernon Northside Indians. The kickoff for this game will be at 3:00 PM. The official spread in this game has Northside 13 point favorites. My pick is Northside by 21.

Game 2 has Rule (12-0) facing Richland Springs (13-0) The kickoff is scheduled at 7:30 PM. The official line on this game has Rule installed as 15 point favorites. My pick is Richland Springs by 14.

Tickets are $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for students. One ticket gets you in for both games. The weather should be beautiful. Come early, stay late. Have a fantastic time and enjoy. Thanks for coming.

Thanks for reading.
Don Hardin
txsixii@yahoo.com

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