Key:
Division 1 Won
Division 2 Won
Toss Up!
2006: Richland Springs over Northside
Like I said in my previous post, I think Jayton was better than Northside. Jayton had two flukey fumbles go out of bounds in the end zone, which resulted in a change of possession (from Jayton to Northside) both times. Plus, it is hard to bet against JB, BE, TE, and the gang.
I have no idea who or what "Bible Heritage" is/was, but it reinforces the fact Richland would have beaten Northside.
Bible Heritage: Richland Springs +63
Week 1: Richland Springs 54, Bible Heritage 6
Week 6: Bible Heritage 102, Northside 87
2007: Richland Springs over Motley County
If I remember/was told correctly, Woodson was up 28 to 0 at half. Their best player gets hurt, and MC won the state championship. Need I say more other than
*howling!*
Link: Richland Springs > Motley County by 106
State Game: Motley County 44, Woodson 38
Week 15: Woodson 102, Gustine 64
Week 3: Richland Springs 68, Gustine 6
(led by current Strawn Assistant Coach, Evany Cervantes!)
2008: Toss Up! (Borden County vs. Strawn)
That 08 Strawn Team was AMAZING! People rightfully marveled at #7 (I think his last name was Doyle) in later years, but he was just another guy on this team! The guys that played were all big and fast or just fast. I would love to see them play 07 Richland because 08 Strawn was much bigger and more physical. The only common opponent of the two teams was Woodson, and the scores are pretty similar.
Woodson:
Strawn +8
State Game: Borden County 54, Woodson 8
Week 5: Strawn 54, Woodson 0
While I was going to pick Strawn because I like that team, they flip classifictions in 2017
(IE: Strawn was the DI team in 2008 but the DII team in 2017; Borden County the DII team in 2008 but the DI team in 2017.) Since we are trying to figure out how the spilt affected the overall champion, we have to call 2008 and 2017 a toss up.
2009: Toss Up! (Borden County vs. Garden City)
Although I have seen maybe one Borden County game my entire life, that little back for Garden City
(#25, Colonga [sp]) was one of the best non-throwing running threats I have seen in sixman football and a perfect fit for Vance Jones' system. That said, however, common opponents makes this a toss up.
Sterling City: Borden County +2
Week 6: Borden County 70, Sterling City 20
Week 7: Garden City 78, Sterling City 30
2010: Richland Springs over Garden City
I literally almost called this a toss up. Since I like both teams, I let common opponents break the tie.
Calvert: +6 Richland Springs
Week 1: Garden City 48, Calvert 46
Week 13: Richland Springs 66, Calvert 58
Sterling City: +22 Richland Springs
Week 2: Garden City 54, Sterling City 30
State Game: Richland Springs 46, Sterling City 0
2011: Throckmorton over Richland Springs
READ 2012 FOR THE REASON I CHANGED THIS FROM A TOSS UP TO THROCKMORTON WINNING!
While I believe this is the end of the Demien Reeves era of Richland Springs Football, I never saw Throckmorton play this year. Luckily, they have two common opponents. Unfortunately, their common opponents, Mullin and Avalon
, indicate that they are ridiculously close in talent to one another.
Mullin: Throckmorton +4
Week 3: Throckmorton 64, Mullin 14
Week 10: Richland 46, Mullin 0
Avalon: Throckmorton +2
Week 1: Richland Springs 66, Avalon 20
Week 12: Throckmorton 70, Avalon 22
No offense to Mullin, but both teams could have probably scored as many points as they wanted against them. Avalon seems like a solid opponent, and both scores are ridiculously similar. Thus, I do not feel comfortable picking either team based on score.
2012: Richland Springs over Throckmorton
Same situation as 2011 but with less data as they have no common opponents during the 2012 year. Instead of calling 2011 a "toss up," I am going to give it to Throckmorton
(because they scored a few more points against common opponents during 2011) and give 2012 to Richland Springs. I would love to see the 2011 RS/Throck or 2012 RS/Throck teams plays each other!
Link: Throckmorton > Richland Springs by +7
"Western Conference Finals:" Throckmorton 60, Valley 48
Week 1: Valley 37, Joneboro 28
Regional: Richland Springs 64, Jonesboro 48
2013: Toss Up! (Grandfalls-Royalty vs. Crowell)
Before looking at scores: I saw both of these teams play and loved both of them. Even though I saw them play less, Crowell reminded me a lot of 2008 Strawn because they had some big guys that could really move. 2013 Grandfalls was the best spread defense team I have ever seen as they had 3 guys that could coverage, rush, and tackle in space at a very high-level when most teams are lucky to have one guy like that. This would be a heck of a match up on paper and two of the teams I would like to see go against the 2007 Richland Springs Coyotes! It depends on the matchups which is "better," but I think Crowell would beat Grandfalls head to head because the Cowboys would have a hard time with Crowell's tight.
After looking at scores: One common opponent really sticks out to me: Follett. Follett played Grandfalls in 2012 and lost in a really close game. Follett then went on to get 45ed in the state game by Richland Springs. During this game, Harley Ethirdge, now Head Coach at Follett, went up against Jerry Burkhart. In 2013, Grandfalls defeated Follett for the right to go to the state game and mercy-rule Milford. Obviously, Follett and Grandfalls were very close in talent and ability. To contrast, Crowell lost to Follett during Week 6.
Then again, Water Valley beat Grandfalls week 1 while Crowell beat Water Valley during their playoff run. Although this means less to me because I never saw Water Valley play, it should not be discounted at all. Thus, I am calling this one a toss up.
Follett: Grandfalls +25
"The Western Conference Finals:" Grandfalls 67, Follett 58
Week 6: Follett 74, Crowell 58
Water Valley: Crowell +18
Week 1: Water Valley 32, Grandfalls 20
Week 12: Crowell 52, Water Valley 46
2014: Crowell over Throckmorton
Like I said, I liked the heck out of these Crowell teams. Furthermore, the scores indicate that Crowell would beat Throckmorton fairly easily.
May: Crowell +26
Week 4: Throckmorton 60, May 40
State Game: Crowell 62, May 16
Rotan: Crowell +8
Week 6: Throckmorton 58, Rotan 12
Week 7: Crowell 54, Rotan 0
Calvert: Crowell +24
"Eastern Conference Finals:" Throckmorton 76, Calvert 72
Week 6: Crowell 44, Calvert 16
Although you never know on any given day, this one seems pretty clear to me.
2015: Richland Springs over Abbott
It is hard to believe these teams, roughly 150 miles apart, had zero (0) common opponents during the 2015 season. As far as I can tell, however, they did not.
I probably would pick Richland Springs if forced to pick without data, but I found a chain of games that back up this assertion.
Link: Richland Springs > Abbott by +119
Week 13: Richland Springs 52, Jonesboro 7
Week 12: Jonesboro 78, Calvert 46
Week 3: Calvert 53, Abbott 8
I hate to base so much off scores, but I am almost positive I never saw Abbott play this year. Plus, those scores are pretty convincing!
2016: Richland Springs over Borden County
I think there is an argument to make this match up a toss up, but you would have to give me a reason why Borden County barley lost to Calvert while Richland Springs beat Calvert handily. If you cannot tell, I am trying to find a way not to pick Richland Springs every single time! Plus, Calvert was/is usually one of the best teams in the state.
Calvert: Richland Springs +52
Week 2: Calvert 62, Borden County 60
Week 13: Richland Springs 86, Calvert 36
Paducah: Richland Springs +3
Week 1: Richland Springs 58, Paducah 0
Week 5: Borden County 55, Paducah 0
Sterling City: Borden County +2
Week 5: Richland Springs 48, Sterling City 0
Bi-district: Borden County 56, Sterling City 6
2017: Toss Up! (Borden County vs. Strawn)
Between finishing these post, a few poster said they disagreed with me. After reviewing, I think they probably objected to the fact I shortchanged Borden County. While I changed 2009 to a toss up, they flip classifications in 2017
(IE: Strawn was the DI team in 2008 but the DII team in 2017; Borden County the DII team in 2008 but the DI team in 2017.) Since we are trying to figure out how the split affected the overall champion, we have to call 2008 and 2017 a toss up.
My opinion on this year is not as good as other years since I saw both these teams play a total of one time
(Strawn v. Oakwood at Alvarado) this year, they have no common opponents, and any "link" I tried to create makes them dead even,. Thus, I am calling it a toss up.
2018: McLean over Strawn
Despite my love of Strawn, all I need to do is show the scores on this one. They both played each other and had a common opponent, Garden City.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: McLean 51, Strawn 18
(Week 1)
Garden City: McLean +49
"Western Conference Finals:" McLean 72, Garden City 34
Week 6: Garden City 34, Strawn 23
2019: Blum over Richland Springs
Before looking at scores: This was the "Rigdon Year" at Richland Springs. While I am not going to recap what happened to start World War IV on this message board, I think most people would say Richland Springs was more talented than Blum. That does not make it true, however.
After looking at scores: I forgot that Aquilla almost beat Richland Springs in week 2 of the season. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think Richland was experiencing some "growing pains" during this game. Nevertheless, Blum easily beat Aquilla in district. Although they both played Medina, I do not think it tells us much about the teams. I tried to make an argument for Richland and could not find a link that would indicate Richland Springs would beat Blum.
Aquilla: Blum +38
Week 2: Richland Springs 50, Aquilla 46
Week 7: Blum 68, Aquilla 26
Medina: Richland +5
Week 5: Richland Springs 52, Medina 0
Week 6: Blum 66, Medina 19
This will probably be one of the more passionately argued for on this site.
2020: Sterling City over Balmorhea
Although I think a person should probably pick Sterling City, it is by the thinnest of margins. When I saw that Rankin was one of the teams Sterling City beat during their playoff run, I thought there would be tons of common opponents given the fact Balmorhea and Rankin are one of about 10 six man teams west of the Pecos River that always play each other.
For whatever reason, Rankin played Calvert, Leakey, Nuecse Canyon, White Deer, and a few private schools instead of their typical, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Buena Vista, Grandfalls, Ft. Davis, Marfa, etc. Thus, we only have two points of data, both of which indicate Sterling City is better, albeit slightly, better than Balmorhea.
Rankin: Sterling City +14
Week 1: Rankin 38, Balmorhea 36
Area: Sterling City 100, Rankin 88
Link: Sterling City > Rankin by +14
Week 1: Rankin 38, Balmorhea 36
Week 3: Borden County 40, Rankin 34
"Western Conference Finals:" Sterling City 48, Borden County 40
If you eat, live, and drink blue and white Balmorhea Bear's football, I think it is very logical to think your team could beat Sterling City due to the fact 14 points is a thin margin in sixman!
2021: Strawn over Westbrook
Although they have no common opponents, Strawn and Westbrook played each other in the regular season.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Strawn 68, Westbrook 52 (Week 5)
I also think it is relevant that Westbrook lost four games while Strawn was hardly challenged throughout the year. Furthermore, Strawn was balling at the end of the year as they almost mercy-ruled Richland Springs, despite the fact their respective scores against Ft. Worth Convenant Classic earlier in the year were much closer (Strawn beat FTWCC 114 to 97 while Richland beat FTWCC 119 to 112.)
The 2021 Strawn Greyhounds are probably one of the best teams in sixman history. While I never said this because I did not want to be called a hater, there was a play in the state game against Motley County that Rigdon (#1) went virtually 80 yards for a touchdown on a base running play out of the T. People rightfully sing his praises, but man that Strawn could really block collectively. No one touched Rigdon on that play, and it makes me wonder if Strawn, collectively, is not one of the best teams ever.
MY FINAL SCORE:
Division 1: 9 State Championships
Division 2: 6.5 State Championships
NOTE: Each side gets ".5" for a "Toss Up!"
Source for 2006 to 2020: http://lonestarfootball.net/
Source for 2021: www.sixmanfootball.com
