8-Man Survivors: Teams and Prospects Still Playing in D-I

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Only eight teams remain in the eight-man Division I bracket. Six of the teams feature records of 9-1 or 10-0, and they all will meet a team with one of those records.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Cair Paravel (8-2) and Chase County (7-3) match-up could be just as exciting to watch as the other three options.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at a handful of prospects from the 8-Man DI ranks who hope to guide their teams to sub-state appearances.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='335818' first='Kaedin' last='Massey']</strong>, OL/DL, 6'8”, 290, Lyndon, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Massey would stand out on an 11-man team and the fact that he plays eight-man is just unfair to his opponents. This young man is huge, agile, and tougher than a two-dollar steak. He has committed to playing for Kansas State University after graduation. The Lyndon Tigers (10-0) will face West Elk (9-1) in the sectional round.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Evan Coble</strong>, DB, 5'8”, 140, West Elk, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the West Elk defenders hoping to lead the Patriots to an upset over Lyndon is a scrappy senior defensive back. Coble has made 60-plus tackles for West Elk. He also has a nose for the football as he owns to fumble recoveries in 2023.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1115722' first='Ryan' last='Sramek']</strong>, RB/DB, 5'9”, 135, Rawlins County, ‘25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sramek posted strong numbers during the regular season. He rushed for over 1,500 yards and scored 23 touchdowns according to his most recent stats. The Buffaloes (9-1) will have their hooves full this week facing a Wichita County (10-0) team that was ranked No. 1 in the Kansas Media polls for the majority of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Braxton Dixson, </strong>QB/LB, 6'0”, 170, Rawlins County, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another Rawlins County athlete to take a look at is Dixson. He has had a solid season at quarterback accounting for 16 total touchdowns, but his real skill might be on the defensive side of the ball. He is second on the Buffaloes roster in tackles with 84 and has a nice combination of size and speed to make him a collegiate prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wyatt Gardner</strong>, ATH, 5'5”, 140, Wichita County, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gardner is small in stature but has quality speed and he takes no prisoners on the field. He has scored 35 total touchdowns. He can play quarterback, running back, slot receiver, and defensive back. What he lacks in size he makes up for in toughness. He is also a mat wrestler. Maybe one day he will have a movie made about him like Rudy Ruettiger or Vince Papale.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Colton Harbin</strong>, ATH, 6'2”, 185, Wichita County, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Harbin is the Wichita County athlete who is the complete opposite of Gardner in terms of stature. Harbin is a big target at wideout, but he could play tight end in on an 11-man squad. He is also a talented basketball player. Through nine games played Harbin had seven touchdowns on offense and three pass breakups in defense. He could be an end zone target for JUCO and NAIA offenses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1112373' first='Duncan' last='Bell']</strong>, QB, 5'10”, 160, Hoxie, ‘25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bell is the junior signal-caller for the Hoxie Indians. He has a quick release and has been an accurate thrower in 2023. He has thrown for 18 touchdowns and has a completion percentage over 60 percent. He is also a threat on the ground scoring 11 rushing touchdowns. Hoxie (9-1) will face Ell-Saline (9-1) in the sectional round.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jesiah Bonura</strong>, RB'LB, 5'8”, 160, Cair Paravel, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bonura is a sneaky quick back for the Lions. He can break tackles or outrun defenders. The Lions (8-2) have crushed their first two playoff opponents and play Chase County (7-3) in the sectional round.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->