[crowd cheering] Otis has shown great speed on their defensive ends... that has caused havoc in the backfield.

Once you've watched a 6-man game, you can't get it out of your mind.

It gets in the blood.

It's something that you have to experience to understand.

[players yelling] [band playing] 6-man, it stands for something bigger than just one individual person.

[cheering] Growing up in a big school district versus a small one, I would pick a small one any day of the week.

[whistle] We're all family.

I have two boys out on the field, but I say that Ive got 26, I mean, because those are my boys.

Those are my boys.

Theres not a lot to do in small communities, And this is kind of the gathering point for that.

All of these people that come out, it's a huge deal for them.

Like, they clear their schedule so they can come out and watch us.

These cars that are lined up start parking on Thursdays.

Everybody wants to be a part of it.

It means a lot seeing what people have done in the past, and we all just want to see it keep happening.

[school band playing the national anthem] [clapping] Lets go Eagles!

Thank you, and God bless America!

Your starters for our two-time defending state champion Stratton Eagles!

[cheering] The back-to-back defending state champions have an 11-game winning streak and a record of 11-1.

Otis also has an 11-1 record, and the only team they ever lost to was Stratton.

Be advised to take cover, or you might get thunderstruck.

6-man is different.

You can call it full-contact track or NASCAR on grass.

All it takes is a small crease for plays to go 60, 70 yards, because if you can get outside, [coach clapping] [players yelling] you're going to run until... until you run out of field to run on.

[crowd cheering, clapping] Everyone's eligible, so everyone can go out for a pass.

Instead of going 100 yards between goal lines, were 80.

You got to go 15 yards to get first down.

So it shortens the field a little bit, but it's so much open space.

6-man, half our practice is conditioning.

Our running backs need to be able to run six, 700 yards in two hours.

With 6-man, you have multiple jobs, because you go both ways.

So if you're not in top physical condition, by the third quarter, you're going to be gassed.

Yeah.

The score can get up 50, 60, and your defense could play decent.

So it gets wild.

Things happen quickly.

...Otis elected to defer to the second half, Stratton, theyre not used to being down at the half.

It's been a decade since Otis beat Stratton.

Strattons 11-1 in these matchups, [band playing] You got to hit the reset button.

You've got to find ways to stop what Otis has been doing.

When there's only six of you out there, you really have to be able to rely on the person next to you.

And so you know each other like brothers.

We're certainly a lot tighter than I feel like a lot of the bigger squads can be.

I grew up in Stratton, so Ive been here for all my life.

Most of these guys, I've known them since I was five.

In these small schools, small communities, the school is the hub.

These schools that have football programs, it's your identity.

Middle school years, that's when it starts.

When I was in middle school, I would watch these guys wear the Stratton jersey, and I just wanted to be like them.

You walk down the halls and you see your dad or your uncle's name on trophies, You want to see your name on it.

And it's kind of family legacy.

So I played from ‘93 97.

We won three state championships and one runner-up.

I played high school football here and came back in 2000, and I helped coach for six years and then been running chains.

That's a little bit of pressure to, like, “Wow, we really want to perform for these guys.” But it's also comforting because no matter what happens, theyre always going to be on our side, and theyre always going to be cheering for us.

Oh!

[cheering] I dont know where they took their halftime break, but if there was paint on the walls, Im pretty sure it was probably blistered by the end of it.

Now you have to do something with it, with the ball.

Cheyenne Wells, Stratton, Otis, Idalia, Branson Kim.

A place most people couldn't find if you gave them the road map and circled it... it is a sense of pride because, no matter where you go, you can wear that name, either on your chest, or on your back, wherever, and just say, “Hey, yeah, Im from there.

I'm one of them.” Stratton needs a conversion.

[exciting music playing] [exciting music playing] The end zones right there.

Go get it.

[rock music playing] [helmets hitting] It doesn't matter where we're at in the state, 6-man kids are generally the same: rural kids who have chores to do before practice, and a lot of the kids, once they finish up here, that's probably the last time they're ever going to put pads on.

It gives kids who probably wouldn't have a chance to play at another level, an opportunity to get out there and to learn life lessons and to become the best possible version of themselves, because they're getting to be part of something that's bigger than themselves.

The final score: Stratton 49, Otis 32!

It's a great day to be an Eagle!

[crowd cheering] If we would have lost today, that's my last game wearing the green and white.

[crowd cheering] Something that I'm always going to remember is everyone supports every single person.

If you make a play, there's going to be five people congratulating you out there.

Having somebody there that lifts you up all the time, thats one of the most powerful things we have.

[crowd talking] [country music playing]