6-Man Football: Idalia Caps Off Perfect Season For Ninth State Title

PUEBLO – The dominant force that is the 2025 Idalia football team finished with perfection on Saturday.

The Wolves sped away from rival Stratton 38-8 to capture the 6-man state championship at the ThunderBowl on the Colorado State University-Pueblo campus.

This was Idalia’s ninth state football title but its first since 2010. The Wolves now have won titles in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2025.

“Our freshman class wasn’t even born yet (since Idalia’s last state title, so that’s a long time,” said Toby Kechter, who just finished his fifth year as Idalia’s head coach. “Just a lot of hard work. This is the first senior class that really bought into the weights, and it just takes time. The seniors were eighth graders when I got there, and they started lifting and it carried on through the program.

“Stratton is really well coached. They are great kids. They are winners. This was a home game for them; they have played in this game nine years in a row. We were just able to get the job done.”

Idalia finished the season with a 14-0 record after beating Stratton for the second time this season. In the first meeting between the teams, Idalia claimed a resounding 80-32 victory on Sept. 26.

With its 38-point binge on Friday, Idalia set the Colorado prep football record for most points scored in a season at 825 points. Stratton held the record at 823, which it set two years ago when it won the 6-man title. Stratton finished the season with an 11-3 record.

“I did know that, but I totally spaced it,” said Coach Kechter about the record. “This isn’t about that record; it is about the team playing the best we can and being good young men.”

Coach Kechter’s son, Gabe, a junior, was the offensive star for Idalia, rushing for 151 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers allowed him to be chosen as the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Colorado Chapter Most Outstanding Player.

“This is a dream come true and I give all the glory to God,” Gabe said. “I couldn’t ask for a better team and coaches. I’m just so blessed to be on this team and in this community.”

It didn’t take long for Idalia to get rolling. On the Wolves’ first play from scrimmage Broderick Kite burst through the line for a 60-yard touchdown.

“That touchdown set the tone for the game,” the younger Kechter said.

At the 6:38 mark of the second quarter, Kite added a 1-yard plunge to put the Wolves up 14-0.

The key play of the drive was a 24-yard catch and run by center Jaasiel Estrada on 3rd-and-17.

Stratton got on the board with a circus 3-yard touchdown catch by Austin Weickum in the left side of the end zone with 2:09 until half to get the Eagles within 14-8.

Idalia answered with a 34-yard scoring run by Kechter with 1:07 left until intermission, putting the Wolves up 22-8.

On its first possession of the second half, the Wolves were in business to do business as Kechter zipped around the right corner for a 34-yard TD to go up 30-8 with 9:11 on the third-quarter clock.

Stratton was knocking on the door to get back in the game with two minutes left in the third quarter just 12 yards from the end zone.

However, Kite snuffed out the threat by intercepting a Von Isenbart pass in the middle of the field.

Stratton showed some resolve, recovering a fumble by Kite on Idalia’s following drive but never could get points on the board for the remainder of the game.

“I felt good at half, but it wasn’t because of the O (offense), it was because of our defense,” Coach Kechter said. “Stratton limited our big plays, but our defense kept making plays and getting turnovers and that was the difference in the game.”

The younger Kechter added one more 6-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter to start the celebration 15 years in the making.