Saving small-town football: Sacramento region 8-man league launches this season
For the first time, the CIF Sac-Joaquin section is making 8-man football an official sport. It comes as there is a nationwide decline in high school tackle football participation.
"This is a new change for the Sac-Joaquin Section this year. We've had issues with schools being unable to finish seasons and field teams, and it came to a head last year with several teams either dropping or not fielding tackle football teams," said Will DeBoard, assistant commissioner for the section.
Delta only has a varsity team. They downsized the program back in the 2000s due to declining interest.
On the football roster this season: just 16 players. Moving to 8-man was the best decision to help keep their small-town program alive.
It's a pre-season learning curve, adjusting to playing with fewer guys on the field.
"Games tend to be much more high-scoring at 8-man. If you miss a tackle, players are gone," said Tim Rapp, Delta's head football coach for the past five years.
The teams are not only playing with fewer athletes on the field, but on a smaller field itself.
"It's about running your plays tight. We are used to that 52-yard wide field, and now at 40, you're going to be running patterns and realizing, 'I'm out of bounds.' It tightens it up a little more," said Rapp. "Defense is gonna be a challenge because it's new, potentially only having one linebacker at times and playing zone defenses, things like that. We've got some challenges ahead of us. But we are ready."
It's a challenge the team is meeting head-on.
At first, the Delta Saints were not exactly enthusiastic about the change.
"It's definitely a different take on it," said senior running back and cornerback Marcello Viramontes. "We don't have as many people blocking, especially for a running back. It's harder. But [the other team] has the same amount of guys, so it's even."
It makes the playing field a bit fairer for teams that were often outmatched by tougher squads with a much larger roster.
For Viramontes, the ups outweigh the downs.
"I feel like I have more reps. As a running back and especially as a corner, with how fast paced it is and a lot of throwing is gonna be involved," said Viramontes.
In addition, Coach Rapp added that Delta will host seven home games this year. Last season, they only had three.
It's a chance for the team to dream big and possibly win big.
"A lot of the hype for the small schools, including us, is now we have a chance to compete for a section championship," said Rapp.
Another change is that there will be an 8-man championship this year. The teams will compete at Sacramento City College's Hughes Stadium the same weekend as the traditional seven tackle football championships.
Sac Metropolitan Athletic Division
Northern Pacific Athletic
8-Man Associate / Independent Members
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