BURTON -- Eight-man football is big out West, and it's growing in Michigan.
Last year, in the first year 8-man football was sanctioned by the MHSAA, there were 22 teams. This year, there are 30. In 2012, all of the schools in the North-Central Thumb League dropped down to play 8-man.
The biggest difference, you lose tackles and a wide receiver on offense. On Defense two defensive backs and a lineman are missing. The field is also narrower than in 11-man games; it's 40 yards wide.
It makes for a faster-pace of play and higher scores.
In our NBC 25 game of the week: it was a GAC Blue match up between the New Lothrop Hornets and the Bendle Tigers.
Hornets roll past the Tigers 47-21. New Lothrop's Austin Newman was 6-6, 108 yards. Bendle's Dion Reed had 154 yards and one touchdown. He was knocked out of the game early.
"The offense was able to do some things and it's nice to have a two-dimensional offense and keep teams off-balance a little bit," New Lothrop Head Coach Clint Galvas said.
"I wasn't expecting a blowout at first, we just came out with all our guns fired and we just did a great job offensively and defensively," Hornet's Senior Quarterback Austin Newman.
Flushing left the Big nine behind and haven't looked back. They beat Midland Dow Thursday night 17-6.
Flint Northwestern lost big at home to the Bay City Western Warriors, 49-18.
