1A Team of the Week: Knippa Rockcrushers

Knippa hadn’t had a football program since 1976 before the Rockcrushers returned to six-man football in 2024.

Last year, they earned their first playoff berth since returning by finishing second in a three-team district, but after realignment, the road to the postseason got much tougher.

The Rockcrushers now compete in a six-team district, with only the top two teams earning playoff spots. That made Friday’s matchup against Leakey especially important.

Heading into the game, Knippa was a 26-point underdog, according to sixmanfootball.com.

The teams traded blows throughout the night, but Knippa eventually pulled away for a huge 59-48 victory behind 252 rushing yards and six touchdowns by Joaquin Garcia.

It’s one of their biggest wins since returning to the gridiron and one that head coach David Navarro knows could define their season.

“We knew this was a big game going in with possible playoff implications tied to it, so for being a third year program in a new, tough district, I was extremely happy and impressed with our team,” Navarro said. “It was a back-and-forth high scoring game, so it was good to see our boys didn’t panic or give up when things were tough and we were down. They stayed together, kept their poise, and finished the job.”

Knippa quarterback Cole Monk threw for 60 yards and a touchdown on the evening, while Hayes Molloy caught a 39-yard touchdown for his lone reception of the evening.

Defensively, Molloy and Uriel Valenzuela led the Rockcrushers with five tackles, including two tackles for loss.

With the win, Knippa is currently 4-3 and 2-0 in district play. Now the Rockcrushers will be eyeing another upset this Friday when they travel to Medina to face the only other 2-0 team in District 16-1A Division I.

Previous 1A Teams of the Week

Week One: Eden

Week Two: Silverton

Week Three: Olfen

Week Four: Hermleigh

Week Five: Borden County

Week Six: Newcastle

Week Seven: Abbott