Sometimes there is one guy who puts the team on his shoulders and carries a big part of the load.

Fortunately for the Noxon Red Devils six-man football squad, this one guy has huge shoulders.

The Red Devils will rely heavily on senior running back Cade VanVleet, a three-year starter in the offensive backfield and an equally imposing anchor on the defensive line.

The 6-1, 260-pound VanVleet joins a solid group of seven seniors who have earned trips to the six-man playoffs each of the last four years.

“We will lean pretty heavily on VanVleet,” head coach Bart Haflich said of the bruising fullback who has drawn praise from coaches throughout the region. “He is a strong young man who had really good numbers in the shot put and discus during last Spring’s track season.”

Haflich is hoping this year that playoff experience and balance could result in a lofty finish when all is said and done.

“This Western division of six-man is tough this year again,” Haflich said. “West Yellowstone will be good again as will White Sulphur Springs, which finished second in the state last year.

“And there is always a tough team in Hot Springs,” Haflich added. “We are hoping as always to make the playoff then advance from there by hosting a playoff game this year.”

Last year’s team, which played only four regular season games due to complications related to the Covid pandemic that wreaked havoc on football schedules across the state, finished the regular season 2-2. They had a chance to host a playoff game but fell in a tough battle to area rival Hot Springs in their final regular season game.

They advanced to the playoffs where they were eliminated in the opening round by host Harlowtown-Ryegate, 38-14.

This year’s team is buoyed by a turnout of 23 players, a large amount for schools in the six-man category.

“Our numbers are due in large part to a huge freshman class from which 10 players came out for football,” Halflich said.

Haflich said at a few of those youngsters have shown promise in early drills as players who may be able to step in and help out despite their youth and inexperience at the varsity level.

The crucial quarterback spot will be a battle between seniors Nathan Cano and Derreck Christensen, both of whom will also be a vital part of the Red Devils’ defensive backfield.

“Both of those guys have played QB for us in the past and both will be relied upon heavily in the defensive backfield. The position is up for grabs and both of those guys are good throwers.”

The offensive line features a pair of large, experienced linemen, something prized by six-man coaches in particular.

Gunnar Swanson, a 6-2, 230-pounder will be joined on the line by Wyatt Lackner, a 6-3, 180-pound player, who like Swanson also has experience at tight end and on the defensive front.

Those two will be assisted and spelled by fellow senior Shane Reishus, a six-foot, 180 pounder who also plays tight end in the wide open six-man game.

Haflich, whose team travels to the tri-co-op team of Power, Dutton and Brady, three small towns north of Great Falls this Saturday to open the 2021 season, said the Red Devils, mostly because of the grind it out strength of VanVleet and the o-line, will be a primarily run-oriented team.

“We will be trying to pound it out if the line plays like we think they can,” Haflich said. “We’ll see what happens and we can certainly throw the ball as needed.”

Now in his seventh year at the helm of the Red Devils Haflich is a graduate of Noxon. He is confident his 2021 squad can achieve its goals.

“You have to be really good at blocking and especially tackling in the wide open game that is six-man football. You have to be really good at tackling in the open field.”

Having said that, Haflich and crew enter the season optimistic they can secure that elusive home playoff game.

“We are not lightning fast this year, but we are faster than we have been in the past few years,” he said. “We work hard on the fundamentals of the game and think we can be a good team.”

Those words were echoed by Swanson, the largest Noxon player on the field.

“Yeah, I think the young guys coming up can help a lot. I think we can be pretty good.”

Following their trip to the lands north of Great Falls, the Red Devils return to Noxon for their home opener Sept. 3 against Tri-Cities.