Grayson Rigdon continues to stake case as a six-man football legend | Duncan
ARLINGTON — The question has been asked countless times. In fieldhouses scattered across West Texas. On six-man football message boards. No doubt in the stands Wednesday afternoon at AT&T Stadium.
After Benjamin repeated as Class A Division II champions with an 82-34 victory over Oglesby, it’s a question worth delving into deeper.
Is Benjamin’s Grayson Rigdon the best six-man player of all-time?
It’s hard not to argue he’s at least in the Mount Rushmore category after his latest performance on the sport’s biggest stage.
Rigdon rushed for 263 yards and six touchdowns while throwing three TD passes and catching a 60-yard touchdown in the Mustangs’ title repeat.
In three seasons of high school football, Rigdon’s 44-0 with three state titles. In those championships, Rigdon’s had a hand in 26 touchdowns — 15 rushing, nine passing and two receiving, earning four MVP trophies in the process.
“I know there’s a lot of people who feel a lot of different ways about who’s the best of all-time,” Jayton coach Josh Stanaland said. “I guess the scary thing for everybody is Grayson Rigdon’s not done yet.”
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Stanaland said Rigdon’s the best he’s ever seen in his 17 years coaching, and he saw the junior up close a few weeks ago in an 85-40 playoff loss. He ranks Rigdon ahead of Richland Springs’ Tyler Ethridge, who won three titles in the mid-2000s and set several state records.
“I don’t care what anyone says, he starts anywhere. He starts at Duncanville. He finds a place, he’s too good,” Stanaland said. “Last week I watched Albany-Sunray and Canadian-Gunter, and he’s a dude at that level. Those are state quality 2As and 3As.”
Sixmanfootball.com founder Granger Huntress said he doesn’t like labeling anyone as the best because of different eras. Up until 2006, there was only one division of six-man football.
“He’s certainly in the conversation with Ethridge and Dewayne Miles. It’s very different because there’s two divisions now,” said Huntress, who called the six-man games on Bally Sports. “How would Miles have done in D-2? There’s been so many great players like Manuel Beltran of Cherokee and Cheetah Ramirez from Fort Hancock.”
Texas six-man football historian Leman Saunders leans toward Miles, who led Amherst to back-to-back state titles over Milford in 1994-95 and went on to become a Hall of Fame running back at West Texas A&M.
“It’s fun to talk about with no real right answer,” Saunders said. “The best four I’ve watched live are Miles, Ethridge, Rigdon and Ben Crockett from McLean. Miles was a man among boys his senior year and matured into his greatness which carried onto college.”
Former Knox City coach and TSMCA Hall of Fame Director Charles Steele has been around the sport for a couple decades. He likes Rigdon because of his all-around impact, but also has Crowell’s Mitchell Parsley, Throckmorton’s Bryce Hogue and Ethridge in his top four he’s witnessed.
“He’s done some things that I haven’t seen in the six-man game in a long, long time,” Steele said. “There are some older guys that could be in the conversation like Cheetah Ramirez and Trey Richey.”
Benjamin’s Nathan Hayes coached Parsley and he’s had two years now with Rigdon. Hayes ranks Rigdon the best he’s seen, pointing to his vision as where he’s improved the most this year.
“I think every year he’s getting better seeing people down the field,” Hayes said. “There were times last year when he’d just take off running.”
There will never be a definitive answer to the “best six-man player” question. Just like there’s no right answer to the MJ vs. LeBron or Jack Nickalus-Tiger Woods debates that have flooded sports bars for years.
But this you can bet on. If Ridgon is playing at the six-man level next year, whether at Benjamin or somewhere else, his team will be the favorite.
And four rings is more than a statement. It’s a legacy.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Grayson Rigdon continues to stake case as six-man football legend | Duncan
