For Breckenridge’s football team in 2016, it was fun while it lasted.
Coach Kris Robinson’s Huskies went 9-0 during the regular season and won the Mid-State Activities Conference championships by two games over 5-2 Merrill and 5-2 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
They dominated most games, but some were close, including 38-29 over Houghton Lake, 40-34 over Sacred Heart, 12-0 over Merrill and 22-12 in week nine over Burton Bendle.
“It’s our best year ever,” Robinson said. “We set the school record for consecutive wins. The most wins ever in Breckenridge history were seven.”
The win over Sacred Heart, defending league champions, was huge “and very important to get out of the way,” Robinson said. “Beating Merrill was critical for us.”
It all ended in the playoffs with a 21-6 setback to Saginaw Nouvel. But it was still quite a ride.
“(Saginaw Nouvel) had some really good athletes,” Robinson said. “Their defense was good all year. We struggled offensively. We didn’t have 100 yards total offense against them. Defensively, we played well. We threw a pick six in the first quarter and that put us down 14-0. That took us out of our game plan a little bit.”
It was Breckenridge’s first playoff appearance since 1993.
The Huskies were 0-9 last season and other than a 5-4 mark in 2014, they had not had a winning record since 1997.
The team’s Most Valuable Player was Kenyon Story, a defensive end, who had 74 tackles and 10 sacks.
“He was also our best offensive lineman,” Robinson said. “He’s a very good football player.”
Hunter Collins scored 14 touchdowns and had 1,200 yards rushing and 300 yards receiving. Quarterback Carter Staley had 800 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns and 800 yards passing.
The Huskies have a bright future, Robinson indicated.
“We graduate 12 players, who played a fair amount,” he said. “Offensively, we’re only losing four.”