GAC Blue
School: Atherton
Nickname: Wolverines
Last year’s record: 4-5
Coach’s name: Jared Noel, first year
Key losses: Joe Williams (QB)
Key returnees: Ernesto Felton (RB/LB), Devin Stadtfeld (QB/S), Joey Curran (OT/DE), Demarko Morgan (WR/CB), Kyle Christopher (OG/DT), Billy Bond (WR/S)
Coach’s comment: “The team is full of young talent and will have to come together quickly in this year’s new offensive and defensive systems. When that happens, the team will be very competitive in the GAC Blue division. The future looks very bright for the Wolverines. Inexperienced players will be playing a majority of the positions.”
School: Bendle
Nickname: Bulldogs
Last Year’s record: 8-2
Coach: Jerry Todd
Coach’s Record: 29-26 (.527)
Key losses: Adam Beverly (RB), Tyler Joslin (WR/DB), Trevor Hurd (OE)
Key returnees: Marquis Bonner (OL), CJ Powell (OL), Jake McDaniel (OL), Jon Pyke (OL), Alex Richmond (OL), Jared Garner (QB), Sam Lyden (DE), Josh Mikesell (LB), Christian Blaszkiewicz (DL), David Younger Dean (LB), Dion Reed, Jr. (RB)
Coach’s comment: “Based on what we’ve seen thus far, we feel that if we can stay healthy, humble, and hungry we can contend for a GAC Blue title. We all know that New Lothrop and Bryon will be tough games, but we’re preparing for the season opener with Atherton. The league is full of teams that can knock you off if you start looking beyond the task at hand. We’re hungry and humble and ready to climb to higher peaks.”
School: Bentley
Nickname: Tigers
Last year’s record: 3-6
Coaches: Ryan Tomaselli and Jeff Losey, first year as co-head coaches.
Key losses: Mitchell McFall (QB), Chantz Johnston (RB), Tyler Prine (DB), Cody Bebee (WR), Nick Haywood (OL)
Key returnees: Chance Wegner (RB/LB), Quentin Sterling (OL/DL), Gage Connor (RB/DB), Austin Nickles (OL/LB), Kenny Pilarski (OL/DL)
Coaches’ comment: “The change in staff brings many changes with a new program. The program is similar, with some changes to personnel and to our overall program. We have a young quarterback, but his progression is getting better and better every day. The offensive line have been together for two years now and will be more dominant than before, and our defense has been playing aggressive. Top players Chance Wegner, Austin Nickles, and Quentin Sterling are back, and that gives Bentley hope of an improving record. Our kids are playing with heart, they have the will to win, and with discipline, the rewards will come. There are many new faces to the program, but the dedication has proven we will change the dynamic of the GAC.”
School: Byron
Nickname: Eagles
Last year’s record: 7-3
Coach: Dave Richardson, 12th season
Coach record: 55-49 (.529)
Key losses: Gavin Shepard (WR), Taylor Lehner (OL/DL), AJ Morely (QB)
Key returnees: Hunter Taylor (OL), Seth Olrich (OLB), Jordan Coffee (WR), Alex Caron (WR/CB), Sawyer Fultz (QB/WR), Jacob Guile (C/DT), Adam Wilsdon (WR/DE)
Coach’s comment: “This group has committed to improving in the weight room. This will be the strongest team that I can remember. With the experience that we have on the team this year and the work that the players have put in this off-season, this group has laid the ground work to challenge for the league championship.”
School: Dryden
Nickname: Cardinals
Last year’s record: 4-5
Coach: Al Margrif, second year
Coach’s record: 4-5 (.444)
Key losses: Sean Murphy (RB/LB), Brian Ladner (OL/LB); Jake Jonik (RB/LB)
Key returnees: Evan Paupert (QB/CB), John Grabill (OL/DL), Logan Byrne (WR/LB), Mike Couch (RB/LB), Jake Silman (RB/LB), Jared Paton (RB/LB)
Coaches’ comment: “We are smaller in stature this year, but we have a much better grasp of our offense and defense. We’ll have several contributing sophomores and juniors. If we can put it all together and stay healthy, we have a team capable of winning some games. We’ve worked hard to improve our game speed and physicality. New Lothrop should lead the league. Byron and Bendle will challenge each other again, and the rest of the league will battle each other for winning records.”
School: Genesee
Nickname: Cardinals
Last year’s record: 3-6
Coach: Stephen VerBurg, third year at Genesee, fourth year overall
Coach record: 12-8 (.600) at Genesee, 14-15 (.483) overall
Key losses: Austin Sigourney, Tyler Bristol
Key returnees: Justin Turner, Caleb Potter, Derek Hopper, Phillip Jones, Dametrious Nelson, Jacob Abu-Aita, Joe Nagengast, Sam Saunders, Zach Hackl
Coaches’ comment: “We have a lot of returning players that got a lot of playing time for us a year ago. We are excited about the start of the season.”
School: Hamady
Nickname: Hawks
Last year’s record: 4-5
Coach: Gary Lee, first season at Hamady, 17th season overall
Coach’s record: 66-80 (.452)
Key losses: Nick Eldridge (WR)
Key returnees: Erick Layton (QB), Fred Luster (OL/LB), Saul Williams (RB), Russell Wright (WR)
Coaches’ comment: “I think the kids will compete. They want to have success. As long as they go out and compete, we’re going to be happy.”
School: Morrice
Nickname: Orioles
Last year’s record: 0-9
Coach: Brad Long, sixth year
Coach’s record: 6-39 (.133)
Key losses: John McGahey, Ethan Cole, Neal Scheffer, Andy Munro, and Ray Hernandez
Key returnees: Kaleb Butler (WR/CB), Josh Stambaugh (QB/FS), Nate Hart (SS), Andrew Dixon (FB/LB), Mark Copeland (OL/LB), Mike Mortimore (RB/DE), T.J. Miles (DT), Connor Green (OL/DT), Zach Mosciski (TE/DE), Hayden Jackson, (OL), Joe Gutting (TE)
Coach’s comment: “We have seveal kids playing both ways, so condtioning and staying healthy are important. Most of these players have played varsity as freshmen, so we have a lot of experience. We have a lot of size and we have gotten stronger since last year, but the last two years have been rough to say the least.”
School: New Lothrop
Nickname: Hornets
Last year’s record: 12-1
Coach: Clint Galvas, fourth year at New Lothrop, fifth year overall
Coach’s record: 29-6 at New Lothrop, 30-14 overall
Key losses: Austin Severn, CJ Dice, Spencer Gross, Joe Jamick, Wade Erhardt, Randy Green, John Toma
Key returnees: Austin Newman, Leo Harris, Michael Mucha, Dominic Clolinger, Amari Coleman
Coaches’ comment: “I am really excited about the upcoming year. We will be young this year on the defensive side of the ball after graduating six seniors from the defensive side, but we have some good young talent ready to step up. Offensively, we will be solid up front and will be led by returning quarterback Austin Newman and by 4-year starter Leo Harris at center. I think our league will be very competitive this year with many teams returning much of their team from a year ago.”
School: Webberville
Nickname: Spartans
Last year’s record: 3-6
Coach: Bill McCarrick, 15th year overall, second year at Webberville
Coach’s record: 69-68 (.504) overall, 3-6 (.333) at Webberville
Key losses: Billy Bensinger (RB), Austin Ogden (FB), Jon Nelson (C), Nate Gardzeilla (OG), Ryan Adair (OT)
Key returnees: Kigadi Muzaliwa (RB/CB), Derek Woodrow (FB), Travis Elowski (QB), Malik Turner (TE), Kyle Oesterle (WR)
Coach’s comment: “We’re really young and we’re going to be fighting for respectability. [Players] are doing the best they can, and they are working really hard.”