Article - High School Sports Scene

HSSS FOOTBALL STATS
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PASSING YARDS
(Min. 300 yards)
Aidan Anderson, Evart 1,091
Joel Cranmore, Leslie 648
Tyger Whitbeck, Perry 648
Ian Ziegelmann, Saginaw Nouvel 473
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 352
Madix Gorleski, Vassar 349
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 329
Gibson Rondy, Ithaca 326
Mason Henry, Caro 317

PASSING TOUCHDOWNS
(Min. 3 tds)
Aidan Anderson, Evart 10
Joel Cranmore, Leslie 7
Mason Henry, Caro 6
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 6
Ian Ziegelmann, Saginaw Nouvel 5
Tyger Whitbeck, Perry 4
Keller Bedford, Swan Valley 3
Evan Colosky, Charlotte 3
D’Marion Erlenbeck, Clio 3
Madix Gorleski, Vassar 3
Hudson Marsh, Roscommon 3
Liam Patrick, Owosso 3

RUSHING YARDS
(Min. 250 yds.)
D’Marion Erlenbeck, Clio 511
Boston Beougher, Swan Valley 352
Jacob Garris, Davison 343
Liam Patrick, Owosso 306
Gibson Rondy, Ithaca 268
Deegan Carter, Reese 258
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 258
Traverse Moore, DeWitt 255

RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
(Min. 3 tds)
D’Marion Erlenbeck, Clio 8
Gibson Rondy, Ithaca 7
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 6
Boston Beougher, Swan Valley 3
Deegan Carter, Reese 3
Tommy Collins, Clio 3
Tyler Enos, Caro 3
Traverse Moore, DeWitt 3
Liam Patrick, Owosso 3
Noah Reif, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 3

RECEIVING YARDS
(Min. 200 yds.)
Willie Ray, Evart 553
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 385
Kade Morgan, Evart 293
Alex Rockafellow, Perry 291
Parker Kingsbury, Saginaw Nouvel 260
Jacob Adkins, Perry 251
Toby Bigford, Roscommon 234

RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS
(Min. 3 tds)
Willie Ray, Evart 7
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 5
Simeon Kober, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 4
Toby Bigford, Roscommon 3
Sean Foley, Saginaw Nouvel 3
Braeden Romero, Leslie 3

TACKLES
(Min. 25 tackles)
Ben Rizzi, Okemos 41
Johnn Carlson, Saginaw Nouvel 35
Robbie White, Clio 34
Christian Lopez, Saginaw Nouvel 33
Alex McEwan, Perry 32
Melchizadek Washington, Saginaw United 32
Kane Romano, Dansville 30
Ayden Seybert, Davison 30
Brayden Bundy, Davison 29
Mason Nosis, Perry 29
Patrick Friese, Leslie 28
Jamaris Graham, Okemos 27
Nathan Precise, Okemos 27
Johnny McConnell, Perry 26
Hudson Phillips, Leslie 26
Dylan King, Perry 25
Owen Marcus, Clio 25
Kam Reynolds, Swan Valley 25

SACKS
(Min. 2 sacks)
Alex McEwan, Perry 4
Wyatt Smith, Vassar 3
Cameron Savage, Davison 2
Morgan Laupichler, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 2
Kody McCoy, Evart 2
Madix Gorleski, Vassar 2
Tommy Collins, Clio 2

INTERCEPTIONS
(Min. 2 ints)
Brendan Magnusson, Evart 3
D’Marion Erlenbeck, Clio 3
Michael Aimery, Holt 2
Cruz Diaz, Holt 2
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 2
Johnny McConnell, Perry 2
Kade Morgan, Evart 2
Jamison Pelt, Swan Valley 2
Keaton Pratt, Roscommon 2

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DAVID COOK
Sports Scene
Consistency has been a trademark of the Swan Valley football team. For the past 13 seasons the Vikings have qualified for the state playoffs and this year’s squad is primed to add to that streak.
A strong group of veterans returnees are back from a team that went 6-4 overall last season. Swan Valley started slow a year ago, dropping its first three games, before closing out the regular season with three consecutive wins before falling to Belding in the first round of the playoffs.
“We’re excited,” said Swan Valley coach Kevin Gavenda. “We have a lot of seniors. We’ve got probably five kids that are going to be three-years starters for us and that is always a good sign.”
One spot that is shy on experience is at quarterback where Colton Klein has graduated after spending the past four seasons as Swan Valley’s starting quarterback. Sophomore Keller Bedford, who started on the junior varsity last year as a freshman, is poised to carry on the quarterback tradition for the Vikings.
“He has a full year of jv football under his belt,” Gavenda said. “We brought up to the jv to get those extra reps. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do. He had a good summer for us. It’s just going to be a case of time, just getting those reps and connections with our receivers. We have two receivers who are among the best receivers in the area and a running back who can absolutely fly. Keller’s job is to get the ball to those guys and see what we can do.”
One of those receivers is senior Jamison Pelt (6-0, 160) who is committed to Grand Valley State. Pelt has been one of the premier receivers in mid-Michigan the past few seasons.
“I feel our offense will be pretty much as productive as last season,” Pelt said. “I also feel like we will be able to run the ball better. I feel that if they are going to start bracketing me we are going to have Kam (Reynolds) on the other side and once they figure that out we are going to be able to run the ball pretty good.”
Pelt is not the only impact player Swan Valley has at receiver as junior Kamdyn Reynolds is also a big-play threat on the perimeter.
“Things are looking good,” Reynolds said. “We have our new quarterback and we’ve been practicing all offseason. We go to the field two to three times a week and we have a really good connection.”
The Vikings also have a home-run hitter at running back in Boston Beougher who set a pair of school records as a sprinter on the track team this past spring.
“I think he broke the 200 and the 100 school record this past spring,” Gavenda said.
Beougher is ready for the Viking running game to step up and make an impact this season.
“I think we are going to be pretty good,” Beougher said. “We have a good line. Obviously we have good wide receivers so I think we have a good all-around team this year.”
The offensive line is a work in progress for the Vikings. The team is building around veteran linemen Gavin Grandy and Mikey Gerard who both started along the line last season.
“We have a couple of other guys who we are counting on to do the job,” Gavenda said. “We also hoping we have a sophomore come up and fill a spot. It’s a work in progress. We have enough guys who we are comfortable in, it’s just who takes that step to be the guy this year.”
Swan Valley also returns several key impact players on defense. Reynolds led the squad in tackles last season from his safety position and also intercepted six passes.
“We have a lot of guys back on defense,” Gavenda said. “I have all sorts of confidence in our defense to cover the pass. We have to get tougher, we have to get meaner in the trenches and stop the run because when you play in the Tri-Valley that’s what teams are going to look to do.”
The defense will also count on a pair of linebackers who are going to be three-year starters in Gavin Grandy and Jack Lagan.
“I think we are looking pretty good,” Grandy said. “We have a lot of third-year returning seniors this year. We’ve all been here we’ve all played a lot so I think we’ll be pretty good.”
Up front, the Vikings are looking to Hayden Taylor to help set the edge at defensive end. Along the interior of the defensive line, the Vikings are counting on Mikey Gerard along with junior Liam Buckley (6-2, 235) who played some as a sophomore last year.
“I think we are going to be a lot smarter and a lot more sound on defense,” said Gerard. “We are pretty much all seniors on both sides of the ball and the people who aren’t seniors they are pretty good athletes.”
Gavenda also believes that experience will be a key for the Vikings along with the overall athletic skills of the players.
“We have a lot of older guys we can count on,” Gavenda said. “It just comes down to can our physicality catch up this year to where are speed and athleticism is. We have the athletes who can make plays on both sides of the ball, we just have to be able to be more physical and set the tone up front.”

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With the type of size along the offensive and defensive lines typically found at Division 1 and 2 schools, there is no doubt that the St. Louis Sharks will be looking to muscle their way to some wins this fall.
The Sharks, who went 3-6 overall last season and 2-3 in the league, not only have plenty of size and strength this season, but they also bring back plenty of experience.
St. Louis also brings in a new coach this season in Ben Brock who brings with him over 20 years of coaching experience in the mid-Michigan area at Shepherd, Grayling and Carson City-Crystal.
“We have some great kids and they have been learning a lot,” Brock said. “It’s really a band of brothers. It’s really a group of kids who have been very successful at wrestling and other sports when they’ve been disciplined and had consistency in working in that sport. That’s what we’ve seen with football as these kids have come in. We’ve got nearly everyone coming in for the weight room sessions and the learning and skill sessions. Took a team camp up north to Kingsley and everybody came.”
On the offensive side of the ball, the Sharks feature a large, veteran offensive line anchored by Xander Brock (6-3, 310), a four-year varsity starter at offensive tackle who will be playing college football next year.
“We definitely at tackles we have two pretty big kids,” said Xander Brock. “We’ve got some big dudes. I’m looking forward to it. Defensively, our defensive line is about five times better than our offensive line and our offensive line is pretty good. We want to win the JPC 2 (Jack Pine Conference 2) and make a run in the playoffs. We haven’t made the playoffs in a minute.”
Fellow senior Tiger Russell (6-4, 265) is another four-year varsity player who is primed for a big season. Russell will also be playing college football at Alma College. Senior Ryder Siefka (6-0, 205) also returns up front.
“Our offensive line will be a strength,” said coach Brock. “Normally we don’t have this kind of size at St. Louis so this is unique.”
The St. Louis backfield also boasts big-school size starting with 6-foot-6, 195-pound senior quarterback Drew Challender who brings plenty of experience to the position.”
“I see us looking really good on offense,” Challender said. “We’re going to be pretty dominant on the offensive side of the ball unlike past years. A lot of things have changed on offense and we should be pretty good this year. We should have a good mix of running and passing.”
Lining up behind Challender at fullback is freshman Merrick Brock who is 5-foot-11 and 250 pounds.
“I’m excited, I’m ready,” said Merrick Brock. “We just want to go in positive and do what we haven’t done in the past.”
At the wide receiver spots the Sharks return even more experience in seniors Michael Borie (5-11, 185), Parker Wonch (5-9, 170) and Laythan Hayworth (5-8, 160). Borie is in his fourth year of starting for the Sharks and is also looking to play college football.
“We have a completely different system this year,” said Borie. “Last year, basically, all we did was run the ball. We ran a double-wing set, so it was all just running the ball down the field. This year we are going to have a mix. We’re still going to run the ball but we will also have a lot of play action and we also have spread which we can run as well.”
Playing Division 8 football, most of the Sharks play on both offense and defense. Along the defensive line the team is looking for Xander Brock and Russell to anchor the line at the tackle spots with Merrick Brock and Challender walling things off at the defensive end positions.
“As a team our first goal is week one,” said Russell. “We start out with Ithaca, the biggest game right there. That will be the test that we are here to play.”
The linebacking crew is led by Borie and Siefka.
“Our goal is perfection,” Siefka said. “I’m not saying we are going to be perfect, but our goals are that we are going to go farther than anybody knows. We’ve been working for the past six seven moths for this. I don’t think anybody sees us coming. I can’t wait. It’s going to be fun.”
In the secondary, the Sharks return Hayworth and Wonch.
A senior, Hayworth likes the way the team is coming together this season.
“The chemistry of our team has come up a lot,” Hayworth said. “The timing between all of us has gotten a lot better. I feel like in previous years when adversity came up, we didn’t adapt to that well and I feel like now we’re mixing things up and adapting well and we are going to push ourselves to the next level.”
Like Hayworth, Wonch is also looking forward to hitting the field with his teammates and making some history.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Wonch said. “I think this is the most impressive our team has ever looked with 7-on-7s and stuff. I’m really excited to get into the season. I think our defense is pretty strong too.”

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The Ovid-Elsie football team has been on a roll for over ten years, but the way last season ended left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Marauders who come into this season with plenty of determination.
Last season Ovid-Elsie qualified for the playoffs for the 10th time in the past 12 seasons. After finishing the regular season with a 7-2 record and placing second in the Mid-Michigan Athletic Conference, the Marauders opened the playoffs with a win against Almont. The next week, the season came to an abrupt end as the squad dropped a 31-28 decision to a Lansing Catholic team that reached the Division 6 state championship game.
With a solid core of players returning from that team, Ovid-Elsie is determined to accomplish even more this season.
“I think we are going to be solid,” said senior Daniel Topping a 6-foot-3, 240-pound offensive tackle and defensive end. “We bring back some explosive players and I think we are going to have a solid season. We just have to buy into our team motto, `run it again’. We are striving for perfection. We are always looking for perfection.”
That sentiment is shared by senior Brock Spitzley, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound fullback.
“We want to go undefeated,” Spitzley said. “That is one of our goals. We want a state championship too.”
Spitzley is part of a strong group of running backs that include junior speedster Chase Fabus (5-11, 175) and sophomore Bryce Krueer (5-9, 200).
Up front, the Marauders have a big, strong and experienced offensive line paving the way. Along with Topping at right tackle, the line is paced by right guard Logan Mason (6-2, 270) and senior left tackle Braxton O’Bryant (6-3, 275), a four-year starter. Senior Daniel Olger (6-0, 270) and junior Dylan Henning (6-0, 180) round out the offensive line.
“We’re definitely very explosive,” Mason said. “We are going to be able to move some people. We have some big boys for sure.”
Balancing the offense for the Marauders is a potent passing game led by senior quarterback Owen Long (5-10, 175).
“Our offense is looking pretty good,” Long said. “I think we will have a pretty explosive passing game and a very aggressive running game. We passed a lot more than we usually do last season and I think we will keep throwing it this year but we can always rely on our running game also.”
The passing game welcomes back some experienced receivers in senior Michael Bancroft (6-1, 185) and junior Brody Howard (5-10, 170).
“We still have some receivers back from last year and we threw the ball around pretty good last season,” Howard said. “I think we are looking pretty solid on both sides of the ball.”
Bancroft pointed out team chemistry was a key to success last season and sees that being a strong point this year as well.
“Last year we had great chemistry,” Bancroft said. “We need to build up the young guys and get everybody on the same page.”
Junior Julian Medina (6-1, 160) and sophomore Joie Fabus (6-0, 170) are a pair of wide receivers that add even more options to the passing attack.
On defense, Mason, O’Bryant and Olger clog up the middle while Robert Kebler, Henning and Topping are at the defensive end spots. Spitzley leads a strong group of linebackers that includes Bancroft, Chase Fabus and Krueger.
The secondary returns Long at free safety, Howard at strong safety and Joie Fabus, Medina and Wyatt Lover at cornerback.
“I think that last couple years our success has kind of built our team to were we have a good foundation and culture,” said Ovid-Elsie coach Travis Long. “It seems like have things rolling and we are going to keep things going. We lost some really good seniors so we have some younger guys who need to step up in some key roles but we do feel like we have a really talented squad.”

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Last season was a reloading campaign for the Mt. Pleasant football team that was making adjustments after graduating 24 seniors. With a large crew of veterans back this season, the Oilers are primed to move up the Saginaw Valley League standings.
Mt. Pleasant turned in a 6-5 overall record last fall, reaching the second round of the playoffs and finishing conference play with a .500 record. A roster peppered with starters returning has the outlook positive.
“We’ve been working hard all summer and I think we have a good core of returners who gained a lot of experience last year,” said Mt. Pleasant coach Jason McIntyre. “Last year, by our standards, was an average year. We won three straight conference championships in the three years prior to that and then last year we went 5-4 and got a playoff win. A lot of these guys that are coming back had to contribute and that is some good experience to have, and we have some good young players also.”
One of those veterans is senior wide receiver and safety Riley Olson (6-2, 175). A three-year varsity starter and two-time all-conference player, Olson believes a punishing brand of football will pay off for the Oilers.
“Our goal is to We want to win as many games as possible,” Olson said, “and we want to be the most physical team. We’re not always the biggest, fastest, strongest team out there so we just want to be the team that is going to dominate you and over-physical you and drain you mentally throughout the game. We are going to run the ball right down their throat. We are going to run the ball, go get a couple of yards and then take a deep shot and get a touchdown on you because our receivers have so much speed.”
Fellow senior Grahm Phillips (5-11, 200), a fullback and linebacker, echoed those remarks.
“We are going to be as physical as possible,” Phillips said. “We want to intimidate other teams with our physicality. On defense, we will be a really fast team which is trouble for opposing offenses. We have some dudes this year and I’m really excited.”
Senior running back/safety Will Garcia also stressed how physical the Oilers are going to be on both sides of the line.
“We are going to come at you on every play and we are just going to wear teams down physically,” Garcia said. “It’s going to get to a point where guys are just going to be on the ground and we are going to keep going.”
Senior tight end/linebacker Jack Mozurkewich (6-1, 195) also points to team chemistry as a strong point.
“We have a great a great group of guys,” Mozurkewich said. “I love the chemistry that we have. I see everywhere on the field as strong points for this team.”
Offensively, the Oilers have a pair of junior quarterbacks challenging for the starting job in Xavier Cregeur and Freddie Makinen.
The Oilers are deep at running back with Garcia leading the way along with Brady Johnston and junior Prosper Enehiroana with Phillips paving the way at fullback.
The offensive line is built around center Kort French, tackle Kyle Wallace, Jacob Dale and sophomore Tyler Schell (6-2, 230).
Olson leads a talented group of receivers that includes Mozurkewich at tight end.
On defense seven veterans return with starting experience. Kurt Freling, Levi Hoffman and Taylor Holp return along the defensive front.
Linebacker is a position of strength with the return of Mozurkewich and Phillips along with junior Adrian Castellon who started as a sophomore.
The secondary is solid with Garcia and Olson at the safety positions. Working in at the cornerback spots are Isaiah Rodriguez, junior Eassays McGinnis and sophomore Noel Helm.
“I like our depth,” McIntyre said. “I really think we can get close to having a completely different set of starters on offense than we have on defense. We can get pretty close to that and that will be huge for our depth.”

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Over the past few football seasons, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart experienced plenty of success playing 8-man football. This year, the clock is turned back as the Irish are returning to 11-man football and are excited about the move.
“We’re excited,” said Sacred Heart coach Josh Wheaton. “It’s always been the goal ever since I took over the job three years ago. We had a five-year plan to bring back 11-man football. We needed to be at a certain number to be able to play 11-man and once we reached that number we decided to do it. We are a little bit below where we’d like to be but with the type of kids that we have we knew we were ready to make the move.”
The Irish have a solid core of veterans to lean on as they make the move to 11-man football. Sacred Heart is especially solid in the trenches led by senior two-way lineman Brendan Ervin (6-3, 305) who is stationed at left tackle on offense and defensive tackle on defense.
“I think that our offensive line is one of the best in Division 8,” Ervin said. “We have a lot of experience and a lot of size.”
Senior Caleb Strauch (6-1, 270) also returns to the lines and likes what he sees on the offensive side of the ball.
“We have a lot of strength up front,” Strauch said. “We like to run a lot of power on offense and I think we have one of the best running backs around.”
That running back is senior Teegan Duffy (5-9, 150). Duffy rushed for over 650 yards last season and with a big, powerful and experienced line paving the way an even more productive season is in the cards.
“I’m so confident in our guys up front,” Duffy said. “With the offensive line we have I can run for days. I’m hoping to get over 1,000 yards this season.”
Sacred Heart has a new face at quarterback but it’s a player familiar with the position. Junior Nathan Siler (6-3, 180) played tight end last season but played quarterback in the past and is looking forward to running the offense this season. Siler will also play cornerback on defense.
“Moving to quarterback will be an easy switch,” Siler said. “We have some nice athletes on offense and that will make it a smooth transition. With Teegan at running back and the line we have that will help out a lot.”
The Irish also have plenty of veterans returning at the receiver positions. Senior Brody Collin (5-9, 150) will be at wide receiver and cornerback. Sophomore Jacob Morrison (5-10, 155) is also at receiver and safety while freshman Leelynd Martinez (6-4, 190) is a wide receiver and linebacker.
The Irish also return starters in senior Nico Vasquez and juniors Levi Lynch and Marin Ite.
Newcomers looking to step up include juniors Hank MacDonald and Joey Endres, sophomore Zack Simon and freshmen Maxin Lynch and Walt MacDonald.

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While the Hemlock football team graduated some key players from last year’s squad, a large group of returning players has the Huskies determined to increase the win total this season.
Hemlock turned in a 2-7 overall record last season and were 1-4 in conference play. The Huskies were led by all-state players in quarterback Chad Brown and running back Landon Zastrow. While those two standouts are gone, the Huskies have a large group of veterans back.
“We’ve had an excellent offseason,” said Hemlock coach Jamie Slate. “We did an entire leadership speaker series. We’ve had over 2,000 workouts attended, we are far and beyond what we’ve been doing in terms of offseason workout attendance. This group is really a football group.”
While Zastrow will be missed at running back, the Huskies have plenty of backs ready to step up and the team is looking to run the ball more.
“We have a stable full of ballcarriers,” Slate said. “We are getting away from the spread and starting to look at more option-based football. It will completely change the way we attack games and this group is excited about it and ready to go.”
Leading the group of running backs are senior Steven Katzenberger (6-0, 180) along with juniors Drew Genow (5-6, 160) and Kayden Kapka (6-1, 190). The Huskies also have a pair of promising sophomore backs ready to contribute in Markus Plowdon and Braden Stanard (5-9, 175).
“I feel like we are looking good,” Katzenberg said. “We’ve had a good offseason and we’ve been working hard at practice getting down the new offense and working on new things.”
At quarterback, the Huskies have the luxury of two players capable of handling the starting duties. Juniors Gavin Schmidt and Wyatt Launstein are both challenging for the starting duties. Schmidt was set to be the junior varsity quarterback last season before breaking his leg in a scrimmage and missing the season. Launstein then stepped in and quarterbacked the team turning in a big season.
Paving the way for the running backs is a veteran group of linemen. Senior Tim Reid (5-7, 160) returns along with junior Sean Grove (6-1, 215) and seniors Nathan Gohr (6-1, 190), Trevan Swanson (5-10, 170) and Wyatt Scoles (5-10, 240).
“We have yet to determine who are top five are on the offensive line,” Slate said. “We’ve got a pretty good group of eight or nine guys competing for those spots. With our new scheme I think it fits are size as we are not overwhelmingly large, but we are very athletic and move well.”
Grove also likes how he sees the offensive line coming together.
“I think we will be good,” Grove said. “I’ve worked out with the entire offensive line all summer and I think there has been only one or two who have missed a couple. We know what were doing and we are showing up and doing the work we need.”
Reid believes that the Huskie offensive line will really excel at run blocking.
“I think we will be a lot better at running the ball and moving the ball down the field,” Reid said. “With the coaches, new strategy of using the triple option I feel more confident this year. I think it will do well and I enjoy the change.”
Defensively, the Huskies are looking to utilize their speed and athleticism.
Katzenberger returns to head up the defense from his linebacker position where he earned honorable-mention, all-state honors last season.
“We’re going to be really fast on defense,” Katzenberger said. “We have a lot of linebackers so I think we can really control the middle of the field. We have some safeties and corners that can really play defense.”
Genow also earned all-region honors for his play at defensive back last season. Launstein, an all-around athlete, will also play a key role in the secondary.
“This season will be a lot better than last season,” Genow said. “I think coaches have put a lot into this offseason getting us better, getting us right. There’s been a lot of dudes who have shown up and have put that work in so we are going to be a lot better as a team.”
Up front, the defensive line is looking for Reid, Grove, Scoles and Swanson to contribute. Kapka and Gohr will also see time at linebacker.
“I think our defense for sure will be a strong point,” Kapka said. “I think our linebacking corps and defensive line will be really good against the run. I’m excited for that. We want to control the ball on offense and put points on the board and on defense stopping the run.”
The defense will be put to the test early as Hemlock opens the season with Essexville-Garber and Cass City before getting into conference play were the powerful ground games of Ithaca and Michigan Lutheran Seminary loom along with the prolific passing attack of Saginaw Nouvel. The Huskies wrap up the regular season with non-league games against Lakeview and Mt. Morris as they look to earn a playoff berth.

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The Central Montcalm football team turned in one of its best seasons in school history last fall and the Hornets have been putting in the work for a repeat performance.
Central Montcalm turned in an 8-1 record during the regular season last year and were 4-0 in the conference. The Hornets then won their first playoff game since 2007 before falling 35-34 to Newaygo in round two. While a number of key players have graduated, the Hornets have a solid core of veterans returning.
“We have a lot of potential,” said Central Montcalm coach Scott Cripe. “I think as much if not more potential than we’ve ever had. We’ve got returning players from last year which was the most successful season we’ve had in the past 25 years or so. We just have to make sure the guys coming up will fill the gaps we need to fill.”
Overall, a total of 14 seniors graduated from last year’s squad.
On offense, the Hornets feature senior running back McCoy Wernholm (5-10, 200) who rushed for over 800 yards last season.
“Hopefully I can rush for over 1,000 yards,” Wernholm said. “I definitely put in a lot more conditioning than last year and I did a lot of weight training. It will be a learning experience for a lot of our offensive linemen but I think they will do pretty good this year.
At quarterback, senior Zayne Cooper (6-0, 180) and junior Haiden MacLaren are in the mix. A pair of excellent all-around athletes, the pair will be on the field at both times as whoever is not taking snaps at quarterback will be seeing playing time at wide receiver. Both quarterbacks are strong dual-threat athletes with their passing and running skills.
“I think things are looking pretty good,” Cooper said. “Our offensive line is going to have to step up and we have most of our receivers back. I’m at quarterback and I’m going to have to step up too. I think I can lead the team and get everybody the ball and get them involved in the game. I think we are going to be good this year.”
The receiving corps also brings back senior Brayden Peak (5-11, 145) along with senior Jamison Johns (6-0, 170).
The offensive line is anchored by imposing senior Colton Kahler (6-4, 300) who brings plenty of power to the line. Look for seniors Chris Campbell-Boire (6-4, 275) and Reed DeLamater (6-0, 250) to also fill key roles along the front line.
“It will definitely be different,” Kahler said. “We are a lot younger than we have been in the past. We’ve always had a lot of upper classmen and this year we only have one upperclassman starter returning. It will be interesting to see where we all get put and how we all impact the team. I think my role will definitely be to be the leader between the offensive and defensive lines.”
On the defensive side of the ledger, McCoy is back to head up the linebacking crew.
The secondary will be a strong point with the return of Peak and Cooper who are a pair of all-regional defensive backs. Johns is a returning all-conference player at safety.
“We just have to work hard for sure,” Peak said. “We have to make sure we play some good defense. We will have to provide some good leadership on defense. We’re looking pretty good. I think offense will be a strong point and I think we can do even more on offense this year.”
Up front, look for Kahler to anchor the defensive line along with help from DeLamater.
Central Montcalm suffered the bulk of its graduation losses on the defensive side of the ball.
“We are going to have to have guys step up,” Cripe said. “Pretty much every other position is going to be open on defense. We’re going to have to have people step it up another level, another notch. We are going to have to have our senior returners lead the way with their experience last year. We need to have that success from last year carry over. Senior leadership is going to be big.”
Cripe looks for his Hornets to be among the teams contending for the league title in what should be a close conference title chase.
“I think it is going to be wide open,” Cripe said. “Kent City has a lot of guys coming back. Lakeview is going to be a lot better. Beyond that it’s going to be pretty wide open.”
Central Montcalm faces a challenging schedule this season as it opens up with four consecutive road games before coming home for five straight homes games. The Hornets open the regular season at Houghton Lake on August 28 and then travels to Newaygo for a rematch of their playoff defeat on September 5.

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DAVID COOK
Sports Scene
The Alma football team will have a new look this season as Mike Allison takes over the reigns for the Panthers.
Allison, who was a defensive backs coach at Alma College last season, is familiar with the Panther program as he previously coached the offensive line at Alma. Allison has also been an offensive coordinator at Montabella and had head coaching experience at Newaygo.
One of the first things Allison is looking to establish at Alma is the right attitude.
“We want the guys to be playing for each other,” Allison said. “We want them to sacrifice for their teammates and do things the right way. We want great effort and we want our kids believing in each other.”
A trio of senior veterans return to help the new coaching staff get established this season.
Senior Cameron Ryckman (6-1, 165) returns at right tackle on offense and defensive end.
“I feel like we have a lot of potential,” Ryckman said. “If we keep doing what we are doing we will make a lot of progress.”
Senior RJ Bielaga (5-8, 155) returns at wide receiver on offense and heads up the defensive secondary at safety.
“I see so much more progress this season,” Bielaga said. “We just have to stay together and play as a team. I think this year we have great teamwork and togetherness.”
Senior Mateo Castillo (5-7, 155) will be a focal point of the offense at his running back position and plays defensive back on defense.
“We are heading in the right direction for sure,” Castillo said. “It’s exciting to see how the coaching staff pushes us to become better.”
The Panthers also welcome back starters Gavin McConnell, a junior, at wide receiver and defensive back, Matt Reihel and AJ Stone at both offensive and defensive line, Canyon Godfrey at offensive line and junior Kias Martin at defensive back.

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John Raffel
Sports Scene
Last year, with a young squad,
the Breckenridge Huskies started
the season slow but came on strong
during the second half. This year,
with a strong core of veterans to
build around, the Huskies are
poised for improvement.
Breckenridge opened the season
with an 0-5 mark last fall before
winning three of their final four
games. That veteran core is set to
continue that momentum to start
this season.
“2024 saw the likes of a three
game winning streak for us,” said
Breckenridge coach Isaac Gregory.
“We played a state semifinalist
team in Onekama to end the
season, and were in a one-score
game right until the end. We are
hoping to finish those games on
the other side of the ledger this
fall.”
The Huskies will miss a pair of
key graduated seniors this year
in Maddax McCaw and Zander
Mapes.
“Maddax McCaw played for us
for four years and will be greatly
missed,” Gregory said. “He was
extremely coachable and worked
hard. Zander Mapes played for
three years. He came back to us for
his senior year, and he contributed
mightily to our improvement last
year.”
This season, the squad is led
by senior Trey Most who will line
up at wide receiver and defensive
back.
“Trey is a returning all-stater
whom has been all-region on both
sides of the football,” said Gregory.
“He is hungry and will see lots of
time with the football.”
Most is excited to get the season
going and see how the team builds
on the success of the second half of
last season.
“I’m feeling pretty good this
year,” Most said. “I’m feeling the
most confident I’ve been since my
freshman year. That year we went
7-2 and made the playoffs and we
are trying to get back to that.”
Up front, senior Braxton Clapp
anchors the offensive line and is a
linebacker on defense.
“Braxton is a returning two
time all-conference lineman,”
Gregory said. “He hopes to show
off his abilities this year as he has
worked to become one of the most
dominant 8-man linemen in the
area.”
Clapp also has high expectations
for this season and likes the look of
the offensive line.
“Every single one of our
offensive linemen is back so
our run game should be ever
better than last year,” Clapp said.
“Definitely running the ball with
be a strong point on offense. Our
defense really didn’t lose much
so we should be pretty good on
defense.”
Putting the Breckenridge
offense in motion is sophomore
quarterback Gavin Corbat who
plays defensive end on defense.
“Gavin is a three-sport star,”
Gregory said. “He leads the team
with swagger and composure, and
we are fortunate to have him.”
Corbat started at quarterback
last year and the year of experience
will pay dividends this season.
“I think going into last year
all around we were a pretty
inexperienced team not having
much varsity experience,” Corbat
said. “I think this year returning
almost all of our starters and a
really good wide receiver corps,
a really good running game and
offensive line we should be better
in that aspect.”
Several more starters also return
for Breckenridge including Braiden
Long at guard and Christian
Dutton at center. Long will also
play along the defensive line. Noah
Barr and Blaze Snyder will see
action at tight end on offense. Barr
and Snyder are also linebackers on
defense. Isaac Bush will be a key
part of the ground game at running
back. Bush will also see action at
defensive end while Jadon DeLong
is back at linebacker on defense.
With the talent it has on hand,
Breckenridge is aiming for a
winning season and a spot in the
state playoffs.
“We expect to compete for a
playoff spot,” Gregory said. “While
the road there is difficult, if we
stay healthy, we will be in the
conversation to be playing football
past week 9.”
Although small in number with
11 players on the team, Gregory
likes the makeup of the squad.
“We have great leadership,”
Gregory said. “We are fortunate
to have a lot of continuity built up
the past couple years. We need to
make that leap into the next tier
of team chemistry if we want to be
successful.”
Gregory expects the chase for
the league title to be a competitive
one.
“Montabella will be rich with
talent for the foreseeable future,
and their staff does an incredible
job with tapping into that,”
Gregory said. “Merrill combining
with Ashley certainly makes for
a tough team to face as well. That
group combined has a lot of team
speed. Coleman brings back some
talent at every position group, and
they’ve really found their identity
the past couple of years. St. Charles
and Carson City both bring in
new coaches, and those groups of
kids will be tough outs, both have
some very solid athletes. We hope
to compete with everyone in our
division, and whoever wins this
championship will surely have
earned it.”

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Week 3 stats page

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Large group of returning players has Hemlock football poised for improvement

Central Montcalm looking to build off memorable football season

Alma football to have a new look this season as new coach steps in

Returning Veterans Have Breckenridge Football Set For Strong Season