Article - High School Sports Scene

By Jeff Steers
MHSSS Special Writer
With only two wins in the last four years, Bridgeport is looking to improve on those numbers in 2024.
Second-year coach Ryan Love believes the Bearcats may be turning the corner as a football team.
“We have about 40 in the (high school) football program which is better numbers compared to other years,” Love said during media days. “We had much better leadership this summer.”
Bridgeport plays in the Tri-Valley Conference Red Division with its last contested win being in 2019.
“We have improved this summer … and hopefully learned that when you don’t do summer workouts, you are three months behind everyone else,” Love said. “It takes a while to learn a new system and we are only 14 months into it.”
The Bearcats expect to run a gun-wing offense trying to gets playmakers into good positions.
Some of the key players include all-league defensive back and wide receiver Germontae Bucker, offensive and defensive lineman Antwiane Sanders, and receiver and cornerback Jakobe Taylor.
Buckner earned Tri-Valley Conference honors for his defensive work in 2023 for the Bearcats.
“We learned to go hard in practice so you can go hard in the games,” Buckner said.
Sanders said the biggest thing he learned in 2023 is to “give it all you got and do your assignment.”
“We need to come together as a team to be successful,” Sanders said.
Other players expected to make major impacts are all-league defensive end Chris Collins and all-league lineman Elijah Bowes.
Lamarion Moore expects to be a hybrid back and linebacker for the Bearcats in 2024.
Love said the 15 summer practices and work in the weight room will pay off for Bridgeport.
“We accomplished some baseline stuff during the summer,” Love said. “Now we can work on plays and formations.”
Bridgeport kicks off the season with a non-conference game against Gwinn, plays TVC games week two and fourth through eight, and battles Madison and Yale in non-conference contests.

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BUTCH HARMON
Sports Scene
Year in and year out, the DeWitt football team is one of the best in mid-Michigan. This year, with a talented group of players on hand, the Panthers are poised for an even bigger season.
The Panthers have turned in some solid seasons the past couple years, but this year’s squad is aiming for a finish similar to the 2020 and 2021 seasons. DeWitt won a state championship in 2020 and reached the state title game in 2021.
“We haven’t had this much talent since the 2020 team,” said veteran DeWitt head coach Rob Zimmerman. “We have several players who have already committed to playing football in college.”
One of those players is senior quarterback Elliott Larner who will be playing college football at Michigan Tech. Larner is a versatile quarterback who can make big plays with his arm or legs.
A quick quarterback, Larner points to overall team speed as one of several strong points of this year’s team.
“Definitely our speed,” Elliott Larner said. “Our speed is going to be very effective for us this year. And then up front we’ve got some guys that are pretty big that will help us lead the way.”
Larner will be teaming up with a familiar face on many of those big plays with the return of Abram Larner to the slotback position. Abram will also be playing defensive back along with Elliott. Both Elliott and Abram were first-team, all-conference players last season.
“We are a really, really close team this year,” Abram Larner said. “I think we bond together really well. This year is going to be really special for us and I think we will make a good run in the playoffs.”
The passing game is loaded with playmakers across the field. Junior wide receiver Jadon Bender is a big-play receiver while junior tight end Jacob Schorfhaar (6-foot-4, 235 pounds) is a mismatch problem for opposing defenses with his combination of size and speed. Both Bender and Schorfhaar earned first-team, all-conference honors last season.
Along with having plenty of talent up and down the roster, the Panthers have strong leadership that will also be key to success this season.
“Obviously leadership is the most important part of this,” Bender said. “We have great leaders here. Teamwork. We haven’t had a close team like this since our state championship team and I think that is most important.”
The Panthers can also strike on the ground with running back Travis Moore (6-0, 170) who brings good speed and quickness to the backfield. Moore is a returning first-team, all-conference player.
“I think our offense will be a definite strong point,” Moore said. “We have a lot of returners. All of us are returning on offense so I think our offense is going to be a strong point this year.”
Paving the way for the backs and the passing game is an offensive line anchored by junior Luke Nolen (5-8, 235) who earned first-team, all-conference honors last season. Also looking to make an impact up front are junior linemen William Kawika-Solomon (6-3, 303), Andrew Nehf (6-1, 315) and Drew Rumsey (6-2, 270).
Defensively, the Panthers boast a strong secondary led by the Larners and Moore. Junior linebacker Cooper Chambers (5-11, 195) is a returning first-team, all-conference selection. Senior Gavin Dusseau (6-1, 210) is also in the mix at defensive end along with Tyler Dusseau. Bender lines up at outside linebacker while Schorfhaar is at defensive end.
DeWitt turned in a 7-3 record last season with two of the three losses coming against Division 3 state finalist Mason. The Mason game in week two is one the Panthers have circled on the schedule. As usual, DeWitt faces a rugged schedule. Along with playing against the top competition in the Capital Area Athletic Conference Blue Division, DeWitt opens the season with a non-league game against Haslett and also has a difficult test in week four when it plays host to West Virginia powerhouse Hurricane High School.

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By Jeff Steers
MHSSS Special Writer
Dansville High School football player Kane Romano said when players make mistakes on the field, first-year coach Wayne Dismuke does not dwell on it.
It is on to the next play.
The Aggies could use a little bit of positive encouragement after posting an 0-9 record a year ago.
Dansville struggled offensively in 2023 scoring only 42 points in nine games.
Previously Dismuke led Eaton Rapids since 2020 – first as a wide receivers coach, then a skills coach, and stepped in as an interim coach his second season.
Dismuke was hired as the permanent head coach and led ERHS for two more seasons. He has worked as a coach in San Antonio, Las Vegas, and Anchorage.
Dismuke graduated from Lansing Sexton High School and joined the United States Air Force where he served for 10 years, deploying to the Middle East as well as South Korea. He received both the achievement medal and commendation medal.
Dismuke believes the Aggies can get better every day.
“We need better attitudes and have to be locked in every day,” Dismuke said. “I am here to change the culture.”
Players say the new coach is already working players harder during practices.
“Last year we would work out only one time per week,” player Mayson Burgett said. “Now we are lifting three or four times per week.”
Some of the key players for the Aggies include Burgett, Haydon Tomlin (RB/LB), Quinnton Burgett (WR/S), and Kane Romano (LB).
Other players expected to make contributions include Evan Sykes (TE/CB), Alex Baker (RB/DE/CB), and Noah Starkey (OL/DL).
Dansville kicks off the season with a non-conference game against Springport, plays seven weeks of Central Michigan Athletic Conference competition, then faces Stockbridge to close out the regular season.

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By Jeff Steers
MHSSS Special Writer
Swan Valley High School quarterback Colton Klein begins his fourth season at the helm of the team’s offense.
With the “best set of weapons” offensively, the senior should have a big season.
Swan Valley finished 5-5 a year ago losing in the Division 5 playoffs in the opening round. But Klein put up some impressive numbers last year.
“It is crazy that this is my last year … but I am excited,” he said during media day at Ithaca High School. “I was nervous going into most games as a freshman … but it has gotten a lot better.”
MaxPreps statistics has Klein with 1,344 passing yards, 1,650 total yards, and 23 touchdown passes in 2023. He was 83-for-146 passing making him the fifth-ranked quarterback in Division 5 based on passing numbers.
Coach Kevin Gavenda said his receivers – “the best set of weapons he has had” – will make opponents cover the whole field.
“I am sure Colton is sick of me at this point,” Gavenda said of his four-year quarterback. “We are close to being on the same page now … we have been through it all together.”
Some of the weapons Klein will enjoy will be receivers Boston Beougher, Cal Delisle, Logan Zahn, and Jamison Pelt.
Senior Walker Murphy is expected to be a top lineman for Swan Valley on both sides of the football.
Other players expected to make an impact are Michael Gerard, Gavin Grandy, and Jack Lagan.
The Vikings play in the Tri-Valley Conference Red Division.
“If this is not the toughest Division-5 leagues in the state, it is close,” Gavenda said.
Swan Valley opens with Croswell-Lexington, then plays five conference foes before facing Powers Catholic in week 7. They close out the regular season with games against Alma and Bullock Creek.
The Vikings have only missed the Michigan High School Athletic Association three times since 2000.

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By Jeff Steers
MHSSS Special Writer
First-year Coach David Matthews does not like to put numbers on the amount of wins Essexville Garber expects to win in 2024.
It is all about being physical and prepared to play every week.
The 2002 EGHS graduate takes over the program after the Dukes posted a 5-5 record in 2023.The team has been to the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs for five consecutive season.
“Summer workouts have been great with a good turnout of players,” Matthews said. “One of our goals is to be more physical.”
Matthews coached in the state of Maryland for nine seasons and then at Potterville from 2017 to 2022.
Matthews expects to run a pro-style offense with spread formations. Essexville Garber will line up in a 5-2 defense and mix up coverages in 2024.
Key players for the Dukes are Tristan Westphal (OL/DL), Lukas Neering (OL/LB), Isaac Theisen (WR/CB), and quarterback and free safety Ethan Pett. All four earned conference honors in the Tri-Valley Conference Red Division in 2023.
“It is our senior year, and we are ready to get started,” Theisen said. “After all of these years we are the biggest and best players (in the school) … its our last go around.”
Pett has a couple of goals for 2024 with his biggest being beating the team across the river – John Glenn.
“We need to come together as a team and keep good team chemistry this season,” Pett said.
Other players who are expected to make a difference for the Dukes in 2024 include junior Ryan Brey (OT/DT), and senior Jack Pestrue (RB/LB), Charley Fellows (H-Back), and Cade Wallaker (WR/DB).
The Dukes will kick off the season against Hemlock and Powers Catholic in non-conference games, have six weeks of Tri-Valley Conference games, and finish with Laingsburg on Oct. 25.

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BUTCH HARMON
Sports Scene
The Carson City-Crystal football team enjoyed the move to 8-man football last season and the Eagles are primed to keep the momentum going this fall as they enter year two of 8-man football.
The Eagles are coming off a big season that saw the team open the season by reeling off eight straight wins before falling in the regular-season finale to Fulton-Middleton and then getting tripped up in the first round of the 8-man playoffs by Brown City.
Several key players graduated from last year’s squad. Along with having some new players this season, the Eagles also have a new head coach at Nate Lindloff takes over as head coach. Lindloff likes what he sees in this year’s team with the combination of some returning starters from last year and some promising newcomers.
“We will be young but we have some pretty good senior leadership,” Lindloff said. “That senior leadership will be the driving force for us. We lost a lot of players from last year but we are looking to get a lot of the younger guys on board. We also have some guys coming back that played several positions last year so we will be a talented team.”
A trio of veterans provide the Eagles with a solid core to build around. Hunter Doolittle is back at running back on offense and is a defensive mainstay at linebacker.
“I think we’re pretty solid,” Doolittle said. “We have a little bit smaller group than we had previously. We’re younger but I think we will do pretty good.”
Rylee Strawn provides a playmaking threat at wide receiver on offense and is a solid cornerback on defense. Strawn also likes the look of this year’s team despite its youth.
“We have a younger group this year,” Strawn said. “It’s looking good so far but we have still got to figure a couple of things out.”
Up front, Ethan Boden anchors the offensive line and is also a solid run stopper along the defensive line. Boden is also optimistic of how the Eagles look entering the new season.
“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Boden said. “I think we will do pretty good. It will be fun to get going. It’s going to be fun on defense. Our defensive backs look pretty good, so do our linebackers, we fill out each role on the field pretty well.”
Carson City-Crystal also won a conference title last year and the team is looking to recapture that winning feeling again this season.
“Last year was only the second time in school history that we won a conference title so we’re looking to do that again this year,” Lindloff said. “It’s something that we haven’t been use to so we’re kind of building that as something that is expected of our kids. To be at the top of the league every year is something we are trying to work on.”
Carson City-Crystal opens the season on the road when it travels to Byron in week one and then travel to St. Charles in week two.

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DAVID COOK
Sports Scene
Since moving to 8-man football four years ago, the Fulton-Middleton football team has been experiencing some success. With a solid group of players returning from last year’s team, the Pirates are poised to build on that success.
Fulton turned in a 6-4 overall record last season. The Pirates also made the 8-man playoffs for a second straight season.
“We as a staff and us as a program feel like we have our footing underneath of us,” said Fulton-Middleton coach Jason Baker. “Last year we returned three seniors and it was my first year coaching the eight man, so it was a little bit of uneasiness going into it, but we had a lot of buy in and we had a good year. This year we return a lot of upperclassmen from last year’s team so they know what to expect from us and we know what to expect from this league that we play in.”
This season, the squad returns plenty of talented players on both sides of the line. Peyton Reynolds is back at quarterback and also lines up at defensive end. Fulton featured a strong ground game last season and the Pirates look to be solid running the ball again this year.
“I definitely think our run game is a strong point,” Reynolds said, “but don’t count our passing game out either. We’ve been working on our passing game in 5-on-5s this summer and we have some great running backs.”
Tanner Villalobos returns at running back and defensive back. Villalobos has seen the team make progress the past couple seasons and sees more improvement this season.
“We had a real good build back season last year,” Villalobos said. “The last couple years we’ve been building back. Every year we’ve been making steps in the right direction and this offseason we’ve definitely made some right steps in the right direction. I’m excited, we’ve just got to keep on working at it.”
Trevor Brown and Parker Billings are a pair of returning tight ends. Brown will also play linebacker on defense while Billings will line up at defensive end.
Jared Akin lines up at offensive guard and defensive end while Connor Cunningham can line up at multiple positions on offense and is a defensive back.
While Fulton made the playoffs last season, they fell in the opening round against Portland St. Patrick. This year the goal is to make an even longer run in the playoffs.
“We want to make a bigger run in the playoffs,” Cunningham said. “We had a first-round exit last year and we want to go farther than that. Our goal is to have everyone buying into what we are doing.”
Working together as a team will be key to having a successful season.
“What we need is to work together,” Akin said. “We did that very well last year. We worked together a lot this summer, we had 30 people out to our camp and its great to see the team work together and I think we will have a great season ahead of us.”
Making a deep playoff run will definitely make the season special.
“We want to win a playoff game,” Baker said. “It hasn’t been done since 2011. Fulton is a very prideful community when it comes to football. Getting in the playoffs is something we strive for, but making deep runs in late October and November is something these kids are wanting to do.”

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By Jeff Steers
MHSSS Special Writer
When Ovid-Elsie made the playoffs with a 5-4 record last year, not much was expected of them.
But three wins over higher seeded teams took the Marauders into the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s D-6 state semifinal.
The team hopes to start off quicker and make another deep run into the playoffs – which has been the norm for the program.
Ovid-Elsie has made the playoffs nine of the last 11 years under veteran coach Travis Long.
“Our goals are to finish with a winning record, win the conference, and go to the playoffs,” Long said. “The off-season participation has been good, and we have a lot of great senior leadership.”
The Marauders expect to have 25 in its varsity program and 35 at the junior varsity level.
Ovid-Elsie finished 3-3 in the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference in 2023.
Key players for the Marauders start with first-team all-state lineman Jake Bowen.
“We have an amazing coaching staff and really work together as a family,” Bowen said of OEHS.
Others who will help lead the Marauders are Dawson Taylor (OL), Clayton Fruchey (RB/WR), Brock Spitzley (FB), Braxton O’Bryant (OL), Javen Belill (WR), Joe Bancroft (C), Michael Bancroft (WR), Owen Long (WR/S), and Tryce Tokar (QB).
Ovid-Elsie starts the season with a non-conference game against Powers Catholic, seven weeks of MMAC play, and a non-conference matchup with Standish-Sterling to end the season.
The Marauders were 2-3 to start the 2023 season before winning five consecutive games advancing to the state semifinal.
“At the end of the year we made a run … everything just meshed together,” Joe Bancroft said. “We have built a tradition of making the MHSAA playoffs nearly every year. We have to hold these standards up again this season.”

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BUTCH HARMON
Sports Scene
Numbers are up for Potterville football this season. Not only do the Vikings have a good turnout of players, but they will be playing a full nine-game schedule this season after playing a partial varsity schedule last fall.
A large group of players return from last year’s squad including quarterback Ezariah Taylor. Taylor, who plays defensive back on defense, is looking forward to the season.
“We are looking good,” Taylor said. “We have been practicing really hard and putting in the work in the offseason. I think we will be strong in all areas. Running, passing, I think everything”.
Keegan Bennett is another returning veteran who likes how the team is shaping up. Bennett is a wing back on offense and plays linebacker on defense.
“I think our running game will be a strength,” Bennett said. “We have a lot of versatility between fast running back and hard-hitting, power runners.”
Isaiah Woloscyn will also see playing time at wingback on offense and at linebacker on defense. Woloscyn sees playing with a high level of intensity throughout the season as being a key to success for the Vikings.
“The key will be our intensity” Woloscyn said. “We have to keep that up through the whole game and not letting off the gas at all.”
Potterville also brings back a solid group of linemen on both sides of the line. Left offensive tackle Keaton Bush is one of the leaders along the line along with Andrew Morales who also plays linebacker on defense. Bush also sees time along the Viking defensive front.
“Our defensive line is good,” Bush said. “We will get a whole lot of penetration right up the middle.”
One area the team is concentrating on during pre-season practice is developing the secondary.
Potterville also returns running back Markeil White who is the fastest player on the team. Cam Wood is a returning defensive end who is one of the leaders on the defense. Returning at the other starting tackle for the Vikings is Luke Ward (6-foot-4, 260 pounds).
With improved numbers the Vikings are poised to make gains on the field this fall and are looking forward to the season.
“We have about 30 kids out for the team which is great for Potterville,” said Viking coach Jason Baker, who is going into his second season as head coach. “The guys have been working hard in the offseason. We’ve been focusing on conditioning and getting the boys physically ready to play the game. We only lost one senior from last year so we have the core coming back. We’re also young, everyone but Ezzy and Keaton are juniors or sophomores or freshmen so we have a good couple years ahead of us for this program. We are going to be competitive this year. We have a tough schedule, but I feel like we stack up well against it.”

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By Jeff Steers
MHSSS Special Writer
The Ashley High School Bears won three of its four games to start the 2023
season, but injuries curtailed that momentum.
The Bears are learning that it is next man up theory when it comes to the
game of football.
Ashley finished the season with a 4-5 record.
“We don’t have the luxury of having 25 kids on the team,” Coach Kevin
Saylor said. “Our kids are learning to be resilient and becoming the next man up whether you are ready or not.”
Ashley will compete in the Big Thumb 8-Man Conference in the Red Division in 2024.
With only 74 students in the high school, staying healthy and being ready will be required for Ashley.
“It is hard to keep kids because we have been struggling in the seventh and eighth grade football programs,” Saylor said. “Football is all about having bonds with your players and teammates.”
Three seniors expect to enjoy bonds on the football field in 2024.
All-state and all-region senior linebacker Gavin Malek (OL/LB), Seth Stahr (WR/CB), and Zander Schneider expect to lead the Bears.
“We have to develop a lot of grit and play all four quarters,” Malek said. “This is our year to go, go go!”
Juniors Robert Kral is expected to be the starting quarterback on offense and cornerback on defense for Ashley and Gibby Jason will be a fullback on offense and a nose guard on defense.
Others expected to contribute in 2024 are juniors Will Long and Trent Byslma, sophomores Tristan Ringle, Nierescherand and freshman Ryder Yelsik.
Saylor believes the Bears will be in the top two in the league.
“Bay City will be the favorites in the league,” Saylor said. “I look for us to be one or two in the league.”
Ashley starts the season with an Aug. 30 game against Webberville, seven weeks of BTC action, then a non-conference game against Bear Lake to close out the 2024 regular season.
Ashley has not made the 8-man playoffs since 2020 and before that in 2009 and 2010 playoffs in 11-man football.

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Bridgeport looking to improve on 1-8 football campaign

Talented group of players has optimism soaring at DeWitt

Wayne Dismuke to lead Dansville in 2024 football campaign

Klein to start at QB for Swan Valley for fourth consecutive season

David Matthews takes over Essexville-Garber football

Carson City-Crystal aiming to continue success in year two of 8-man football

Fulton-Middleton looking to continue success in 8-man football

Ovid-Elsie hopes to continue playoff run

Potterville looking forward to full season with improved numbers

Ashley Bears look to rebound after 4-5 season