Jeff Chaney
Sports Scene
LOWELL – It’s not like coach Noel Dean and the Lowell football team hasn’t had to deal with this issue before.
Dean must once again find a replacement for an incredible quarterback.
This year, Dean must replace his nephew, Gabe Dean, who led the Red Arrows to three straight Division 2 state finals, winning one his sophomore season.
In the past decade, coach Dean had to replace the likes of quarterbacks Mark Catlin and Keith Nichol.
“I expect other kids to step up and other kids to play harder,” Dean said. “This has happened in the past at Lowell. We have had success with other quarterbacks. It is is a significant loss, but on the other hand, maybe we need to play better defense, or play better on the offensive line.”
What Lowell lost when Gabe Dean graduated last year was a quarterback who amassed close to 13,000 total yards of offense and scored over 100 touchdowns. Twice he earned all-state status, and after his junior season, he was named the AP Division 1-2 Player of the Year.
Those battling to fill the shoes left behind are senior Titan Anderson and junior Tyler Shurlow.
Both have been involved in a heated battle during camp, and both are ready to except the challenge of leading the Red Arrows.
“I’m not saying it will be easy, but I’m also not saying it can’t be done,” Anderson said. “There always has to be someone that has to step up. Gabe had to step as a sophomore when [starting quarterback] Pat Martin went down with an injury. They are big shoes to fill, but I feel ready. The coaching staff that we have had over the past years have been excellent and have prepared us all.”
Anderson does have some varsity experience, getting into five games last season at quarterback.
The good thing for either Anderson or Shurlow is that Lowell looks as strong as ever.
“This line we have is stronger than we have had in the past,” Anderson said. “We have a tough schedule this year, but I believe we are ready. With this line, I think we are ready for the schedule. There is nothing we can’t handle this year.”
That schedule is something coach Dean knows will be a challenge for his team, but one he feels it is ready for.
The Red Arrows open with a game at Rockford, and during the year they have to play Grand Haven, Muskegon, and an OK White Conference schedule that includes Grand Rapids Christian, East Grand Rapids, and Forest Hills Central.
Coach Dean is tempering his view of his team, but not of that schedule.
“We are the furthest team east in OK Conferences, and we are playing three teams that are furthest west,” Dean said. “This [OK Conferences realignment] doesn’t make sense. It’s supposed to be based on enrollment and geography, and you have two schools in Northview and Greenville that are 15 miles away from us, and we don’t play them anymore.”
Last year Northview and Greenville were in the OK White, but they were moved to the OK Bronze after realignment.
“It is what it is,” Dean said. “Who is happy? As long as [OK Conferences commissioner] Jim Haskins is protecting the interest of the largest schools in the OK Conferences, we won’t have true realignment. We should be in eight-team leagues, playing schools our same size and playing in our same region.”