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Clinton Works to Keep Running, Rising

By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half

September 22, 2016

By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half 

CLINTON – In 2012, Clinton football coach Scott McNitt had accomplished enough during his 27-year career that he was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Since then, McNitt, now in his 32nd year, has enjoyed the best on-the-field run of his career.

It doesn't happen often that a Hall of Fame coach reaches new heights after induction, but McNitt is proof it can happen.

Over the last three seasons, Clinton is 49-4 with three consecutive finishes with double-digit wins, two trips to the Division 6 championship game at Ford Field and one 40-game regular-season winning streak – the third longest regular-season winning streak by a Lenawee County football team since Hudson won 81 in a row from 1968-77.

All of that success – and especially the recent attention from the 40-game winning streak – has brought some unwanted credit to McNitt, who preaches the team concept and praises the work of his assistant coaches.

“It's a great accomplishment, but I can't stand hearing, 'McNitt did this,' or 'McNitt did that.' It's just that I have to be on the top line, but I've have tremendous assistants and some very, very good players,” he said.

McNitt has similar feelings about his induction into the Hall of Fame.

“The two biggest accomplishments for me have been the Hall of Fame and Ford Field,” he said. “That's every coach's dream. But this is a team thing, and there are coaches on our staff who work a lot harder than I do, and I get all the accolades.

“But it means a lot to me to stay at the same school for 32 years and outlast it. We had some seasons that weren't good. We had three 1-8 seasons in a row. We've been successful – but surviving for 32 years and keeping it going in the right direction, and I think what we have coming from our youth programs and middle school, it can continue – means a lot to me.”

Key to success

When McNitt interviewed for the Clinton job prior to the 1985 season, he was given some advice that has stuck with him for more than three decades.

“When I first got here 32 years ago, during the interview the superintendent said, 'Surround yourself with good people, and you won't have a problem,'” McNitt said. “So it's been a philosophy to put good people into the program.”

As is common with most high school programs, assistant coaches would come and go throughout the years at Clinton. But over the past eight seasons, Clinton has kept its coaching staff together – even down to junior varsity and middle school – and McNitt believes it’s no coincidence that his greatest run has happened under those circumstances.

“We've had changes over the years, and it is what it is, but this last eight years the staff we have in place now seems to jell together,” he said. “Jeremy Fielder came from Adrian College as a football coach and player. He brought a great philosophy and work ethic and new ideas.

“Our line coach, John Schuler, he was a player here in the 1980s and was on one of the best teams we had here. He's back there teaching and coaching, and he's an outstanding line coach. Joe Gillies and our JV coaches do a great job, and we also have volunteer coaches who are very familiar with the program and give us their time and dedication. We all work really well together.”

But coaches can't coach and have great success without talented players, right?

“Having good players is the other key,” McNitt said. “We've had a phenomenal run of outstanding players, and we saw it coming when they were in youth football in fifth and sixth grade. We watched them in seventh and eighth.

“They were a group of very fast kids with unbelievable speed. We watched them, and it was like, 'Holy Toledo, wait until we get ahold of these kids.'”

A trip to Ford Field – and back

From 1985-2009, Clinton made 12 playoff appearances under McNitt. The 1990 team made it to the Class C Semifinals, but more often than not, the Redskins were one-and-done in the postseason. After losing to rival Manchester in the 2012 Pre-District, Clinton was 7-13 in the playoffs.

Since then, Clinton is 9-3 in the postseason.

“I went to the Silverdome I don't know how many years and Ford Field, and we would sit there and go, 'It would be nice to get there,'” McNitt said. “But we were always in such a tough division, we'd always face Monroe Catholic Central in a District, and we could never get over that.

“In 2013, we finally got a good draw, and we felt we could make a good run, and we did (finishing runner-up in Division 6). The next year we were even better, but we drew Catholic Central in the second round, and they kind of blew us out.”

That set the stage for last season. But when the playoff pairings were announced, McNitt and his staff faced an overwhelming road to Ford Field. The first assignment: A road game at reigning Division 6 champion Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central.

A 14-10 victory in the Pre-District proved to be the sparkplug that charged the Redskins’ run.

“To go down there and win a close one gave us great confidence,” Schuler said.

Next was Madison Heights Madison, making its 11th consecutive appearance in the playoffs. On the road again, Clinton scored a huge 43-20 victory to earn a home game in the Regional against eight-time MHSAA champion Jackson Lumen Christi.

“To play the Regional Final at home against Jackson Lumen Christi was just a thrill ride,” Schuler said of the 49-20 victory that earned a Semifinal matchup with undefeated Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, which was making its fifth consecutive appearance in the playoffs.

Clinton’s 42-20 victory over NorthPointe brought it back to Ford Field for its biggest test of all: Ithaca, which had won four of the previous five Division 6 titles and defeated Clinton 41-22 in the 2013 championship game.

“It was a murderer's row of opponents, and we did not want to play Ithaca,” McNitt said. “We wanted Traverse City St. Francis just for something new.

“We knew Ithaca and who they were, but we were hoping for something different. But we had a chance, we were up 13-0 in the third quarter, and Ithaca took over.”

Ithaca dashed Clinton's title hopes with a 27-20 victory, but the experience Clinton had gained two years earlier resulted in a calming effect.

“Personally, I thought we'd get one shot at Ford Field because normally these small towns get one shot, and it's over with,” McNitt said. “I wasn't sure we would get back. And then last year when we got there, it was just like another game.

“It wasn't as big of a hype as it was the first time, and the community loved it.”

It also added to the momentum that has been building.

“It was a momentum-builder for us, and if we stay as a team, we can make it back there,” senior running back Steve Laurell said. “It's just team effort and coaching for sure. It was a good feeling.”

New challenge

The good news at Clinton is that the Redskins are 4-0 and rolling again. The bad news is that the talented speed group has graduated. The 2016 Redskins lack the flashy skill players from the past but are a senior-orientated team boasting an experienced line.

Any coach will tell you that having an experienced, talented line is a big step toward success.

“We have some interior linemen back, but we're brand new everywhere else,” McNitt said. “We do have some senior players who have waited their turn, and we knew we'd be OK up front because we're big.”

Center Alex McIntosh is a third-year varsity player and is joined by Austin Popp and Josh Brown as key players in the trenches, while the senior backfield of Laurell at tailback and Cordell Hernandez at fullback has been “outstanding,” according to McNitt.

“We just don't have the burners, but we have solid, good players,” he said.

Clinton has outscored its opponents by a combined 164-65 this season, with its next game tonight against a 2-2 Morenci team. It's easy to look at a matchup of a 4-0 team and a 2-2 team and assume the outcome, but that sort of mentality makes McNitt a little uneasy. The community has embraced the program, and its expectations can sometimes be a little too much too soon.

“It is erupting into a very big animal,” McNitt said. “We have to be careful, and we have to corral it before it gets too out of control. But it's nice for the football program, based on our current success – getting to Ford Field two out of three years – that is where the excitement comes from.

“The community support really has been incredible.”

The season already has had one milestone. Two weeks ago, McNitt reached 200 career victories, becoming the 61st high school football coach in Michigan to reach that number. He also is 12th among active coaches with 201 wins. His overall record is 201-113-1 for a .640 winning percentage.

“I remember when I got my 100th win. Some community supporters and fathers said, ‘That's quite a big deal, but if you get to 200, that puts you in a whole different group.’ It kind of stuck with me, but I never thought I'd get there,” McNitt said, “but the past four or five years did it.”

The future at Clinton

McNitt is very realistic about what lies ahead for Clinton. But he isn't discounting anything, either.

“Can we get back to Ford Field again? The chances are probably no, but we've gone twice in three years, so it's possible,” he said. “We focus on our rival up the road here, Manchester, just seven miles away, and then try to win our league. If you do those two things, you're going to be in the playoffs and then see what happens.”

It is a sensible approach that has worked at Clinton. He has surrounded himself with good assistants and let them do their thing on the field.

“Our assistant coaches do a phenomenal job, and there are times when I just sit back and watch them do their thing,” he said. “I'm very fortunate to have people like that around us.”

Fielder was hired in as defensive coordinator nine years ago, and he recognizes that there were some up-and-down moments along the way.

“To be given that trust was huge because he's a Hall of Famer,” Fielder said. “He hired me, and I had a big role, and there were some growing pains early on. I will always be thankful for him sticking with me once we got the system figured out and once we figured out how we were going to execute.”

The players come to the varsity having learned the system at a younger age, and their coach is a man who was coaching the varsity more than a decade before they were born. And he wins. That commands respect.

“We know that the coach knows what he's doing, and he's going to make the right call at the right time, and we just need to follow what he does,” said McIntosh, the senior center. “We have no question about it. He knows what he's doing.

“I think what it is is that our coaches push us. Through practice, they expect us to do things right, and if we don't get it right the first time, they expect that we won't make the same mistake twice.”

So, the obvious question looms. How much longer does McNitt expect to coach? He didn't dodge the question.

“I could be easily done this year, or I could go another 10 years,” he said. “I want to be able to turn it over to Jeremy Fielder, our really good defensive coach. He has waited, and he is probably going to take it farther than we ever dreamed of.

“Jeremy is a phenomenal football coach.”

Although Fielder likely would be thrilled to someday succeed McNitt, he seems comfortable in his current role, too.

“Times have changed for head coaches, and it is kind of nice to know your role and coach with people you trust and just be able to do your job,” said Fielder, who also is an English teacher at the high school. “When you look at coaching, yes, the head coach is the position and it's the title, but when you get down to the nitty gritty, you're a team within a team.

“If you have an outstanding team and coach with people you respect and admire, you're happy there no matter what your role is.”

Chip Mundy served as sports editor at the Brooklyn Exponent and Albion Recorder from 1980-86, and then as a reporter and later copy editor at the Jackson Citizen-Patriot from 1986-2011. He also co-authored Michigan Sports Trivia. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Clinton’s Steve Laurell (left) and Cordell Hernandez, shown this season against Manchester, are two of the top returning players from the 2015 Division 6 runner-up. (Middle) From left: Clinton assistant coach John Schuler, head coach Scott McNitt, defensive coordinator Jeremy Fielder. (Below) Clinton also returns multiple contributors from the offensive line that took on Ithaca during last season's Final at Ford Field. (Top photo by John Discher/Adrian Daily Telegram.)

Grand Rapids Catholic Central breaks away for a 49-14 win over Ada Forest Hills Eastern.

1st & Goal: 2023 Week 7 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 9, 2023

Fall showed up in a roar for Week 7, drenching fields almost everywhere as 300 games played on.

MI Student AidBut the rain couldn’t put a damper on several league title celebrations all over the state.

Of 88 varsity football conferences in Michigan, 60 have at least one guaranteed champion with two more weeks of regular-season games to play – and those historic victories make up most of the highlights below.

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Frankenmuth 38, Freeland 13 Frankenmuth (6-1) secured a share of a 12th-consecutive league championship, clinching in the Tri-Valley Conference Red in this meeting of co-leaders heading into the evening. The Eagles have won 59 straight league games dating to 2014, and all five against the Falcons (6-1) since they began playing in the same division. Click for more from the Saginaw News.

Watch list Cass City 26, Elton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker 12 With the Greater Thumb Conference set to merge with the North Central Thumb League next school year, Cass City (6-1) earned the final championship in the GTC West as Laker (4-3) also was tied for first entering the evening. (Ubly defeated Sandusky 39-8 to finish a perfect run through the GTC East.)

On the move Chesaning 29, Durand 12 Chesaning (6-1) clinched a share of the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference title, defeating the 2022 champ and with seventh-place Otisville-LakeVille left on the league schedule. Ithaca 26, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 7 The Yellowjackets (7-0) also clinched the outright championship in the TVC White by claiming this winner-takes-all meeting with MLS (5-2). Fenton 27, Flushing 8 Fenton (6-1) finished an outright championship in the Flint Metro League Stripes, its fifth-straight league title and first outright since 2020.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Lake Orion 42, Clarkston 21 With its first win over Clarkston since 2019, Lake Orion clinched its first league title since those two teams shared the Oakland Activities Association Red championship in 2011. They entered this league finale tied for first, so the Dragons’ also won this time outright and improved to 7-0 while holding down the No. 3 spot in Division 1 playoff-points average. Clarkston is 4-3 but No. 15 on the list in part because of its difficult schedule playing in one of the state’s most competitive leagues. Click for more from the Oakland Press.

Watch list Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 45, Romeo 12; Utica Eisenhower 31, Macomb Dakota 0 There’s no way to split these up; Chippewa Valley (5-2) and Eisenhower (6-1) clinched a shared Macomb Area Conference Red championship by winning on a night when all four contenders entered tied for first place.

On the move Walled Lake Western 28, Milford 20 Western (7-0) claimed a share of a second-straight Lakes Valley Conference title, with Milford (5-2) and Waterford Mott one game behind and the Warriors needing to defeat seventh-place Walled Lake Central in two weeks to clinch it outright. Grosse Pointe South 27, St. Clair Shores Lakeview 0 Another winner-take-all in the MAC White went to GPS (6-1), which has won all 10 of its games in this division since making the switch a year ago and handed Lakeview (5-2) its first shutout since 2021. Birmingham Seaholm 20, Auburn Hills Avondale 0 Seaholm (6-1) owns a share of the OAA Blue title and dealt this first loss to Avondale (6-1), which has clinched a share in the OAA Gold. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 56, Gladwin 21 This was one of few meetings left of undefeated teams this fall, and Notre Dame Prep (6-0) continued its surge by posting 56 points for the third time this season and against a defense that had given up only 90 total during Gladwin’s 6-0 start.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Hastings 20, Parma Western 19 There are still two weeks of Interstate 8 Athletic Conference games to play, but Hastings (5-2) is a major step closer to a fourth-straight championship. The Saxons stopped Western (6-1) on a late two-point try to win and moved into first place alone with a chance to clinch this week against Jackson Northwest. See below for more from FOX 17.

Watch list Perry 14, Stockbridge 13 Perry is drawing close to making history. The Ramblers (5-2) are seeking their first playoff berth (not counting 2020, when almost all teams qualified because of COVID-related adjustments) and are tied for No. 15 in Division 7 playoff-point average with a matchup against Division 5 Lake Odessa Lakewood this week.  

On the move Fowler 54, Frankfort 0 Fowler (6-1) sits No. 10 in Division 8 playoff-points average after handing Frankfort (6-1) its first defeat. Portland 35, Charlotte 8 Portland (7-0) will play Lansing Sexton this week for the Capital Area Activities Conference White title after turning back this challenge from the third-place Orioles (5-2). Williamston 20, Haslett 7 Williamston (5-2) sits No. 7 in Division 5 playoff-points average with its only losses to Division 3 teams and this win over the Vikings (4-3) among five over opponents from Divisions 3 or 4.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Ogemaw Heights 35, Kingsley 12 For the first time since 2009, Ogemaw Heights (6-1) is a league champion after claiming a winner-takes-all matchup for the Northern Michigan Football League Legends title. Kingsley (5-2) had averaged 50 points per game entering the weekend, but the Falcons’ defense continued a run of success that’s seen them allow only 38 points total over the last five games. Click for more from MI Sports Now.

Watch list Benzie Central 46, Oscoda 14 Benzie remains on the rise, and by moving to 4-3 equaled its win total from a year ago – when it qualified for the playoffs at 3-6 – while holding nicely at No. 21 in Division 7 playoff-points average. Oscoda fell to 3-4 but has some opportunities to climb over the final two regular-season games.

On the move Grayling 46, Kalkaska 6 Grayling (4-3) kept its playoff hopes alive and sits No. 24 on the Division 6 playoff-points list after sending Kalkaska to 3-4 and No. 42. Maple City Glen Lake 47, Johannesburg-Lewiston 8 The Lakers (4-3) added to their playoff candidacy and sit No. 22 in Division 8 playoff-points average while Johannesburg-Lewiston (2-4) is No. 45. Cadillac 28, Richland Gull Lake 7 Cadillac (4-3) bounced back from two straight losses to get a needed boost up to No. 29 on the Division 3 playoff-points list, while Gull Lake (4-3) sits just outside the field at No. 33.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Napoleon 44, Michigan Center 34 Despite receiving one of its toughest challenges this fall – and trailing at halftime – Napoleon (7-0) emerged with a share of the Cascades Conference East championship and an opportunity to clinch it outright this week against sixth-place East Jackson. The Pirates have won 20 of their last 21 games and scored the most points Michigan Center (5-2) had allowed since Week 1 of 2022. Click for more from the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Watch list Chelsea 21, Jackson 14 Chelsea (6-1) withstood its closest Southeastern Conference East matchup to finish an outright title run with Jackson (4-3) pushing for a shared championship.

On the move Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 27, Flat Rock 18 St. Mary (3-4) was able to jump from No. 22 to No. 9 in Division 7 playoff-point average with this win, and also juggled the Huron League title race a bit by dropping Flat Rock (5-2) out of a tie for first. Addison 42, Hanover-Horton 8 Addison (7-0) completed its Cascades Conference West schedule with an outright championship, the Panthers’ fourth league title in five seasons. Saline 31, Ypsilanti Lincoln 0 Saline (7-0) is another long-running league champion back on top, clinching a share in the SEC Red after missing out a year ago.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Portage Central 32, Portage Northern 22 Central took back the upper hand in this annual rivalry game after losing by three points a year ago, and also took over first place alone in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference. Both teams are 6-1 overall, and Northern will be rooting hard for Kalamazoo Central this week and Stevensville Lakeshore next as the Huskies hope for some help to still claim a league title share. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Watch list Lawton 29, Schoolcraft 22 Lawton (6-1) set itself up to face undefeated Saugatuck this week for the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley title with Schoolcraft (5-2) hanging on to hope for a shared championship with Saugatuck on its schedule for Week 9.

On the move Constantine 27, Kalamazoo United 7 Constantine (6-1) also will play for a league title this week, against South Haven, in the SAC Lakeshore and with Kalamazoo United (4-3) hoping for similar maneuvering as Schoolcraft as it gets South Haven in Week 9. Parchment 32, Allegan 14 The Panthers (4-3) just missed the playoffs last season at 5-4 but kept their hopes sparked this fall by ending a three-game losing streak and jumping from No. 35 to 28 in the Division 6 playoff-points list while sending Allegan (4-3) down to a tie for No. 32 in Division 5. St. Joseph 35, Stevensville Lakeshore 0 St. Joseph (4-3) vaulted to No. 19 in Division 3 playoff-points average in breaking a two-game losing streak, and also knocked Lakeshore (5-2) out of a tie for first in the SMAC.

(Middle) Marquette's Jacob MacPhee (1) catches a pass from quarterback Jaxon Jurmu.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Negaunee 47, Menominee 20 The reigning champion in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper is back in the title hunt. After starting out a step behind with a loss to Gladstone in a Week 2 league opener, Negaunee (6-1) has made it all the way back and can clinch a share of the Copper championship this week against Houghton – while Menominee (6-1) and Kingsford also will play for a guaranteed share of the title. Click for more from Upper Michigan’s Source.

Watch list Marquette 21, Petoskey 20 Marquette (4-2) opened this season 1-2, then didn’t have a Week 4 game, but is 3-0 since with a chance at a share of the Big North Conference title (if Sault Ste. Marie defeats leader Gaylord in Week 9) and the No. 24 spot on the Division 3 playoff-points average list – while Petoskey (4-3) is holding on at No. 32.

On the move Gladstone 31, Houghton 8 Gladstone (5-2) is officially out of the Copper title hunt, but steady at No. 9 on the Division 6 playoff-points average list with opportunities to climb. Sault Ste. Marie 21, Alpena 6 After missing the playoffs last season at 6-3, Sault Ste. Marie (5-2) is sitting at No. 26 on the Division 4 playoff-points list and with two substantial chances to move up. Manistique 19, Lakeview 8 Manistique (4-3) moved up from No. 38 to 36 on the Division 7 playoff-points list but will work to reach the top 32 with two more playoff hopefuls on the schedule to finish the regular season.

West Michigan

HEADLINER Big Rapids 35, Howard City Tri County 6 After forcing a three-team shared championship in the Central State Activities Association last season, Big Rapids (6-1) will reign alone this fall thanks to this win that secured an outright title. The Cardinals won their six league games this season by an average of 24 ppg. Tri County is 6-1 and still can equal last season’s win total with one more. Click for more from the Big Rapids Pioneer.

Watch list Grandville 38, Caledonia 34 Grandville (6-1) will play Rockford this week for a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title after quarterback Cash Ruff put the Bulldogs on his shoulders (and legs) during the fourth quarter. He ran for the winning points during the final seconds as Grandville avenged two losses last season to the Fighting Scots (5-2).

On the move Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 23, Lowell 20 In an O-K White filled with contenders, FHN (5-2) quietly has joined them and with this win guaranteed its best record since 2018 with a chance to break up the title race even more after taking the Red Arrows (5-2) out of a four-way tie for first. Muskegon 22, Zeeland West 16 The O-K Green is down to just one leader at the top as the Big Reds (5-2) have a game on West (6-1) and Muskegon Mona Shores and only sixth-place Grand Rapids Union and seventh-place Wyoming left on the schedule. Grand Rapids West Catholic 56, Allendale 6 West Catholic (7-0) claimed a share of the O-K Blue title with two games to play as Allendale (5-2), Coopersville and Spring Lake all are tied for second at 3-2 in league play.

8-Player

HEADLINER Climax-Scotts 58, Mendon 28 After two runner-up league finishes over the last four seasons, including last fall, Climax-Scotts is a champion with this win clinching a share of the Southern Central Athletic Association West title. Mendon (5-2) led by as many as 12 points into the final minute of the first half, but the Panthers (7-0) scored the final six touchdowns to come back and pull away. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Watch list Morrice 44, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 13 With one league game left for six of its seven teams, the Mid-State Activities Conference Red has three in first place – Morrice (5-2) creating the jam by handing Sacred Heart (6-1) this defeat. The Orioles, Irish and Portland St. Patrick all are 4-1 in the division, and all play teams in the bottom three of the standings this week.

On the move Alcona 42, Au Gres-Sims 12 Alcona (6-1) plays Rogers City this week for the North Star League Big Dipper title and should have plenty of momentum after handing a first loss to Little Dipper leader Au Gres (6-1). Marcellus 52, Grandville Calvin Christian 0 Marcellus (6-1) dominated the Southwest Michigan 8-Man Football League Red, opening with a 51-18 win over Lawrence, getting a forfeit from Bloomingdale and then defeating second-place Bangor and third-place Calvin Christian (4-3) by a combined 99-0 over the last two weeks. Carson City-Crystal 26, Blanchard Montabella 22 In its first year as part of an 8-player league, Carson City-Crystal (7-0) is a champion with this clinching a share of the MSAC Blue title as Montabella (4-3) moved into a tie for third.

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PHOTOS (Top) Grand Rapids Catholic Central breaks away for a 49-14 win over Ada Forest Hills Eastern. (Middle) Marquette's Jacob MacPhee (1) catches a pass from quarterback Jaxon Jurmu. (Top photo by Michigan Sports Photo. Middle photo by Cara Kamps.)