Drive for Detroit: Week 4 in Review
September 18, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Streaks were broken, upsets were hatched, and significant steps toward league titles were taken all over Michigan during a Week 4 full of the unexpected.
See below for the results that popped off the page in every region of our state and on the 8-player scene as changes of the guard began to take hold from Detroit to Muskegon to the Lake Huron coast and across the middle of the Upper Peninsula.
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Bay & Thumb
Saginaw Swan Valley 21, Freeland 14
Freeland had won 24 straight regular-season games since its loss to Swan Valley in Week 6 of 2014, and the Vikings (3-1) surely enjoyed this even a little more after also falling in the playoffs to the Falcons (3-1) last fall. Swan Valley got the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter and now sits tied with Alma atop the Tri-Valley Conference Central standings. Click for more from the Saginaw News.
Also noted:
Beaverton 33, Houghton Lake 25 – The Beavers (4-0) are now off to their best start since 1984 and with a key obstacle overcome in the Jack Pine Conference; Houghton Lake (2-2) was a playoff team last season.
Fenton 48, Linden 13 – Although not close for the first time in a few years, downing the rival Eagles (3-1) could eventually result in Fenton (4-0) winning its seventh straight Flint Metro League title.
Lake Fenton 20, Goodrich 7 – The reigning Genesee Area Conference Red champion Blue Devils (3-1) now have two contenders out of the way as Goodrich (3-1) has bounced back nicely from going 0-9 in 2016.
Marine City 35, Marysville 7 – The Mariners (4-0) equaled their win total from last year’s rare non-playoff season and should feel pretty comfortable in the Macomb Area Conference Gold with this win over the reigning champion Vikings (2-2) to go with an earlier one over 2016 runner-up Port Huron Northern.
Greater Detroit
West Bloomfield 37, Clarkston 16
After close losses to Walled Lake Western and Bloomfield Hills to open this season, West Bloomfield is hitting stride. The Lakers (2-2) got back into the Oakland Activities Association Red hunt by downing the reigning co-champion Wolves (3-1) as standout quarterback Bryce Veasley again posted massive passing numbers and the West Bloomfield defense improved by 26 points from last year’s meeting. Click for more from the Oakland Press.
Also noted:
Waterford Mott 47, Walled Lake Western 37 – Mott (3-1) quietly is working toward a fourth straight playoff season, but ending an 11-game regular-season winning streak for the reigning Division 2 runner-up Warriors (3-1) remained a headline-grabber nonetheless.
Utica Eisenhower 49, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 42 – Winning the prestigious MAC Red is a multi-step process, and this was a significant one as Eisenhower (4-0) seeks to repeat as champion and Chippewa Valley (3-1) is always among contenders.
Ferndale 17, Detroit Country Day 7 – The Eagles (3-1) are building off last season’s first playoff berth since 2008 with a great start now highlighted with their best win in at least a decade; reigning Division 4 runner-up Country Day (1-3) has three defeats by 13 points or fewer.
Oak Park 34, Birmingham Groves 14 – After falling to Groves (3-1) by just a point last season, Oak Park (3-1) could be headed toward winning the OAA White this time after a victory over the reigning champ.
Mid-Michigan
Grand Ledge 27, Lansing Sexton 14
Grand Ledge remains the arguable favorite in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue as it seeks a third straight league title. The Big Reds (3-1) remain in discussion of the Lansing area’s best teams, but Grand Ledge pushed its lead to 20 midway through the fourth quarter and now has three solid wins to go with a Week 2 loss to DeWitt. Undefeated Okemos is next up. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.
Also noted:
Beal City 16, Leroy Pine River 7 – The Aggies (3-1) are working toward taking back the Highland Conference title after avenging last year’s 34-7 loss to reigning league champion Pine River (0-4).
Fulton 26, Fowler 20 – This rivalry game frequently is followed by a rematch in the playoffs, and the Pirates (3-1) now have a much better chance of making it back for the first time 2014 after equaling their win total of each of the last two years while knocking Fowler down to 2-2.
Lake Odessa Lakewood 36, Vermontville Maple Valley 7 – Maple Valley’s 3-1 start and best season already since 2014 are still worth celebrating, but the Greater Lansing Activities Conference looks like it will come down again to reigning champion Lakewood (4-0) and Olivet.
Lansing Catholic 35, Williamston 34 – The Cougars (4-0) squeaked out this CAAC White win to give this week’s matchup with Portland major title implications; Williamston (2-2) is just outside after also losing to Portland by only seven in Week 3.
Northern Lower Peninsula
AuGres-Sims 48, Lincoln Alcona 46
AuGres-Sims’ offense caught up after losing to Alcona 58-20 a year ago, with this win putting the Wolverines at 4-0 for the first time since 2006. The Wolverines are averaging 46 points per game this season, 11 more than a year ago when they finished 7-3. Alcona (3-1) will need some help now to repeat as North Star League champion; the Tigers didn’t lose in the league last season. Click for more from the Alpena News.
Also noted:
Alpena 23, Cadillac 14 – The Wildcats (2-2) had only two wins a year ago, and now have two plus two close losses as they play for their first winning record since 2004; Cadillac (1-3) has a tough road ahead starting with undefeated Wyoming Godwin Heights next.
Elk Rapids 17, Kalkaska 0 – The Elks have gone from no wins in 2015 to two last season and now stand 3-1 this fall after bouncing back from a Week 3 loss to hand Kalkaska (3-1) its first.
Gaylord St. Mary 20, Whittemore-Prescott 12 – The Snowbirds (4-0) continued to prep for a strong league slate by handing a second straight defeat to annual playoff team W-P (2-2).
McBain 34, Evart 10 – McBain (3-1) bounced back from a Lake City loss in Week 3 to down another playoff hopeful in the Wildcats (2-2).
Southeast & Border
Brooklyn Columbia Central 46, Ida 38
While Columbia Central had put together a combined 15-5 record over the last two seasons, Ida has been the class of the Lenawee County Athletic Association of late with two straight league titles (last season shared) and only one loss in its last 15 league games before this defeat. The win was Columbia Central’s first ever against the Bluestreaks (3-1); the Golden Eagles (3-1) will now root for Ida to beat Hudson in Week 7, possibly their best chance at securing a shared league title after losing to the Tigers in Week 3. Click for more from the Jackson Citizen-Patriot.
Also noted:
Addison 32, Napoleon 30 – The Cascades Conference has taken all kinds of turns early; Napoleon (2-2) looked like the new favorite for a bit, but Addison (4-0) has stepped in tying its win total from 2016 and its most since 2010.
Parma Western 28, Coldwater 21 – The Panthers (3-1) impressively bounced back from a loss to Marshall in Week 3 to hand annual league contender Coldwater (3-1) its first defeat, potentially jumbling up a competitive Interstate Eight Athletic Conference race.
Morenci 26, Clinton 20 – The Bulldogs (2-2) ran their streak against Clinton (2-2) to two straight to pull to .500 after two losses by a combined three points to start the fall.
Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard 28, Detroit Loyola 15 – The Fighting Irish (4-0) have one more win than all of last season with their best start since 2010, and with this one may have eliminated the reigning Division 7 runner-up Bulldogs (0-4) from playoff consideration.
Southwest Corridor
Stevensville Lakeshore 14, St. Joseph 6
The “War by the Shore” went Lakeshore’s way for the fourth straight season as the Lancers put two touchdowns on the board during the first quarter and then clamped down on St. Joseph’s offense. Combined with a Week 3 win over Portage Central, Lakeshore (4-0) looks to have a good handle on the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference West race – it’s looking to secure its first league title since 2014, with Portage Northern (1-3) and Niles (2-2) left to play. Click for more from the St. Joseph Herald-Palladium.
Also noted:
Benton Harbor 29, Berrien Springs 7 – Don’t give up on Benton Harbor (1-3); after opening with three losses, the Tigers began their must-win stretch by handing Berrien Springs (3-1) its first defeat.
Edwardsburg 28, Dowagiac 20 – The Chieftains (2-2) gave Edwardsburg (4-0) easily its toughest game so far this season as the Eddies added a 32nd straight Wolverine Conference win (since Dowagiac handed them their last league loss in 2012.)
Schoolcraft 24, Saugatuck 21 – Life after graduated star Blake Dunn has seen Saugatuck (2-2) lose its first and second regular-season games since 2014 but now look pretty good as a favorite heading into the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore schedule; Schoolcraft (3-1) is looking at a tougher path to three-peat in the Valley.
Portage Central 49, Traverse City Central 34 – After both lost to their league rivals in Week 3, Portage Central (3-1) enjoyed the most bounce-back although the Trojans (2-2) should benefit from playing such a strong nonleague foe.
Upper Peninsula
Gladstone 20, Ishpeming Westwood 12
The Braves are piling up memorable wins, and moving to 4-0 gave them their most victories in a season since also winning four in 2010. The switch from the Great Northern Conference to the Mid-Peninsula Conference certainly has made a difference for the small Class B school, but Gladstone also has dominated against a tough opening group – Westwood (3-1) also has been building what could be its best season this decade. Click for more from the Escanaba Daily Press.
Also noted:
Escanaba 45, Marquette 28 – The Eskymos (3-1) made it two straight over rival Marquette (1-3) and five wins in the last seven meetings of the biggest schools in the Upper Peninsula.
L'Anse 20, Hancock 18 – The Purple Hornets (3-1) bounced back from a Week 3 loss to Westwood to surpass last season’s win total and hand the Bulldogs (3-1) their first defeat.
Newberry 24, Munising 22 – The Mid-Eastern Conference is down to five teams, but five that could make the playoffs; Newberry (3-1) is the early leader, but Munising (2-2) could find its way into a shared league title.
Norway 21, Gwinn 6 – The Knights (4-0) also play in the Mid-Eastern Conference and have loaded up on impressive nonleague wins heading into their four conference games starting this week; Gwinn (2-2) has its work cut out as it looks to make the playoffs for a second straight season.
West Michigan
Whitehall 28, Muskegon Oakridge 14
Oakridge (3-1) has had quite a hold on the West Michigan Conference with three perfect runs through the league over the last five seasons and 37 wins over its last 39 league games. Whitehall (3-1) has made the playoffs three straight seasons but been just outside the league title mix thanks in large part to 17 straight losses to the Eagles. The Vikings can’t celebrate yet – but a win over similarly-powerful Montague this week would solidify their league title campaign. Click for more from the Local Sports Journal.
Also noted:
Comstock Park 49, Allendale 40 – The Panthers, 2-7 a year ago but 4-0 now, need only 43 more points to equal last season’s output and look like a contender in an Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue that has a number of annual playoff teams, with Allendale (1-3) now facing a must-win road to make it two straight appearances.
Coopersville 28, Sparta 21 – The Broncos (3-1) might hope to enter the O-K Blue mix already with two more wins than all of last year after handing Sparta (3-1) its first.
Muskegon 63, Byron Center 14 – The Big Reds (4-0) made it three wins over two seasons against Byron Center (3-1), a strong program in its own right with a combined 13-3 record since the start of 2016.
Grand Rapids Christian 33, Grand Rapids South Christian 12 – The Eagles (4-0) made it eight straight over what used to be an opening night nonleague rival before South Christian (3-1) joined the O-K Gold last season.
8-Player
Rapid River 26, Ontonagon 22
The way things are shaking out, this should eventually help decide the Western Eight Conference title. Rapid River (4-0) has a win over Crystal Falls Forest Park, and Ontonagon (3-1) has downed Powers North Central; Stephenson also is 4-0 and will see Rapid River in Week 7. By then the league should be more sorted out, and it seems likely the Rockets will be in the mix to lead it. Click for more from the Houghton Daily Mining Gazette.
Also noted:
Bay City All Saints 69, New Haven Merritt 26 – The move to 8-player this fall is suiting All Saints (3-1) as it equaled last season’s win total by downing a 2016 playoff team in Merritt (2-2).
Deckerville 20, Kingston 14 – The Eagles (4-0) haven’t had many close games over the last two seasons, but leave it to the rival Cardinals (2-2) to provide easily the toughest challenge this fall.
Onekama 36, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian 8 – The Portagers (4-0) also have adjusted seamlessly to a new format, with this win over the 2016 semifinalist Defenders (2-2) the latest of a dominating start.
Bellevue 28, Portland St. Patrick 6 – The Broncos (4-0) are yet another first-year 8-player team finding the going smooth as they handed St. Patrick (3-1) its first regular-season loss since 2015.
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PHOTO: Lansing Sexton and Grand Ledge linemen lock up during Friday's Comets victory. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Pennfield Football 'Family' Ready for Kickoff with New Coach, New Home
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
August 22, 2023
BATTLE CREEK – New coach, new stadium, new attitude.
The Pennfield football players cannot wait to start restoring Panther Pride.
After suffering through an 0-9 season last year, “All the varsity players who have been here through the bad were skeptical – including myself – of new coaches, new everything, basically,” senior outside linebacker/wide receiver Thomas Kurtz said.
“But once we got familiar with the coaches and got to know them more, it felt like they were always here. It felt like their impact was so profound that it felt right. Me, personally, I’m loving every second of it.”
Architect of the new-look Panthers is head coach Robbie Hattan, who is also loving every second of his new position.
If enthusiasm can inspire players, Hattan’s the guy.
He led Colon to the MHSAA 8-player Division 1 title in 2019 and was named Coach of the Year for the division by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association. Over his seven years at Colon, Hattan’s Magi also were 2021 Division 2 runners-up and made Regional Finals or Semifinals three more seasons.
He hopes that success translates to Pennfield, which has hovered around .500 most of the last decade after several previous impressive finishes.
A key, Hattan said, is leading with love.
“I’ve always led with love,” he said. “It’s gotten hard to get these kids used to another man telling them, ‘Hey, I love you.’
“We define family in our program as ‘Forget about me, I love you.’ Love is sacrifice. If we can get our kids to be able to sacrifice themselves for the team, for the family, we’ll be very successful.”
Players were a bit skeptical at first, said Hattan, who started work as the district’s facilities and maintenance director Jan. 27.
“I went the first two weeks before (players) would talk to me,” he said. “They kind of gave me the cold shoulder. Then they got to know me a little bit.”
Kurtz said he was “a little scared because this is the new head coach. The more I got to know him, the more approachable he seemed and the more friendly he seemed.”
Interactions with players were important to Hattan when choosing his assistants.
“I need to know, do you love kids, do you love athletes and building a positive culture,” he said. “You can be the best Xs and Os guys, but if you’re not great for kids, I don’t want you.”
Two assistants are Pennfield legends Chris Lok and Jason Livengood, both members of the last Panthers football team to win a state championship. That was in 1991.
“Pennfield has a rich tradition of being successful,” Hattan said. “From 1973 to 2013, they didn’t have losing seasons.
“The history is here; the fans want to support. It’s getting the kids to feel like somebody loves them.”
Talking about Lok and Livengood, “They bleed Pennfield,” said Hattan, who also kept Matt Merlington and Chris Minor from last year’s staff.
The coach has one other legend connection on the team.
Senior Daniel Wells is the grandson of “legendary Pennfield coach Dave Hudson, who coached all those winning seasons,” Hattan said.
Wells said his grandfather is “excited to see that someone with a lot of knowledge is coming in and really trying to educate us on the game of football like if we haven’t seen it before.”
Hattan named Jason Porter, who coached at Kalamazoo College and Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, as his defensive coordinator. Hattan also brought two assistants with him from Colon: Joe Sweeter and Zach Doerr.
“Any school I’ve been at, I’ve asked (Sweeter) to come with me,” Hattan said. “He was with me at Litchfield, he was with me when I coached semi-pro football (Battle Creek Coyotes), he helped me at Gull Lake for a year, he was with me at Colon.”
Doerr lives in Battle Creek, and when the commute to Colon became a bit much, he stepped away. Now he is back with a much shorter drive.
Talking about that makes Hattan laugh since he currently lives in Colon and makes the drive to Battle Creek each day.
“My kids still go to school (at Colon) while we look for houses in Battle Creek,” Hattan said.
“We want to be in this community, because for me building a family and a culture that kids want to be a part of requires around-the-clock availability as a football coach.”
And experience abounds among the leadership.
“I look at my offensive staff and we have guys who have 25, 30 years coaching experience,” Hattan said. “When you add all of the years our staff has coaching, I don’t think there’s a staff in the state that has as much credentials as this staff has.”
Community & Communication
The first year Hattan was at Colon, the team played 11-player football. The Magi then switched to 8-player for the last six.
Going back to 11-player is much easier, Hattan said.
“The biggest difference is the speed,” he said. “In 8-man, if you are fast, you can be good, where 11-man, there are more guys. Yes, it’s good to be fast, but you also have to have some size to make some holes.
“Eight-man’s tough because you’re always like, ‘I wish I had one more player. If I have one more player, I could fill that hole better or I could do this.’”
One highlight this season is a brand-new football stadium and Hattan said he was amazed watching every step of the artificial turf installation.
“It was an incredible process,” he said. “Once the different shades of green were rolled out, all the white was cut in. The numbers, the lines, the hash marks, the logo, the letters were cut in and sewn in by this crew.
“There’s also new bleachers, track, lights, concessions. It’s going to be a wonderful complex for our community.”
Hattan added that everything but the field itself was a small part of a $30-million bond passed in 2020. The turf will be paid for through fundraising efforts.
Hattan noted the field also has lines for lacrosse and soccer sewn in, and an eight-lane track will be installed.
“Our band is going to be able to be out here. We’re putting in a video board, so maybe we can do some movie nights out here. There are a lot of different things we can do for our community.”
The football team is also a community, Wells said.
The biggest difference this year is “community and communication,” the senior linebacker/guard said. “A lot more conversation with coaches.
“This year I’ve already talked to Coach more than I talked to my last coach in three years. The communication is on a whole new level.”
As for learning a new system, “It’s pretty tough having to relearn everything including the basics, but it’s not hard as long as you are willing to constantly learn more and better yourself as a team,” Wells added.
Communication and love were on display early.
When an upperclassman wanted to join the team late, Hattan allowed the players to decide.
When some of the players balked, Kurtz spoke up.
“I believe that everybody deserves a chance to do something they love,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to deny somebody the chance of making memories and maybe even creating new bonds with people they never would have imagined they would.”
The player is on the team and fitting in well.
“That really moved me,” Hattan said. “That’s how you build culture. As you get kids to understand that, at the end of the day, if you can say, ‘Forget about me, I love you.’"
Players had their first taste of competition during a non-scored scrimmage at Sturgis.
“I think we competed very well,” Hattan said. “Our kids were flying around the field and very enthusiastic about football. Our defense was a very strong point of our team.
“Kids were rallying to the football and trusting their teammates to do their job. Offensively, we looked like we were new to the system we are just putting in. We had some hiccups but had a lot of positive things.”
Pennfield begins the season Thursday at Lake Odessa Lakewood. Home opener is Sept. 8 against Parma Western.
“We might be tightening down a couple screws (at the new stadium) Sept. 7,” Hattan said. “But we’ll be ready to play.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Jabrael Powell cuts into an opening during Pennfield’s intrasquad scrimmage this month. (Middle) From left: Thomas Kurtz, coach Robbie Hattan and senior Daniel Wells stand together in the team’s new stadium. (Below) Isaiah Adams, carrying the ball, works to get to the edge with a defender in pursuit. (Action photos courtesy of Pennfield Sports Nation; stadium photo by Pam Shebest.)