Football Title Reflects Kingsley's Current Success, Recalls Loved Ones Passed
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
December 1, 2023
Kingsley football fans have become pretty familiar with VIP parking for home games over the last couple of seasons.
They may just start looking for a Kingsley VIP lot at Ford Field. The Stags just captured the MHSAA Division 6 championship trophy with a 38-24 victory over Almont, their second Finals championship and first since 2005.
The road to the Finals started with Kingsley hosting two playoff games, allowing great use of the VIP Parking of Trina’s Touchdown Club. The lot is adjacent to the school’s Rodes Field and provided in loving memory of Katrina “Trina” Kay Schueller, who passed away Oct. 21, 2021, at Munson Medical Center.
Those playoff games filling Trina’s Touchdown Club’s parking lot featured wins over Mason County Central 61-12 and Manistee 37-18, and 51-27 over Gladstone in the Regional Final. Kingsley then traveled down the road and defeated Reed City 37-7 in the Semifinal.
There may not have been designated VIP parking in Cadillac and Ford Field for the Stags’ followers, but there were a lot of VIPs at both stadiums with Schueller on their minds. Pretty much everyone with an affiliation with the highly-successful program or familiarity with the community’s struggles have become VIPs to the Kingsley coaching staff and many others.
Most certainly among the VIPs are head coach Tim Wooer, assistant coach Conner Schueller, his brother Carter Schueller, and his father Mike Schueller.
Conner was set to play the biggest regular-season game of his career the day after his mom passed. It was the regular-season finale against rival Traverse City St. Francis.
Wooer vividly remembers the moments leading up to that matchup, noting how difficult it was for Conner. But his then-fullback and now-assistant coach demonstrated amazing strength and maturity he stills exhibits today.
“He’s in his senior football season, and his mom is in the hospital for four weeks — he’s balancing that playing football and going to school,” Wooer recalled. “And then she passes, and he has the strength to come back to school and deliver the news to our team.
“I am sobbing watching this kid, and I’m just amazed,” Wooer continued. “The next night is Parents Night, and he’s on the field with his dad and brother without his mom.”
Conner still played, making a 4th-down goal line tackle to prevent a St. Francis touchdown. The Gladiators won the game, but Conner won the day, conquering much just to dress for the game.
The Stags went on to playoff wins over Kingsford 28-10 and Clare 32-6. They bowed out with a 33-18 Regional loss to Frankenmuth.
Conner’s junior year of 2020 had been cut short as the Kingsley was forced to forfeit its District Final to Reed City because several players and coaching staff tested positive for COVID-19. The Stags had Ford Field in their minds that season too after playoff wins over 38-13 Standish-Sterling 38-13 and Gladwin 63-16.
Conner, who celebrated his 20th birthday at Saturday’s Final, remembers his playing days and the challenges presented him.
“At the time it was ‘she’s not there,’ especially my senior year she wasn’t there to watch me and finish it out, but I know she’s watching above,” he said. “We were about to go play Reed City my junior year for Regionals, and everyone got sick and it ended our season unfortunately.”
Those challenges were on his mind at Ford Field, and running through his mind when he saw his brother and father in the stands. Carter, now a senior at Kingsley, had been unable to play football due to injuries.
“I thought about my brother – he unfortunately didn’t play this year due to his injuries, and I don’t really blame him for that,” Conner said. “I thought about him as well because it was just me and my dad and my brother now.
“It was very emotional,” Conner continued. “I got a glimpse of him in the strands.”
Carter also was filled with gratitude for the coaching staff for welcoming and mentoring him. He had become keenly aware of the amount of time coaches spend away from family at practices and going through film.
In addition to his family, Conner was thinking about many others in the Kingsley community – and other senior classes like his that didn’t get the chance to celebrate a championship.
He also was thinking about Justin Hansen, a 2003 graduate of Kingsley. Hansen was a captain on the 2002 conference championship team. He went on to become a special-operations Marine sergeant and was killed in action July 24, 2012, while deployed in Afghanistan. Hansen was on patrol as part of an operation in search of a high-value target when his team was hit with small arms fire.
On Saturday, Wooer was wearing a red T-shirt with the letters “USA” on the front and the name “Hansen” on the back. It also featured the number 54, Hansen’s in high school.
Wooer, who turned 54 in July, wore the shirt in Hansen’s memory knowing Hansen would be on the veteran coach’s mind and symbolizing Hansen’s presence with the team at Ford Field.
Wooer wants to make sure Hanson is never forgotten and reminds the soldier’s family the entire community remains behind them.
“I believe it is part of our job as a community to show our love to this family and help in any way possible to help them get through this process,” Wooers said. “After the funeral, we all went about life.
“We certainly still think about Justin and feel the pain,” he continued. “But nothing like a family does.”
Hansen’s tragic passing led to the creation of the annual Patriot Game in Traverse City in 2012 while Wooer was coaching Traverse City West. The game features crosstown rivals West and Traverse City Central every year and strives to honor veterans, first responders, active duty military, and area heroes who died while serving their country.
Saturday’s win over Almont left Wooer emotionally exhausted after all the preparations to do it right for the senior class, the school, the Kingsley community, the Schueller family and Hansen. Collectively, they’ve really become more like a family to the Stags coaching staff and many, many others.
“In terms of emotions, there is no doubt Justin was on my mind throughout the game,” Wooer said. “Trina and Conner have been – those are two huge pieces.
“And, a lot of my thoughts are with the seniors,” he continued. “You want to win the game, but also it is your last time with them.”
Wooer has learned a lot from his former players and coaches over the years. He’s become close friends with many of them, going back to his early days of coaching as a student-teacher at Elk Rapids. He also coached at Farewell and Traverse City West, the latter from 2008-2017 after a first tenure at Kingsley. He returned to Kingsley in 2018.
Schueller is among several former players and coaches who have been on Wooer’s coaching staffs over the years. Several continue today.
“I could give you lots of other stories about kids I have had,” Wooer said. “There comes this transition where they turn into such amazing men, you catch yourself every once in a while saying, ‘I want to be like him.’
“You get this huge smile on your face because you’re so proud of them, just like a mother or father would,” Wooer continued. “A coach always looks at his players like they’re part of his family.”
In addition to Conner, current assistants with long-term relationships with Wooer are Tom Kaleita, Kyle Smith, Ryan Zenner, Dan Goethals, Josh Merchant, Jordan Bradford, Steve Klinge, Connor Schueller, Mike Arlt, Larry Mikowski, Bobby Howell, Rob Whims and Jason Morrow.
This year’s seniors were Jon Pearson, Eli Graves, Skylar Workman, Gavyn Merchant, Max Goethals, Evan Trafford, Bode Bielas, Grant Kolbusz, James Person, Caleb Bott, Trenton Peacock, Noah Scribner and Gavin Dear. They and the coaching staff will be the center of attention as the community celebrates the football team at 7 p.m. this evening in the high school gymnasium.
The seniors probably won’t need VIP parking tonight. But if it would help, Conner would surely make arrangements to utilize Trina’s Touchdown Club. He’d have to add a shuttle though as Rodes Field is about a mile away from the school.
“It feels amazing — I don’t think it really hit any one yet, but I am sure it will,” Conner said. “After we won, it is truly something – it is something else I can’t explain.
“The seniors finally won it the way they were supposed to,” he continued. “It was a good class of seniors.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Kingsley students support their classmates during Saturday’s Division 6 Final at Ford Field. (2) Stags assistant coach Conner Schueller watches from the sideline during an Almont run back. (3) Kingsley coach Tim Wooer, in red, prepares to present the championship trophy to his team including Schueller, far right. (4) Trina’s Touchdown Club welcomes members to the VIP lot adjacent to the Kingsley stadium. (Ford Field photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos; touchdown club photo courtesy of the Kingsley football program.)
1st & Goal: 2025 Playoffs Week 1 Review
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 4, 2025
The phrase is “survive and advance” for a reason.
For high school football teams this time of year, the next game always is earned. And that was especially evident as the 51st MHSAA Playoffs began over the weekend.
A total of 32 games – out of 143 total – were decided by seven points of fewer. Nine of those matchups were decided by a single point.
We glance at several of those below as we move on this week to District Finals in 11-player and 8-player Regional championship games.
11-Player Division 1
HEADLINER Brownstown Woodhaven 30, Belleville 29 Marquez McAdoo ran for two touchdowns and Woodhaven (8-2) blocked a late extra-point try to secure the program’s first playoff win since 2021 – and after missing the postseason the last two years. The Tigers’ run ended at 7-3.
🚨 UPSET ALERT! 🚨 Woodhaven stuns Belleville in the Division 1 @MHSAA District Semifinal, 30-29!
Senior Andrew Pridemore came up clutch, blocking the potential game-tying extra point late in the 4th quarter to seal the win. The victory marks Woodhaven’s first playoff win since… pic.twitter.com/pWsyGaxA4v— STATE CHAMPS! Michigan (@statechampsmich) November 1, 2025
District Digest East Kentwood 49, Grand Ledge 15 The Falcons (8-2) earned their first playoff win since 2019, slowing down a Comets attack that had scored 30 or more points seven times in finishing 7-3. Clarkston 52, Davison 14 The Wolves (9-1) opened the playoffs with arguably their most impressive win of a season with several, as Davison (8-2) was averaging nearly 44 points per game the night. Macomb Dakota 6, Utica 3 The Cougars (7-3) bounced back from a 26-17 loss to Utica (7-3) from Week 8.
11-Player Division 2
HEADLINER Traverse City Central 15, Traverse City West 13 Just a week after West won their Patriot Game rivalry game 21-20, these two returned to the same field but with Central (6-4) advancing with its first win over the Titans (5-5) since 2022 – and first playoff victory over any opponent since 2021. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
District Digest Grosse Pointe South 28, Roseville 27 These Macomb Area Conference White rivals met for a second time after South (9-1) won the first 47-25 in Week 5 – and after the Blue Devils also defeated Roseville (4-6) by just a point to open the 2024 playoffs. East Lansing 26, White Lake Lakeland 20 The Trojans (5-5) made the playoffs in part because of an incredible strength of schedule, and they showed they belong in extending their winning streak to four while ending the Eagles’ season at 7-3. Warren Cousino 28, Birmingham Seaholm 7 The Patriots (7-3) – after missing the postseason a year ago – claimed their first playoff win since 2007, ending the Maples’ run at 5-5.
11-Player Division 3
HEADLINER Zeeland West 30, Niles 21 The reigning champion Dux (7-3) sent a wave through the Division 3 bracket, handing Niles (9-1) its only loss of the season as the Vikings also aspired to get back to Ford Field after finishing Division 4 runners-up a year ago. West’s 30 points were the most Niles gave up in a game all fall. Click for more from the South Bend Tribune.
District Digest Middleville Thornapple Kellogg 28, Hastings 20 The Trojans (7-3) earned their first playoff win since 2020 and continued to impress after winning a combined eight games over the last four seasons – and opening this one with a 31-29 loss to Hastings (7-3). Warren De La Salle Collegiate 56, Warren Fitzgerald 34 De La Salle (4-6) was another qualifier that played a powerful schedule this fall, and the Pilots added to it with this win over the MAC Gold champion Spartans (8-2). Gaylord 38, Marquette 34 The Blue Devils’ 10-0 season has included now seven wins by seven points or fewer, and they kept it alive with the go-ahead score during the final minute to get past the Sentinels (6-4).
11-Player Division 4
HEADLINER Big Rapids 32, Ludington 31 Big Rapids opened the playoffs with a win over Ludington for the second-straight postseason, but this time handed the Orioles (9-1) their lone defeat as well – also with a go-ahead touchdown coming during the final minute. The Cardinals (9-1) additionally reached nine wins for the third straight season. Click for more from the Big Rapids Pioneer.
District Digest Portland 42, Grand Rapids South Christian 41 (OT) The Raiders (10-0) hadn’t had a game closer than 24 points all season, but emerged from this first matchup with South Christian since falling to the Sailors (4-6) in a 2023 Semifinal. Madison Heights Lamphere 7, Redford Union 6 Another one-pointer saw Lamphere (7-3) earn its first playoff win since 2022 and set up a rematch with Dearborn Divine Child, which eliminated the Rams a year ago. Impressive sidenote: After allowing 40 in its opener this fall, Union (7-3) gave up only 41 total over its final nine games. Three Rivers 21, Paw Paw 14 Just two weeks prior, Paw Paw (6-4) had defeated Three Rivers (6-4) in league play 43-0. The Wildcats are in the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
11-Player Division 5
HEADLINER Ogemaw Heights 29, Negaunee 28 (OT) The Falcons (9-1) advanced to a District Final for the third-straight season, advancing from their toughest challenge since a Week 2 loss to Traverse City St. Francis. The Miners ended their run at 6-4. Click for more from the Bay City Times.
District Digest Berrien Springs 34, Dowagiac 20 These Lakeland Conference rivals met for a second time for the second season in a row, and this time after sharing the league title. Berrien Springs (7-2) had won the first matchup as well. Dowagiac finished 5-4. Detroit Denby 18, Detroit Southeastern 16 Denby (8-2) ran its winning streak to eight with its first playoff victory since 2020, ending Southeastern’s season at 6-4. Richmond 14, Armada 10 These Blue Water Area Conference rivals met for the second time this season and it was nearly as close as the first, as Richmond (9-1) held on after also claiming the Week 4 matchup 24-17 – and after Armada (6-4) won regular-season and playoff games over the Blue Devils a year ago.
11-Player Division 6
HEADINER Kent City 28, Olivet 22 Kent City added its first playoff victory since 2019 to its first 10-0 start since 2017 as it went on the road to defeat the Eagles (8-2). Olivet’s only losses this season came to teams still undefeated. Click for more from Local Sports Journal.
District Digest Traverse City St. Francis 55, Boyne City 35 The Gladiators (7-2) added a second win this season over Boyne City (6-4) after winning the first 20-13, and with this one earned another rematch this week, against rival Kingsley. Durand 32, Flint Hamady 22 The Railroaders (8-2) will play in a District Final for the first time since 2009, and after missing the playoffs the last two years. Hamady finished 6-4. Napoleon 26, Buchanan 20 The Pirates (7-3) advanced with this win over Lakeland Conference co-champion Buchanan (6-4).
11-Player Division 7
HEADLINER Ithaca 24, Saginaw Valley Lutheran 12 A signature win during Saginaw Valley Lutheran’s historic fall was a 23-22 Week 6 victory over the Yellowjackets as the Chargers (9-1) went on to complete a perfect regular season. But Ithaca (7-3) got its revenge to open its 17th-straight playoff run. Click for more from the Saginaw News.
District Digest McBain 28, Charlevoix 27 The Ramblers (8-2) stopped a 2-point conversion attempt for the win after Charlevoix (8-2) scored with less than a minute to play. Clinton 36, Ottawa Lake Whiteford 20 Clinton (8-2) has lost only once more since falling opening night to Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, and earned a rematch this week with the Falcons by defeating Whiteford (8-2) in a playoff opener for the second-straight season. Shelby 20, LeRoy Pine River 2 Shelby qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2013 (not counting COVID-shortened 2020, when nearly all teams made the field), and followed that by winning a playoff game for the first time since reaching the Division 6 Semifinals 12 years ago.
11-Player Division 8
HEADLINER White Pigeon 22, Decatur 20 (OT) White Pigeon’s Week 8 loss to Decatur was its first to the Raiders since 2022, but the Chiefs (8-2) held on in overtime to avenge and earn a District title opportunity against undefeated Hudson this week. Decatur finished 7-3. Click for more from the Sturgis Journal.
District Digest Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central 34, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 28 These rivals met a second time in the playoffs for the second-straight season, but this time Nouvel (8-2) finished the sweep after MLS (6-4) won by a point in their 2024 playoff matchup. Riverview Gabriel Richard 34, Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech 6 Gabriel Richard started this season 1-3 after finishing Division 8 runner-up a year ago, but that early tough competition may have paid off again as the Pioneers (5-5) handed ABT (9-1) the lone defeat of its winningest season all-time. New Lothrop 19, Fowler 14 After a rare playoff miss a year ago, the Hornets (7-3) got off to the right start by getting past an Eagles team (6-4) that made last season’s Semifinals.
8-Player Division 1
HEADLINER Pickford 30, Indian River Inland Lakes 26 Reigning Division 1 runner-up Pickford (8-1) opened these playoffs on the road, but came home with one of the weekend’s most notable wins after handing Inland Lakes (9-1) its only loss this fall. The pair had split Semifinals matchups the last two seasons. Click for more from the Cheboygan Daily Tribune.
Regional Roundup Climax-Scotts 72, Gobles 62 These two produced not only for one of the highest-scoring games this season, but their combined 134 points will rank high on the all-time MHSAA 8-player list. Gobles (7-3) had won their opening-night meeting 54-32, but Climax-Scotts (8-2) has lost only once more. Capac 40, Brown City 38 Capac (8-2) kicked off its first playoffs since 2011 by avenging a 61-22 Week 3 loss to the Green Devils (7-3). Kingston 22, Bay City All Saints 14 Kingston (9-1) navigated its closest win this season to earn a rematch with Capac. All Saints finished 7-3, its defeats by a combined 15 points to teams that are a combined 28-2.
8-Player Division 2
HEADLINER Deckerville 27, Morrice 26 This looked incredible on paper, but might have been even better than advertised as Deckerville emerged from a matchup of teams that both reached championship games a year ago. The reigning Division 1 champion Eagles (9-1) opened a 20-point lead by halftime but had to hold off the Orioles (8-2), last year’s Division 2 runner-up. Click for more from the Huron Daily Tribune.
Regional Roundup Gaylord St. Mary 84, Mio 48 This will also make the all-time single-game scoring list, St. Mary’s 84 points its most since the 2020 playoffs as the Snowbirds moved to 8-2. Mio finished 8-2 as well, its best record since 2019. Lake Linden-Hubbell 50, Powers North Central 28 The Lakes (8-2) made this nearly a repeat of their 52-34 win over the Jets (7-3) in Week 6. North Central’s only other loss this fall came to undefeated Norway. Felch North Dickinson 40, St. Ignace 22 The Nordics (10-0) opened their first playoffs since 2016 by adding to their perfect run, downing the Saints (6-4) to earn a rematch with opening-night opponent Lake Linden-Hubbell – which gave North Dickinson its only single-digit game this fall.
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PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon's Lamar Bradford celebrates his touchdown run during the Big Reds' 39-34 win over Mona Shores on Friday. (Middle) East Grand Rapids' Tyler Blake (1) reaches the end zone as a Cedar Springs defender pursues during the Pioneers' 23-21 victory. (Below) An Owosso defender wraps up DeWitt's Trav Moore (2) during the Panthers' 70-13 win. (Muskegon/Mona Shores photo by Tim Reilly. EGR/Cedar Springs photo by Michigan Sports Photo. DeWitt/Owosso photo by Terry Lyons.)