Gull Lake Players Find Opportunities to Play, New Friendships as Part of 'Parchment Pride'
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
September 22, 2026
PARCHMENT — When he took the field for his senior football season, Lucas Hutchinson did not expect to be wearing maroon and white.
The navy blue and white of Gull Lake High School was more his style.
But before the season started, an unusual series of events found Hutchinson and his 18 Gull Lake teammates without any team at all.
That’s when Parchment athletic director Brennan Davis stepped in, contacting Gull Lake AD Karyn Furlong and offering a solution: a cooperative team.
All of a sudden, those 19 players found a new football home.
“Obviously I’d rather be wearing navy blue and white but I’m happy to play in whatever color I can,” Hutchinson said. “Now that I’m playing for Parchment, I gotta have that Parchment Pride so I wear it with honor, and even though it’s not the color I wanted to wear, I’m excited to wear it.”
Gull Lake canceled its football season Aug. 12 after a preseason camp incident that resulted in school and law enforcement investigations.
Davis said his team’s numbers were down this year and adding the Gull Lake players would be the boost his team needed.
“I had heard about Gull Lake canceling their season due to safety concerns, and the schedule they’re playing is tough – to go into the game with 20 kids against some perennial powers,” Davis said. “So I reached out to Karyn (Furlong) on a Wednesday morning (about combining the teams). I heard back from her a few hours later.”
From there, a co-op team was born with the assurance that none of the players involved in the incident would be on the team.
The two groups held their first combined practice a week before the Aug. 27 season opener with just one snag.
“One issue we had was helmets,” Davis said. “We had a specific number of maroon helmets that would have outfitted our varsity and JV players, but then (Gull Lake) came over, they had white helmets.
"We asked the Gull Lake players to give up their white helmets for maroon helmets and gave the white to the JV players.”
First-day jitters
Several Gull Lake players, including Hutchinson, were a bit nervous that first practice.
“I didn’t know how we were going to work together and get along,” Hutchinson said. “I knew no one, but I do now,” he laughed. “When I first went into the locker room it was with a bunch of random faces I didn’t know. I was definitely eager to know everybody.”
He said he was worried about the way he and his teammates would be treated.
“Past two years, I was starting on varsity both ways, so even though I was getting to play football, I was worried how things were going to change, for not just me but all the guys from Gull Lake being treated equally and getting playing time. It transitioned smoothly, definitely no favoring with the coaches.”
Parchment quarterback Jordan Bagley said before the rosters combined the Panthers were preparing for a tough season with just 20 players.
“We knew we were going to have a lot of two-way players so that means we weren’t going to drag butt at practice,” the junior said. “We had to show up and bring it every day.
“It was definitely going to be a tough season mentally and physically. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body.”
He added that Gull Lake players give the Panthers extra depth.
“It lets everybody come out fresh,” he said. “It reduces the risk of injuries, too. They don’t have to worry about coming out of the game if they’re gassed or need a breather, so it’s a big help.”
A bonus for Parchment was Hutchinson and junior quarterback Zac Pfenning, both past all-Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference first-teamers.
“We have a lot more skill positions so that’s always good for receivers and defensive backs to rotate in,” Bagley said. “They bring some leadership, too. Kessler (Johnson) is a good leader who’s helped X (Xavier Garcia). Depth and more players and a lot of new friendships.
"This has been one of better experiences for football in my career. I’ve actually enjoyed it a lot. It’s been a very positive thing for both sides, I believe. Everybody gets to play some football.”
Todd Nunn, Parchment’s second-year head coach, said he was excited to have his team’s numbers doubled.
“I don’t think we could have asked for a better practice that first day,” he said. “The group seemed to gel well; the Parchment kids were explaining to the Gull Lake kids our offensive plays, helped them understand the defense that was being called. It was like they’d been there the whole time.”
Nunn is no stranger to co-op teams.
He coached at Burr Oak, which combined with Colon for the four years he was there.
“I knew what it felt like being the team coming over to the main school,” he said. “I understood some of the reservations the Gull Lake kids might have coming over here.
“We sat the kids down, explained what was happening and how it would benefit them, not having to play both sides of the ball, getting more time to come to the sidelines to get a break. I think they were very receptive to that.”
Parchment and Gull Lake cheerleaders also have combined for several games.
“The co-op was just for football, but our cheerleaders and Gull Lake’s cheer team and coaches are good friends,” Davis said. “They have practiced together previously over the summer.
“We decided on a specific schedule where their cheerleaders would cheer with ours, four or five games.”
In addition, the football team will play a home game for Senior Night at Gull Lake, against Lawton on Oct. 16. The Blue Devils have 14 seniors and five juniors on the team.
Parchment has six seniors, 11 juniors and three sophomores.
Quick transition, perfect fit
The ease with which the process came together surprised Davis.
“Everything fell into place, which was strange because things usually take forever,” he said.
Over the course of one week:
- Davis and Furlong talked on a Wednesday.
- Parchment already had a staff development day scheduled that day and talked about the cooperative possibility.
- A Southwestern Athletic Conference meeting had been previously postponed from Tuesday to Thursday, and all 18 teams approved the co-op.
- “We did not involve the kids until prior to the (Parchment) board meet on Monday at 5.” Davis said. “I met with four of our team leaders at 4:50, board meeting at 5, meet the team night at 6:30, Gull Lake board meeting at 7, so that whole night was a lot.”
- The MHSAA then approved it.
With the season under way, the Panthers take a 2-2 record into Friday’s game against Kalamazoo United, another co-op team made up of Kalamazoo Christian and Hackett Catholic Prep players.
“(Gull Lake) kids follow our strength and conditioning requirements,” Davis said. “Whenever we have an away game, the kids drive here, ride our buses to our events.
“If there are disciplinary issues, they are a Parchment student-athlete, they function as Parchment students. Luckily nothing (bad) has happened.”
Bagley said the combined team has resulted in friendships that will last beyond this season.
“I got to meet a lot of new people, made a bunch of new friendships, which I’m really thankful for,” he said.
Hutchinson said he and his teammates have adjusted well.
“The first week it was weird seeing everyone wearing a different color (than he wore at Gull Lake), running out to a different field and having it be our home field. But now I’ve embraced it. Now I’m a Parchment Panther … for football,” he added, laughing.
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) At left, Parchment quarterback Jordan Bagley (2) hands off during a game this season, and at right, Lucas Hutchinson (10) carries the ball downfield. (Middle) Clockwise from top left: Parchment athletic director Brennan Davis, varsity football coach Todd Nunn, senior Lucas Hutchinson and junior Jordan Bagley. (Below) Hutchinson wears the maroon and white of the Panthers. (Action photos by Kelci Henton. Headshots by Pam Shebest.)
De La Salle Collegiate Quickly Sets Pace, Aces Ford Field Return
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 26, 2021
DETROIT – Rhett Roeser and his Warren De La Salle Collegiate teammates weren’t fond of the feeling they walked away with a year ago following the MHSAA Division 2 Football Final.
They acted in quick and ruthless fashion Friday to make sure history didn’t repeat itself.
Led by junior quarterback Brady Drogosh’s four touchdowns and 316 total yards, the Pilots cruised to a 41-14 victory against Traverse City Central at Ford Field, claiming the fourth Finals title in school history.
“This is a great feeling,” said Roeser, a sophomore running back. “This is what we’ve been working for and what we’ve been striving for. After we lost last year, we knew we were going to be in the same place and we were going to be on the other side of the ball with this one.”
The Pilots were Division 2 runners-up last season, losing in the Final against Muskegon Mona Shores. They responded with the first unbeaten season in school history, and first title since 2018.
“We had high expectations for this group and the program,” De La Salle coach Dan Rohn said. “We lost last year in the Finals, and it kind of left a little mark on us. We kind of weren’t ready, and that was a great Shores team; they did some great things. Playing Traverse City Central and getting the opportunity to come back here and compete at the highest level, that was important. But our goal was not to get here, it was to win it, and it’s awesome that we played so well and got off to a quick start.”
Rohn became the third football coach in MHSAA history to win a Finals title with two schools, as he led Grand Rapids West Catholic to championships in 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Pete Kutches (Muskegon Reeths-Puffer and Muskegon Catholic Central) and Mike Giannone (Macomb Dakota and De La Salle) are the others.
“To take a little time off and reflect on things, then to get embraced by a community like De La Salle, it means a lot,” Rohn said. “Some people don’t get a chance to come and do this, and I’ve been fortunate to be here seven times and win a number of them. It’s not just about me, it’s about the guys that I surround myself with – the coaches and these players. We have some tremendous kids, tremendous support, and we hope that we can build something really special at De La Salle.”
De La Salle controlled the game from the outset with a suffocating defense and a balanced offense. Traverse City Central was held to 31 total yards in the first half, and gained 100 of its 149 yards for the game on a pair of drives in the fourth quarter after De La Salle had built a 41-0 lead.
“Coming in they averaged 50-some points per game, so we knew we had to get off to a good start and punch them in the mouth from the beginning,” said De La Salle senior linebacker Will Beesley, who led the team with eight tackles. “Our motto this week was bring the wood, be the most physical team on every play, and I feel like we did that today.”
Drogosh had accumulated a solid game’s worth of stats by the time the first half ended. He was 14-of-17 passing for 142 yards and three touchdowns, and he added 128 yards on the ground, including a 45-yard touchdown. He didn’t add to his passing total in the second half, but finished the game with 174 yards on the ground.
“I’ve been saying all year long that Brady Drogosh is probably the best athlete on the football field,” Rohn said. “There’s a number of positions he could play, and I think a lot of teams would probably play this kid on defense, too, because he runs so well. We’ve played some great competition all year long and he hasn’t hesitated, he hasn’t backed off. We got our passing game going, we got our quick game going and I think that just opens up so many more things for us.”
The Pilots (13-0) scored on all five of their possessions in the first half, and dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for 17 minutes, 11 seconds and putting together three drives that lasted more than five minutes apiece.
Roeser opened the scoring with a 1-yard run, closing out a 13-play, 80-yard drive. The Pilots went 62 yards on 12 plays on their second drive, ending with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Drogosh to Triston Nichols. The third touchdown drive was much quicker, as its second play was Drogosh’s 45-yard touchdown run.
Nichols and Drogosh combined again for a 13-yard score during the final 30 seconds of the second quarter, and following an interception by Devin Schmelter, the Pilots struck again when Drogosh hit Alton McCullum for a 24-yard score. The lone blemish for the Pilots in the first half was a 15-yard penalty following that score which pushed back the extra point try, which missed wide left.
“Our receivers, they’ve been starting for two years, so we put the ball in their hands a little bit and let them take advantage, and Brady distributed the ball, we didn’t turn it over and we didn’t have penalties,” Rohn said. “When you do all those things and put it together, you’re going to win some football games. We grinded it out a little bit. We didn’t force and try to get big plays. We stuck with the game plan and took what they gave us early, and kind of put them in a position they haven’t been in.”
DeNiro Johnson added a 1-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter for the Pilots. Jamari Allen set up the score with an interception and return deep into Traverse City Central territory.
Jack Yanachik led De La Salle receivers with seven catches for 64 yards, while Nichols had five catches for 50 yards. James Milkey finished with 1½ sacks for the Pilots.
Josh Burnham put the Trojans (12-2) on the board midway through the fourth quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run. Joshua Klug scored on a 24-yard run with 1:28 to play.
Klug had nine tackles to lead the Trojans, while Burnham had eight. Reed Seabase led the Trojans offense with 56 yards on five carries.
“These guys mean a lot to me, our staff and our program – and the Traverse City community,” Traverse City Central coach Eric Schugars said. “These guys have just buckled in and committed to the process. They’ve played a lot of football. When you think about it, we played in January last year, and you don’t take off. You take a little bit of time for other sports, but these guys have been with us, they’ve committed to the process and done everything possible.
“I couldn’t be prouder. Obviously, we didn’t play our best game tonight. I really believe we have a best game in us still, and we didn’t play it tonight, and that’s a credit to De La Salle.”
PHOTOS (Top) De La Salle’s Brady Drogosh (12) breaks into the open Friday, with Central’s Brayden Halliday (20) in pursuit. (Middle) The Pilots’ Devin Schmelter (18) helps bring down Trojans quarterback Josh Burnham (8). (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)