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Highlight Reel: Division 3 Semifinals

November 26, 2014

The Muskegon football team defeated Zeeland West 20-0 in a Division 3 Semifinal on Saturday, while Orchard Lake St. Mary's downed New Boston 51-3. Click the headings below for highlights: 

DUX GET TRICKY - On its first possession, Zeeland West successfully executed a fake punt on fourth down, with Darius Perisee taking a Casey Brinks pass for a first down. 

EVANS JET SWEEP - Muskegon's first touchdown against Zeeland West was set up on this nice jet sweep by Alquan Evans. 

HURONS' HARTWICK STARTS OUT BIG - On the game's very first play, New Boston Huron QB Matthew Hartwick breaks off a 56-yard run to set up a field goal. 

MYRICK SCORES - On the final play of the third quarter, Justin Myrick scores for Orchard Lake St. Mary's form 19 yards out. Myrick and two other juniors - Brandon Adams and Pierce Bauer - combined for 226 yards and four scores.

Click to watch the Muskegon/Zeeland West game in its entirety and buy DVDs by clicking here by Clicking Here and the New Boston Huron/Orchard Lake St. Mary's by Clicking Here.

Ready for Some Football

August 12, 2014

How seriously should we take public criticism of tackle football when that public promotes boxing or cage fighting? Or how seriously should we take public criticism of football played with helmets when that public allows motorcyclists to ride without any helmets at all?

This fickle if not hypocritical focus on football deserves to be exposed. 

However, and more importantly, this does not reduce our obligation to rise above the obvious questions of fair and balanced criticism and keep pressing for a safer environment for schools’ most popular participation sport.

In Michigan this has led to new limitations on head-to-head contact in football practices that began for more than 600 high schools this week. Specifically, no team or individual may participate in more than one collision practice per day before the first game, and no more than two collision practices per week after the first game.

The new policies promote instruction in proper blocking and tackling technique. It is full speed head-to-head contact that is further reduced, not full speed shoulder contact with sleds, shields and dummies nor slow speed contact between players.

Last month, and perhaps two years too late to be helpful, the National Federation of State High School Associations hosted a high-profile, high-powered summit to discuss practice policies of the kind that we developed, debated and adopted during the past school year to be ready for this 2014 season.