Highlight Reel: Pewamo-Westphalia/Hudson
November 10, 2014
The Pewamo-Westphalia football team defeated Hudson 34-27 in a Division 7 District Final on Saturday. Click the headings below for MHSAA.tv highlights and the final link to watch the game in full.
Jared Smith Scores Twice In The First - Jared Smith scored two first-quarter touchdowns for Pewamo-Westphalia. Here's the second score on a 9-yard run late in the period.
McDaniel Sets Up Hudson Score - Hudson responded in the third quarter to tighten things up. Shay McDaniel set up the score with this run.
Smith Scores Again - Jared Smith's third TD of the game came at the end of a long third quarter drive for Pewamo-Westpahlia against Hudson. Here Smith scores from nine yards out.
Smith Does It Again - Jared Smith scored his fourth TD of the game for Pewamo-Westphalia on a 64-yard run in the third quarter.
Akers Ties It Up - Hudson tied the score on a 61-yard run by Zach Akers.
Bauer To Fandel For The Game Winner - With just more than four minutes to play, Pewamo-Westphalia strikes big on a 44-yard pass from Trey Bauer to William Fandel.
Watch the entire game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Wrong End of the Microscope
October 14, 2016
Those who love and lead high school football in Michigan may be looking through the wrong end of the microscope.
Attention to large schools, varsity programs and the postseason is a waste of time if we fail to closely examine smaller schools, lower level programs and the start of the season.
Are we adequately nurturing our roots and promoting the future of the game? Do high school coaches spend more time with civic and parent groups describing the benefits and defending the safety record of school-sponsored football than they do airing their grievances against other coaches in the media?
Do we understand how increasing the number and enrollment ranges of 8-player football programs affects our smallest schools, whether they conduct 11- or 8-player programs? Do we see where and how the same proposal can serve one school very well but another school terribly?
Do we understand what's happening in junior high/middle school programs? Do we play enough games to be attractive to kids and their parents, and do the practice policies and playing rules of this level promote an extra degree of participant health and safety?
Do we understand how starting practice so much earlier than academic classes in the fall may turn off kids and parents, especially at lower levels of play; and are we keeping up with rapidly changing calendar changes of member schools?
Ultimately, the future health of varsity high school football programs depends on the outcome of these kinds of questions, answers and efforts ... and has little to do with the size and system of the postseason playoffs. And positive efforts will be negatively affected by coaches airing dirty laundry in public.