Logo

Kalamazoo Rivals 'United' for Football

By Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com

August 24, 2015

KALAMAZOO — With a big grin, Isaac DeVries said he was relieved a year ago when he heard his Kalamazoo Christian football team was uniting with Hackett Catholic Prep for the next two seasons.

“My first thought was ‘I don’t have to play special teams’,” the K-Christian senior said, laughing. “There’s more people to play. Getting breaks every once in a while is always good.”

K-Christian junior Alex Visser echoed DeVries sentiments. 

“(Two years ago) we only had 13 players on the team, and that was tough,” DeVries said. “We had to play both ways the entire game. The idea of having more players on our team sounded real nice.

“It was different at first because you didn’t really know the (Hackett) kids, but once we got into the season, it was good.”

One year later, the feeling among the players is more than relief.

Despite graduating 22 players and returning only six letterwinners from 2014, the Hackett/Christian co-operative program – which goes by Kalamazoo United – has 22 players on the varsity and 26 on the junior varsity.

It’s coming off a 6-4 finish and appearance in the Division 4 playoffs. Prior to last season, K-Christian last made the playoffs in 2011, while Hackett last qualified in 2006.

The team’s helmets are black with a “U” on the sides – one half of the U green for Hackett, the other purple for Kalamazoo Christian. Instead of choosing Fighting Irish or Comets – the mascots for those schools – the team is called the Titans and made up nearly evenly of athletes from both.  

“The best thing is we’re all friends,” Hackett sophomore Keaton Ashby said. “As a team, we’re brothers. This is a family.

“Personally, I love how we all treat each other. We’re not Hackett and Christian; we’re Kalamazoo United.”

Low numbers at both schools led to the football merger, Hackett athletic director Mike Garvey said.

“(K-Christian AD Jerry Weesies) and I were concerned with the health and safety of the kids with so few numbers,” he said. “It’s hard to maintain a football program if you can’t provide a junior varsity program.”

Weesies said 8-player football was discussed and discarded.

While talking about combining the two rivals into one team, much of the concern came from parents.

“We initially knew we were going to get push back,” Weesies said. “We knew from both sides there would be some faith-based religious push backs. Also push back from the rivalry. We anticipated it. It was there initially and died quickly.

“What changed the course so quickly, once we started moving forward in spite of some of the push back, was the kids got along so well and so quickly started doing summer activities together that some of the parents said, ’Oh, look at my son. He’s happy. These are just kids.’”

As the victories started coming, that brotherhood strengthened.

None of last year’s players had previously experienced the playoffs. United lost to Eaton Rapids 36-0 in the first round, but that’s only made the players hungrier for success.

“It was great, sitting there at the (MHSAA playoff pairings show) watch party, watching to see who we were going to play,” Hackett senior Jacob Buchman said. “It was one of the best feelings in the world.”

While the players are brothers in football, that doesn’t diminish the rivalry in other sports.

DeVries, who also plays basketball, said it just makes their hoops rivalry more intense.

“Everyone wants to win that one, just to get bragging rights during football season,” he said. “It’s always fun playing Hackett in basketball and (to) see all the guys you know cheering against you.”

Three of the football team’s six returnees are team captains.

Patrick Koning was chosen by the coaches.

“He is a leader both in the weight room and in conditioning,” first-year head coach Jesse Brown said. “He’s a charismatic leader.”

The other two were chosen by team vote.

Buchman, a unanimous choice, “is the hardest worker and put in the most work over the summer,” Brown said. “He’s always uplifting, and people listen when he speaks.”

The third captain is Jordan Corstange, who “leads by his performance,” Brown said. “He’s very important with what he does on the field.”

The fourth will be chosen weekly by the coaches based on his performance.

“It could be a different guy every week or it could be the same one for a couple of weeks,” Brown said.

Ashby will lead the team at quarterback.

“He has a big frame and a strong arm,” Brown said. “He’s a very intelligent player, and that made the coaches’ decision unanimous.”

This year’s United team not only has a new coach but also a new affiliation: the Southwestern Athletic Conference. When the Kalamazoo Valley Association disbanded this spring after more than 65 years, United became part of the 20-team SAC and opens the season by hosting Decatur on Thursday.

The team will play in the SAC Division 1 with Coloma, Fennville, Watervliet and former KVA partners Constantine and Delton Kellogg

“The (SAC) merger has changed some things for us,” Brown said. “It’s schools that are comparable to the size of Christian and Hackett. The KVA became unbalanced with the size of schools.

”As the enrollment in Hackett and Christian was going down, others were going up. It’s hard to take a team with 17 to 25 kids going against one with 60.”

Koning said there will be adjustments to playing in a new conference.

“The difference is that with the KVA, it’s been there for a long time, as long as I can remember,” he said. “You knew what was going on with each team.

“Some teams would run the same formation every year. This year, we don’t know much about each team, so it’s just going to be adapting to each team we play.”

While the players might not be familiar with the SAC, Brown and three of his assistants played in the conference. Brown graduated from Martin High School, David Arrasmith and Rob Hardy from Gobles and Vinny Church from Bloomingdale.

“Some of our (13) coaches don’t know which school these (United) kids are from, and that’s a really neat thing,” Brown said. “You just can’t tell. They’re all stand-up young men.”

Summer conditioning and workouts take place at K-Christian, but the team’s home field is Soisson-Rapacz-Clason Field, which was shared by both Hackett and K-Christian football teams in the past.

A few players dropped out of the program when the teams merged.

“I play for the love of the sport,” Koning said. “Some people who didn’t love it left. We just love the sport. It doesn’t matter who you play with or how you get to play, you just play.

“I learned how easy it is to have chemistry with new people. The chemistry with both schools coming together. We really meshed, and this year was easier than last year because we already knew each other.”

“The team’s goal last season was to be successful,” Visser added. “There were a lot of people doubting the whole United thing. We wanted to just go out there and win some games and be successful.”

But this season, expectations are higher: “We want to make the playoffs again,” Visser said.

Ashby said he hopes the co-op team continues past this season.

“I think this is the greatest thing that Hackett and Christian has ever done,” he said. “We put ourselves out there every single day. Honestly, we are improving even more. This is a great opportunity to keep going with another contract.”

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 continues to freelance for MLive.com covering mainly Kalamazoo Wings hockey and can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Kalamazoo United running back Jacob Buchman breaks through tacklers during a game last season. (Middle) Patrick Koning, a captain this fall, works out while spotted by teammate Isaac DeVries. (Below) Coach Jesse Brown is in his first season leading the program. (Top photo by Dan Cooke; others by Pam Shebest.)

Drive for Detroit: Week 2 in Review

September 4, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The east side of the Lower Peninsula enjoyed a rematch of last season’s Division 1 championship game. The west enjoyed a matchup of arguably the two best teams in all the state this fall.

In between, Week 2 of Michigan’s high school football season included at least three headline-grabbing upsets, a memorable last-second score, and the end of a losing streak stretching more than four years.

Muskegon and Clarkston had a lot to celebrate over the long weekend, but so did Saline, Lansing Catholic and Harbor Springs – not to mention rejuvenated Battle Creek Central and Detroit Cass Tech, coming off a play that surely will be remembered in that program’s storied history. 

And let’s give special shoutouts to Dexter – which ended a 42-game losing streak with a 36-22 win over Ypsilanti Community – and Spring Lake, which moved to 2-0 with a win over rival Fruitport after going winless for 2017.

Many more of last week’s storylines are covered below in our Drive for Detroit review, powered by MI Student Aid.

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER: Flint Carman-Ainsworth 21, Midland 7 The reigning champions in the Saginaw Valley League Blue and Red, respectively, are off to opposite starts. Carman-Ainsworth is 2-0 heading into the start of league play this week, while Midland is a deceptive 0-2 after now falling to two 2017 playoff teams. Click for more from the Flint Journal and see below for highlights from State Champs Sports Network.

Also of note: Saginaw Swan Valley 56, Frankenmuth 20 The Vikings (2-0) were runners-up in Division 5 last season and Frankenmuth (1-1) was a semifinalist coming through opposite sides of the bracket. We could see how much changes over two months if they meet again this playoffs.

Remember this one: Richmond 24, Algonac 21 Last year it was Algonac winning this matchup to clinch the Blue Water Area Conference title in Week 8. This time the Blue Devils (1-1) have an edge on the Muskrats (0-2) but with the rest of the league schedule left to play.  

More shoutouts: Marlette 20, Harbor Beach 14 (OT) The Raiders (1-1) broke a seven-game losing streak against the Pirates (1-1), last season’s Greater Thumb Conference East champ. Swartz Creek 16, Flushing 13 The Dragons are 2-0 for the first time since 2012 after winning three games total last season and losing to Flushing (1-1; 9-3 in 2017) last year 53-12.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER: Clarkston 28, West Bloomfield 25 This rematch of last season’s Division 1 championship game saw many more than five points score (Clarkston won that Finals meeting 3-2). The Wolves (2-0) held off West Bloomfield (1-1) multiple times at the end to secure its second-straight three-point win to open the season and an important first step in the Oakland Activities Association Red race – West Bloomfield won the league meeting a year ago. Click for more from MLive-Detroit.

Also of note: Detroit Cass Tech 21, Lakewood St. Edward (Ohio) 20 The Technicians (2-0) got past Ohio power St. Edward scoring all 21 of their points over the final five minutes and the winning touchdown on a 60-yard toss into the end zone on the game’s final play.

Remember this one: Oak Park 13, Birmingham Groves 7 These two and Farmington Hills Harrison shared the Oakland Activities Association White title last season. Oak Park (2-0) faces Harrison this week and Groves (0-2) is hoping to get into the mix after opening with close losses to the Knights and West Bloomfield.

Other shoutouts: Sterling Heights Parkway Christian 20, Waterford Our Lady 13 Parkway is now 2-0 by avenging two big 2017 losses, this one after falling to Our Lady (1-1) by 29 last season. Birmingham Brother Rice 13, Mishawaka Penn (Ind.) 7 The Warriors (2-0) appear back after a big Week 1 win over U-D Jesuit and this avenging of last year’s 38-0 loss to Indiana power Penn.

Mid-Michigan 

HEADLINER: Lansing Catholic 15, Grand Rapids West Catholic 14 This might have made the loudest boom of the weekend statewide as the Cougars (2-0) edged the reigning five-time Division 5 champion. Quarterback Josh Kramer ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns and also for the winning two-point conversion. West Catholic fell to 0-2 after also losing Week 1 to reigning Division 6 champion Jackson Lumen Christi. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal and see highlights below from WZZM.

Also of note: Haslett 20, Lansing Sexton 6 The Vikings moved to 2-0 with their second win over a 2017 playoff team – Sexton (0-2) coming off an 8-4 finish – and Haslett has outscored its first two opponents by a combined 48-13.  

Remember this one: Harrison 38, Houghton Lake 34 Half the Jack Pine Conference made the playoffs in 2017, including these third and fourth-place finishers, respectively, and the result this time could come into play if either challenges for the league title. Both are 1-1 overall.

Other shoutouts: Dansville 33, Laingsburg 0 The Aggies (1-1) bounced back from a tough Week 1 loss to Leslie to earn a nice win over a Laingsburg program that is 0-2 but won eight games each of the last three seasons. East Lansing 20, Dearborn Divine Child 10 The Trojans are looking especially tough defensively as they too are 2-0 for the first time since 2012 and after losing to Divine Child (0-2) a year ago.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER: Harbor Springs 14, Frankfort 7 Frankfort was 28-7 over the last three seasons, so this is impressive for more than adding to Harbor Springs’ first 2-0 start since 2013. The Rams also are working to bounce back from last season’s 4-5 finish. Frankfort fell to 1-1 after opening with a win over Newberry. Click for more from the Petoskey News-Review.

Also of note: Rogers City 24, Tawas 8 The Hurons (2-0) equaled their win total for all of 2017, holding a Tawas team that scored 48 against Lincoln Alcona in a Week 1 win to only eight points.

Remember this one: Traverse City St. Francis 50, Maple City Glen Lake 12 This is the third straight season St. Francis has beaten Marquette and Glen Lake (0-2) to start, but a combined 92-15 scoring edge easily is the widest over the recent series.

More shoutouts: Kingsley 43, West Branch Ogemaw Heights 0 The Stags have welcomed back coach Tim Wooer with a 2-0 start after winning one game all of last season. Benzie Central 33, Kalkaska 0 The Huskies couldn’t finish 2016 and won one game last fall – but their 2-0 start equals their number of wins from the past four seasons combined.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER: Saline 17, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 7 The Hornets broke the two-time reigning Division 4 champion’s 21-game winning streak, handing GRCC (1-1) its first defeat since Week 8 of 2016. Saline locked down the Cougars’ running game and scored the final 17 points to improve to 1-1 as well. Click for more from the Saline Post.

Also of note: Sand Creek 27, Climax-Scotts 16 The Aggies (1-1) are trying to bounce back from last season’s 4-5 finish, and avenging a 31-point loss to Climax-Scotts (1-1) certainly helps.

Remember this one: Napoleon 35, Addison 20 These were two of three co-champions last season in the Cascades Conference, but now Addison (1-1) must catch up quickly with the third title winner Michigan Center up next and Napoleon (1-1) not seeing Michigan Center until Week 8.

More shoutouts: Milan 26, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 21 These two frequently have decided the Huron League title, and Milan (2-0) surely is hoping that turns out the case again. St. Mary fell to 1-1 having played two 2017 playoff teams to open. Pittsford 10, Petersburg Summerfield 0 The Wildcats (2-0) have yet to give up a point this season and avenged a 12-point loss to the Bulldogs (1-1) from a year ago.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER: Battle Creek Central 34, Richland Gull Lake 33 The Bearcats may be back. Battle Creek Central pulled off a second straight win by seven or fewer points to reach 2-0 for the first time since 2005. Battle Creek Central finished 3-6 both of the last two seasons and last made the playoffs in 2008. Click for more from the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Also of note: Three Oaks River Valley 32, Galesburg-Augusta 24 River Valley had won a combined two games over the last four seasons but is 2-0 for the first time since 2006 and guaranteed to equal its best record since 2002.

Remember this one: Kalamazoo Central 30, Portage Central 14 The Maroon Giants (1-1) this fall are seeking their first playoff berth since 2004 and had lost to annual playoff qualifier Portage Central (1-1) by 22 and 10 the last two seasons.

More shoutouts: Springport 22, Union City 20 The Spartans (2-0) launched their Big 8 Conference schedule by avenging last season’s 26-point loss to the Chargers (1-1). Marshall 28, Battle Creek Harper Creek 27 After falling in overtime in its opener, Marshall (1-1) edged Harper Creek – which has lost its two games by a combined three points. 

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER: Ishpeming Westwood 34, Iron Mountain 7 The Patriots have kept churning after last season’s record nine-win finish, adding this victory for a 2-0 start during which they’ve outscored those opponents by a combined 76-7. Iron Mountain (1-1) opened with a solid win over Negaunee and will work to still figure into the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference “large school” race. Click for more from the Marquette Mining Journal and see below for a highlight from ABC10.

Also of note: Escanaba 15, Petoskey 14 The Eskymos (1-1) took an opening night loss to Alpena and needed every last point against this Big North Conference opponent in a game that could prove important to Escanaba’s eventual playoff hopes.

Remember this one: St. Ignace 38, Newberry 30 The Saints (1-1) played through an uncharacteristic one-win season a year ago and then fell on opening day last month, but avenging a 37-point loss to Newberry (0-2) from last  year is a significant step in a better direction.

More shoutouts: Calumet 30, Negaunee 8 The Copper Kings (2-0) have outscored their first two opponents by a combined 78-14 to set up one of the U.P.’s best matchups this week against Westwood. Ishpeming 38, Lake Linden-Hubbell 12 The Hematites (2-0) have begun a bounce-back from a tough end to last fall with a pair of wins by a combined 90-12 score.

West Michigan

HEADLINER: Muskegon 24, Detroit Martin Luther King 21 This was everything expected and more from a matchup of two of the absolute top teams in the state, regardless of division. The Big Reds (2-0) took their final lead late to cement the victory and add to a 16-game winning streak and 18-game regular-season winning streak. The Crusaders (1-1) haven’t won fewer than 11 games since 2014 and are expected to make a double-digit run again. Click for more from the Muskegon Chronicle.

Also of note: Holland West Ottawa 42, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 41 (2OT) The Panthers moved to 2-0 with a second straight impressive win and after falling by three to the Rangers (1-1) a year ago.

Remember this one: Rockford 36, Lowell 0 The Rams (1-1) had lost all four of their games this decade to the Red Arrows (0-2), but got a dboost that should pay off later as they seek to make the playoffs for the 24th straight season.  

More shoutouts: Grand Haven 13, Traverse City West 10 The Titans (1-1) had won the last two meetings between these teams by 27 and 28 points, and Grand Haven (2-0) won only one game all of last season. Saugatuck 49, Watervliet 42 This was expected to be high-scoring and also delivered thanks in part to Brad Dunn’s 316 yards and five touchdowns rushing for the Indians (2-0), who handed Watervliet (1-1) its first regular-season loss since Week 6 of 2016.

8-Player

HEADLINER: Morrice 34, Deckerville 14 Twice in the last three seasons these two also have met in the playoffs, so this might not be the final chapter of this fall. Both times Morrice (2-0) won the regular-season meetings and Deckerville (1-1) won in the playoffs – including 38-0 in last season’s Regional Final – so the Orioles won’t rest much despite an impressive victory. Click for more from the Owosso Argus-Press.

Also of note: Pickford 52, Engadine 7 The Panthers (2-0) won big in the latest installment of what’s become a nice rivalry with Engadine (1-1), especially since both are now in the Great Lakes Conference East beginning this fall.

Remember this one: Suttons Bay 45, Bellaire 6 Both teams made the playoffs last season, previously playing in different leagues, but the Norsemen have opened with a 107-6 combined score over two games as they look to challenge in the Midwest Central Conference West both now share.  

More shoutouts: Colon 45, Bellevue 20 The Magi (2-0) won just two games all of last season, but got a big one off Bellevue (1-1), which won 10 in 2017. Onekama 53 Central Lake 6 The Portagers (2-0) sent the reigning 8-player Division 1 champion Trojans to 0-2 by avenging last season’s 14-point defeat.

Second Half’s weekly “Drive for Detroit” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid. 

PHOTO: Lake Linden-Hubbell's Kyle Simpson (52) and Cole Gregiore (20) try to stop Ishpeming's Hunter Smith. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)