Rejuvenated Dryden Football Hungry for More After Undefeated Start, Signature Win
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
October 1, 2026
Santiago Perales and his Dryden football teammates aren’t patting themselves on the back for anything.
The Cardinals are 5-0 and just knocked off the Thumb’s 8-player giant, Deckerville. It’s the start of a season anyone would be celebrating, but especially a program that just restarted in 2023 after a four-year hiatus.
But looking back on how far they’ve come only makes Perales more resolute in making sure he and his senior classmates don’t lose the edge that helped them get here.
“For me, it kind of still feels the same,” Perales said. “I still feel like we’re the underdogs. The job’s not done. We have to keep working. We have to motivate the younger players to keep working hard. Everyone on the team still has more work to put in. We have to keep our heads down and keep working.”
Perales is one of six Dryden seniors who has been there since Year 1 of the return, enduring the ups and downs of a program starting from scratch.
He, Gianni Coscione, Luke Taylor, Tyler Roberts, Logan Korth and Collin Tyrkus are all in their fourth years with the program and at the heart of the unbeaten start.
“It’s pretty amazing, honestly, watching them grow from freshmen,” said Dryden coach Hunter Gall, who is also in his fourth year leading the program. “They weren’t that confident in that first year, and even the second year. But I think, honestly, it’s been good for us. They’re still super hungry even though we’re 5-0, because they’re not used to it and they don’t want that feeling to go away. But it’s been interesting to watch these freshmen who barely spoke the first year turn into huge leaders on our team. Now we’re watching them teach the underclassmen everything they learned.”
Gall, a 2018 graduate of Dryden, was part of the 2017 team, which was the last to complete a season before 2023.
The following year, the Cardinals played through September before low numbers and injuries forced them to forfeit their final three games. In 2019, they never started, and eventually players from Dryden who were interested in playing football could join Imlay City as part of a co-op.
That included at the middle school level, where Perales, Coscione and some others were playing, and succeeding.
While the co-op provided opportunity, Gall and others wanted to bring back the identity and community excitement that came with having a team representing the school.
A petition was circulated and enthusiastically moved through the process to start things back up again for the 2023 season, with Gall in charge along with his classmate and assistant coach Sam Peyerk.
The Cardinals actually won their first game back, defeating Carsonville-Port Sanilac 52-12, but they would finish the season 2-7, dropping seven in a row before defeating Akron-Fairgrove in Week 9.
“The biggest challenge, honestly, was just teaching the game of football to a bunch of kids who had virtually never played,” Gall said. “Just basic football terms. Teaching sophomores, juniors and seniors how to get into a three-point stance is not a typical issue for most football programs. Almost half our starting lineup was freshmen, and everyone else, they were older, but they had the experience of freshmen. The biggest hurdle was just keeping them confident and keeping them from hanging their heads.”
Fortunately for Gall, his players bought in and even had a belief that very bright days could be ahead.
“I really did know that, eventually, after us putting in the hard work, we’d get to this point,” said Coscione, who is now in his fourth year as starting quarterback for the Cardinals. “Our whole team believed it. I’m not gonna lie, it was pretty hard to believe, but we all (toughed) it out together, stayed together as a team and put in the work. You can’t just start up a new program and expect to be undefeated. We all knew we had to go through those ups and downs of it sucking really bad. (Gall and Peyerk), all the coaches definitely motivated us and got us through that.”
Not all players who had to suffer through the building years were able to enjoy the fruits of the program’s labor, however, and they knew it. That, Coscione said, made their hard work even more impressive. That includes Gall’s younger brother Owen and Coscione’s older brother Sonny, who both graduated in 2025 and were part of the 2023 and 2024 teams.
“(Sonny) is so proud of not just me, but everyone,” Gianni Coscione said. “Even though he’s not out there playing with us, he knows that us being out there and doing what we are today, it wouldn’t be possible without him and the other upperclassmen that we learned from. Without them, all of this probably wouldn’t be possible. I think that shows a big part in how they’re great people. They knew they weren’t going to be part of the greatness, but they were going to be a part of the rollercoaster.”
Dryden won four games in 2024 and five in 2025, barely missing the 8-player playoffs. With just one senior graduated from the 2025 team, expectations were high surrounding this year’s group.
“The first two years, I would have said no, that I didn’t think this was going to happen,” Taylor said. “We were never going to be able to keep up with these kids at the bigger schools. But as a junior we were able to stick with them, and we knew if we locked in over the offseason (the current success was possible). A lot of us got in the gym over the summer, and we really wanted to get in and go far in the playoffs.”
Starting 4-0 was certainly a sign that it was all coming together, but it was the win against Deckerville that has added a new layer of belief in the team, at least in the community. The Eagles were the 2024 Division 1 8-Player Finals champion and advanced to the Semifinals a year ago. They’ve won two Finals titles and have two other runner-up finishes since moving to 8-player in 2012.
“It was a huge win,” Gall said. “Probably one of the biggest wins that we’ve had in program history so far. My high school coach, who was also on the 2008 Dryden team that went undefeated, he’s on my staff, and he said that even including the 2008 season, that was the biggest win of his career. Definitely, by far, it’s the biggest win of mine.”
The players acknowledge how big that win was, especially after suffering through a 2023 game against the Eagles during which they were shutout and gained just 25 yards of total offense.
But last weekend’s success hasn’t changed their goal moving ahead, which is to beat Byron, their Week 6 opponent.
“It definitely feels good, and we know that we deserved it because we put in a lot of work throughout the years,” Perales said. “But we’re not satisfied with our record right now. We want to go undefeated every week, and we know we still have to keep our heads down and keep working toward what we want.”
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS (Top) From left, Gianni Coscione and Santiago Perales stand with their team for the national anthem. (Middle) Coscione eyes his target before throwing a pass. (Photos courtesy of the Dryden football program.)
Growing Gobles Preparing for Future with Return to 11-Player Football
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
August 25, 2026
GOBLES — For the last five years, Gobles saw success competing in 8-player football, making the MHSAA Playoffs four of those seasons.
This year, coach Greg Eichler hopes to transition that success into 11-player in spite of grumbling from some fans.
“We’re pretty doubted by the town right now,” sophomore tailback/free safety Case Lord said. “But I see what goes on at practice and in the weight room, and I see our work ethic and how strong we are. I think we can do something great.”
Eichler said numbers-wise, the Tigers could compete in 8-player, but “our district is growing, which is good, so when you look at the projected enrollments a couple years down the line, we’re going to be over that playoff limit for 8-player.
“We have a younger team, but we’ve got a diverse group from sophomores up to seniors in terms of their talents and abilities, and I think they can put together some good success right now and also build for the future.”
Gobles finished a combined 31-10 in 8-player over the last four seasons.
Moving back to 11-player, more athletes will have the opportunity to play big roles in the experience.
“It’s been good to have a JV and varsity consistently with no issue, but at the same time, we have a lot of extra kids on the sideline playing 8-player,” Eichler said. “With 11-player there are more opportunities for the kids.”
Discussing the move, the coach added, "When you’ve got three extra guys on the field, it changes how much space on the field you’ve got to cover and who you’re looking at, who you’re covering, who you’re keying on.”
Another change this fall will be playing several less familiar opponents as part of a combined league. Gobles is among a handful of Southwestern Athletic Conference schools playing football as part of the Southwest 10 Conference this fall.
"We’re playing a majority Southwest 10 schedule but will play Galesburg and Saugatuck from the SAC and everyone else is Southwest (10),” Eichler said. "Traditionally the SAC has been our league. You had to give that up, but you want to make sure you’re putting the kids in the best position.”
Eichler said the Southwest 10 has some great traditions and some solid football programs that will give the Tigers a run.
“We love a new challenge, and we feel that’s what this is. It’s a new step in our program that’s going to challenge everybody, coaches and players alike,” he noted. “Southwest 10 teams are a little bit more our size. They’re still mostly bigger than us, but I think competitively they’re probably the better teams to put on our schedule.”
Senior outside linebacker/wing back Hunter Piper said playing in both conferences is a plus “because we’re playing more schools that I know. We go to those schools for other sports, so it’s nice to play new competition.”
Eichler said one advantage for the Division 8 Tigers this year is that in 11-player “you get bonuses for playing bigger schools and most of the time, we’re the smaller school.
“We have several Division 7 schools on our schedule, so those are like little bonus incentives. That’s win or lose.”
They got their first taste of 11-player in a while last Thursday in a scrimmage against Coloma. Gobles will kick off the “real” season at home Thursday against Niles Brandywine.
“We had a competitive scrimmage, and a lot of our young players got some really good experience,” Eichler said. “I would say the following day’s film session was even more important, as our team learned a lot in order to prepare for our Week 1 matchup versus Niles Brandywine.”
Their second game is a big one for the town: The Tiger Tribute game versus Hartford on Sept. 3.
“It’s the military and first responder appreciation game (which will feature) flyovers, vehicles,” Eichler said.
Honorary captain this year is Navy Lieutenant Commander Ian Weston, a 2010 Gobles alum. The tribute will include a parade and the school choir singing the national anthem.
Sophomore & senior expectations
Eichler said Lord was the first freshman he moved up to varsity over his six years coaching.
“He took some lumps early but really grew as the year went on,” the coach said. “He’s going to bring some varsity experience even as a sophomore.
"I think that’s really good for that sophomore group. He understands what varsity football looks like, even though it was 8-player. We played some really good teams.”
Lord said playing varsity as a freshman was eye-opening.
“Out of the gate I wasn’t prepared for the speed, but I learned very fast that’s a big thing with a varsity game,” he said. “Now I understand what that is, and I can compete with others.
“I’ve been looking forward to this year since last season ended.”
Lord is no stranger to 11-player football, starting the sport 12 years ago on a club team.
“My brother (Adam Vosburg), and my grandpa (Gerald Gravatt) both played football,” Lord said. “My brother had D-I (college) offers everywhere but went to Olivet to stay close to home after my grandpa passed. My brother basically lived through him, and I live through my brother.”
Eichler counts on seniors such as Piper in leadership roles.
“Hunter brings experience, some really good leadership and stability,” the coach said. “I think that’s going to be important because our bigger group right now is our sophomores. We have him and a handful of other seniors to help stabilize them.”
Part of Piper’s experience is from the 2024 team that went undefeated in the regular season before losing its Division 1 8-Player Regional Semifinal to Martin.
Jumping to 11-player is “a little funky with a couple more players, and the field is definitely a little bigger, but it’s still the same game,” Piper said. “I love the game, and I like to bring a lot of leadership. I like to help out the younger kids.”
Piper, who is also on the wrestling team, said that helps him in football.
“I like the testosterone sports,” he said. “I like to go out there and fly around and hit. The energy is beautiful.”
In spite of hearing some of the town’s naysayers, Piper said, “There’s moments in practice where I think this is a great team. People don’t see what we see, and they’re definitely underestimating us.
“Our strength is the bond we have. We have a very strong connection between all of us.”
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) Gobles’ Case Lord follows his blockers during a carry last season. (Middle) From left: Tigers coach Greg Eichler, Hunter Piper and Case Lord. (Below) Piper (7) lines up on defense last fall. (Action photos courtesy of the Gobles football program. Head shots by Pam Shebest.)