ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — High school football in Michigan is set to get started next week, and for the local football programs in the coverage area, you can check out capsules of those teams below.
Each coach spoke to their respective teams’ health as a big priority this year. Most of them thought their first games were the most important ones on the schedule, and each are looking to continue to improve once the season officially gets underway.
For our football coverage this season, you can expect quite a bit. There will be a weekly football preview posted on Wednesday mornings online. I won’t be making picks on those games like we have in the past, but the stories should still be packed with information on the local games of the week, including whichever one I plan to cover.
We will also have athlete of the week polls strictly for football. Right now, you can vote for the Journal’s Preseason Player of the Year as well. That poll ends next Wednesday afternoon, just a bit before the official kickoff of the season on Thursday.
The playbook schedule, which readers can become accustomed to seeing each week during the football season, is as follows — Monday: Top Performers from last week; Tuesday: Athlete of the Week poll; Wednesday: Some type of feature; Thursday: Football preview story for that week’s games; Friday: and Live scoreboard, some football analysis and game stuff.
Sturgis Trojans
Last year’s record: 0-9, missed playoffs
2025 Schedule: Aug. 28 at Coldwater; Sept. 5 Battle Creek Pennfield; Sept. 12 Edwardsburg; Sept. 19 at Vicksburg; Sept. 26 Niles; Oct. 3 at Paw Paw; Oct. 10 Plainwell; Oct. 17 at Otsego; Oct. 24 Three Rivers
Players to watch: Kaicee Kyle RB / DB; Gavin Lewis TE / LB; Joel Smith WR; Parker Altimus OL / DL; Beckett Lamb QB
Coach’s thoughts: “”We have bodies everywhere, which is good for us. We have some depth in place, and people have to come out and earn their spots. We’ve never really had that before. In years past, we had guys coming in knowing they had a spot wrapped up, but now we have multiple guys at each position. Depth is obviously huge, and it naturally creates competition. This younger group has always won, so they’re bringing in some moxie here to help us get going.” — Chance Stewart
Bronson Vikings
Last year’s record: 6-4, Lost in district play to Schoolcraft
2025 Schedule: Aug. 29 Prairie Heights; Sept. 5 at Decatur; Sept. 12 Hartford; Sept. 19 at Cassopolis; Sept. 26 Centreville; Oct. 3 Comstock; Oct. 10 at White Pigeon; Oct. 17 at Reading; Oct. 25 TBA
Players to watch: Spencer Losinski QB; Jace Hoard RB / LB; Aiden Whittaker RB / DB
Coach’s thoughts: “You know, we feel great. We feel ready to go, we are hungry. We have been putting in a lot of work in the preseason, and the guys are ready to play. We have a great, solid group of kids, and we are already well ahead of where we started last season. I think we look solid.” — Tony Myers
Burr Oak Bobcats
Last year’s record: 7-3, Lost in regional semifinals to Pittsford
2025 Schedule: Aug. 28 Athens; Sept. 5 Pittsford; Sept. 12 North Adams-Jerome; Sept. 19 at Tekonsha; Sept. 26 at Waldron; Oct. 3 Camden-Frontier; Oct. 10 at Litchfield; Oct. 17 at Britton Deerfield; Oct. 24 Battle Creek St. Philip
Players to watch: Kaynan Ledyard RB; Hunter Caudill RB
Coach’s thoughts: “Working with a single-senior team, we have a new body at the QB position, so we are trying to get a lot of reps for him. A few younger kids are stepping up into big roles. Hoping to do some running this year due to a very good offensive line and a great pair of running backs. A couple returning starting receivers, so we are excited about the experience. Defensively, we have a great variety of strength and speed along with some kids that are not afraid to hit. We are looking forward to a great season.” — William Snyder
Centreville Bulldogs
Last year’s record: 4-6, Lost in district play to Decatur
2025 Schedule: Aug. 28 Schoolcraft; Sept. 5 Stockbridge; Sept. 12 Comstock; Sept. 19 at White Pigeon; Sept. 26 at Bronson; Oct. 3 Decatur; Oct. 10 Hartford; Oct. 17 at Cassopolis; Oct. 24 TBA
Players to watch: Deandre Stout RB / SS; Wyatt Stark TE / DL; Brayden Swanwick QB; Matthew Bates FB / DE
Coach’s thoughts: “We’re continuing to build momentum from last season’s playoff appearance, which marked a successful first year under the current coaching staff. Our program is growing in both numbers and competitiveness. Offensively, we are excited to install a new system that better suits our personnel, while defensively, we’re deepening and expanding our 4-2-5 structure with added packages and versatility.” — James Phillips
Colon Magi
Last year’s record: 2-7, missed playoffs
2025 Schedule: Aug. 28 at Holton; Sept. 6 at Morenci; Sept. 12 Britton Deerfield; Sept. 19 at Climax-Scotts; Sept. 26 at Mendon; Oct. 3 Battle Creek St. Philip; Oct. 10 Athens; Oct. 17 at Bellevue; Oct. 24 North Adams-Jerome
Players to watch: Jeremiah West QB; Jabari Falls OL; Ayden Delp LB; Tucker Davis DB
Coach’s thoughts: “We have built a great foundation for our program. This year, our players have completely bought in, and our participation has grown tremendously. The commitment, energy and effort they’re showing every day makes me confident that we’re moving in the right direction. We expect to turn that dedication into wins on the field.” — Derrick Sanders
Constantine Falcons
Last year’s record: 8-4, Lost in regional round to Jackson Lumen Christi
2025 Schedule: Aug. 28 at Delton Kellogg; Sept. 5 at Lansing Waverly; Sept. 12 Schoolcraft; Sept. 19 at South Haven; Sept. 26 at Allegan; Oct. 3 Kalamazoo United; Oct. 10 at Parchment; Oct. 17 Watervliet; Oct. 24 Lawton
Players to watch: Cooper McGree TB; Brody Godfrey TB; Bear Geibe FB; Carson Jacobs LB
Coach’s thoughts: “We have a lot of unproven guys, but we believe in these guys. Not a lot of varsity experience, but we have some things we feel good about and can build on. I like what I have on the defensive side of the ball with our athletes. All in all, the guys here we are happy with. We had a great summer in the weight room. We got after it.” — Shawn Griffith
Marcellus Wildcats
Last year’s record: 5-3, missed playoffs
2025 Schedule: Aug. 28 Morenci; Sept. 5 at Marin; Sept. 12 Gobles; Sept. 19 Grand Rapids Sacred Heart; Sept. 26 Muskegon Heights Academy; Oct. 3 Wyoming Tri-unity Christian; Oct. 10 Lawrence; Oct. 17 Eau Claire; Oct. 24 Bangor
Players to watch: Cale Hackenberg QB; Abram Coffey WR; Martelle Enright RB; Brock Woodhouse OL; Marvin Jones DL; Blake McWilliams LB; Leighton Osborn LB
Coach’s thoughts: “We will be young once again this year. We will definitely have some talent, but we need to stay healthy.” — Nate Davies
Mendon Hornets
Last year’s record: 10-2, lost to Deckerville in 8-player state semifinals
2025 Schedule: Aug. 28 at Suttons Bay; Sept. 4 at Britton Deerfield; Sept. 12 Concord; Sept. 19 at Athens; Sept. 26 Colon; Oct. 3 at Bellevue; Oct. 11 at Battle Creek St. Philip; Oct. 17 Climax-Scotts; Oct. 24 at Adrian Lenawee Christian
Players to watch: Owen Gorham RB / LB; JT Lux FB / DL; Brayden Crites TE / DL
Coach’s thoughts: “We have a lot of moving pieces, but we will need to keep healthy throughout the season. The plan as always at Mendon is to improve each week and do what we need to do to make the playoffs and make a run.” — Bobby Kretschman
Three Rivers Wildcats
Last year’s record: 4-5, missed playoffs
2025 Schedule: Aug. 28 at Charlotte; Sept. 5 Dowagiac; Sept. 12 at Otsego; Sept. 19 Plainwell; Sept. 26 Vicksburg; Oct. 3 at Niles; Oct. 10 at Edwardsburg; Oct. 17 Paw Paw; Oct. 24 at Sturgis
Players to watch: Mason Awe, QB; Bradyn Carpenter WR / DB; Zander Barth TE; Jaxon Smith DL
Coach’s thoughts: “Defensively, we should be much improved. Most of our guys on that side of the ball are pretty fast. Our weight room numbers are good, and we have a secondary that’s physical and fast. But like every high school team, you’re razor thin in most places. We need to keep everybody healthy and rolling in the right direction. If we can do that, we think we should be pretty good.” — Jeff Awe
White Pigeon Chiefs
Last year’s record: 8-2, lost in district play to Saugatuck
2025 Schedule: Aug. 28 at Reading; Sept. 5 at Hartford; Sept. 12 Cassopolis; Sept. 19 Centreville; Sept. 26 at Comstock; Oct. 3 Union City; Oct. 10 Bronson; Oct. 17 at Decatur; Oct. 24 TBA
Players to watch: Taylor Stewart RB; Maddix Jancasz RB / LB
Coach’s thoughts: “We have eight seniors back, and all have seen playing time even though some were not starters full-time. So, our senior group is a really hard-working group. If we can stay healthy, we should have a pretty good season and be really competitive.” — Shawn Strawser
Contact Sports Editor Brandon Watson at bwatson@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @BwatsonSJ.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Football primer: Capsule looks at local teams for this upcoming season
Reporting by Brandon Watson, Sturgis Journal / Sturgis Journal
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