HILLSDALE COUNTY — Five Hillsdale County ISD teams will once again compete in Michigan’s 8-player football ranks this fall, with Pittsford entering the season as the defending SCAA-B champion and several local programs looking to challenge.
Camden-Frontier, Litchfield, North Adams-Jerome, Pittsford and Waldron all return key contributors from a year ago while looking to replace standout graduating seniors at several positions.
From Pittsford’s pursuit of a third straight division title to Waldron’s playoff aspirations and Litchfield’s push to continue its late-season momentum, there will be plenty of storylines to watch throughout the 2026 season.
Camden-Frontier
Coach: Kevin Slusher (4-5 in 2025)
Key storylines: With the departure of graduate quarterback Luis Thilo, Camden-Frontier has a major position to fill entering the season. However, the RedHawks are expected to return dream team selections Eryck Flores, Colt Woodard and Dominic Kurtz, all of whom should bolster a defensive unit that could be among the best in the SCAA-B. If Camden-Frontier can find the playmaker to take over under center, the RedHawks have the pieces to compete for a winning record and conference contention.
Games to watch: Camden-Frontier hosts local rivals Waldron and Litchfield in key conference matchups. The RedHawks also welcome nonconference opponents Holgate (OH) and Adrian Lenawee Christian, giving local fans a chance to see unfamiliar opponents make the trip to Camden-Frontier.
2026 Schedule (*SCAA-B Matchup)
Litchfield
Coach: Michael Langhann (4-5 in 2025)
Key storylines: Litchfield returns an experienced core from an up-and-down 2025 season. The Terriers won three of their final four games and bring back MHSFCA all-region performers Caleb Watson and Brayden Bradley and 2025 Daily News Defensive Player of the Year Gavin Gutting to anchor the defense. Quarterback Caleb Bills looks to have a healthy 2026. Gutting leads Litchfield’s proven offensive weapons. The question will be whether the Terriers have enough offensive balance and defensive depth to challenge division powers Pittsford and Waldron. Look to quarterback Caleb Bills being an X-factor that could determine if the Terriers can challenge for a top-3 finish in the SCAA-B.
Games to watch: Camden-Frontier defeated Litchfield 20-8 last season, making the Week 5 rematch one of the most anticipated games on the schedule. The Terriers also face an unusual challenge in Week 1 after replacing Athens with Plymouth, Ohio, following Athens’ decision to discontinue football because of low participation numbers. Litchfield will travel more than two hours for the season opener.
2026 Schedule
North Adams-Jerome
Coach: Kody Hodshire (2-7 in 2025)
Key storylines: After injuries derailed a promising start to the 2025 season, North Adams-Jerome hopes improved health and experience can help the Rams return to contention. The program must replace graduates from key positions on both sides of the ball, but a favorable home schedule and a second season under Hodshire could provide an opportunity for improvement. Keegan Hull headlines a returning senior group that looks to fill the void left by the 2026 class. Senior Carter Rader returns as the top leading tackler from 2026. The Rams have not posted a winning season since 2021.
Games to watch: North Adams-Jerome’s opener against Stryker, Ohio, provides an early measuring stick after a competitive matchup between the two teams last year. The Rams also begin conference play at home against Burr Oak before facing several of the division’s top contenders during the second half of the season.
2026 Schedule
Pittsford
Coach: Mike Burger (7-3 in 2025)
Key storylines: Pittsford enters the season looking to win a third consecutive SCAA-B championship after posting another undefeated conference campaign in 2025. The Wildcats must replace all-state quarterback Jacob Drawe and most of their starting offensive line, but several playmakers return, including Hunter Peiffer, Aiden Jones, Ethan Pickford and Brendan Nave. Peiffer takes over at quarterback, and he will look to navigate the changes up front with the all-league returning teammates on either side of him. Pittsford’s success in 2026 might boil down to how quickly the line can come together up front to keep the Wildcat offensive engines humming.
Games to watch: Pittsford opens the season on a Thursday night against Britton Deerfield in a rematch of last year’s season opener and postseason defeat. It is the only Thursday night game in Hillsdale County to open the season this year. Another marquee matchup comes in Week 8 when the Wildcats host Waldron in a rematch of last season’s division-deciding showdown.
2026 Schedule
Waldron
Coach: Anthony Roney (6-3 in 2025)
Key storylines: Waldron came one victory shy of both an SCAA-B title and playoff berth in 2025 after losing to Pittsford 52-44 in Week 8. The Spartans must replace more than 50 touchdowns worth of production from graduates Seth Williams and Troy Shamplo while identifying a new starting quarterback. Despite those losses, Waldron returns size and experience in the trenches and figures to remain a contender in both the conference and playoff race thanks to athletes like Eli Winchell, Isaac Fether, Silas Williams and Jayden Justice.
Games to watch: Waldron opens against Lakeside Danbury (OH), another tough loss for Waldron last season, before navigating a challenging stretch that includes four consecutive road games. The Spartans close the regular season with four straight home matchups, highlighted by a Week 8 showdown against Pittsford that could once again have conference-title implications. The end the season with a game against Southfield Christian, back playing football for the first time since 2019 in the aligned SCAA-W conference with Lenawee Christian, Deerfield, Concord and Morenci.
2026 Schedule
• Aug. 21 (scrimmage) vs. Camden-Frontier, 6 p.m.• Aug. 28 vs. Lakeside Danbury (Ohio), 7 p.m. (Parent’s Night)• Sept. 3 at Litchfield, 7 p.m.*• Sept. 11 at Camden-Frontier, 7 p.m.*• Sept. 18 at Morenci, 7 p.m.• Sept. 25 at Burr Oak, 7 p.m.*• Oct. 2 vs. Tekonsha, 7 p.m.*• Oct. 9 vs. North Adams-Jerome, 7 p.m.*• Oct. 16 vs. Pittsford, 7 p.m.*• Oct. 23 vs. Southfield Christian, 7 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Schedules, storylines for each Hillsdale County 8-player football team
Reporting by Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News | USA TODAY Network
