Jeffrey Cottrell kicks it in his first prep football blog!

Hello and welcome to my entry. Every week, I will talk about some of the key games of the week in each of the regions that I have set. These regions will be

Hello and welcome to my entry. Every week, I will talk about some of the key games of the week in each of the regions that I have set. These regions will be North (Houghton Lake, Cadillac, and north), Detroit and surrounding areas, Central Michigan and surrounding (Saginaw, Mount Pleasant, Sebewaing, and other central locations), and the West Coast. Each week, one key match up from each region will be profiled.  

Â
For this first installment, let’s take a look at last season’s state champions. In Division 1, Macomb Dakota won and they will have a new man behind center. Mitch Lovett will be the new quarterback for a squad that lost 34 to graduation. That’s a tall order for any team. Good luck Coach Giannone! I sincerely hope you can have similar success this season.Â

Â
The Division 2 champion, Muskegon, moves from the Ottawa-Kent Green Division (which is the same division that Zeeland West, Division 4 champions played in…two state champions from the same division? That is a crazy tough division!) to the O-K Red Conference (Which Division 1 runner up Rockford plays in). Their star player left for the bright lights of Hollywood (USC) but they are doing something right if they can win a state title. East Grand Rapids, Division 3 champs also hail from the O-K Conference in the White Division. With an all time record of 409 – 121 – 9, you could call them a football powerhouse. That record puts them #7 for winning percentage in the state to go along with. This brings us to the Division 4 winners Zeeland West. Their only loss on the season was to Division 2 winners, Muskegon. Must be nice to win the big one in the second year the school/football program and then bring back 23 seniors the next season!Â

Â
They’ve had 12 state championships come out of the Ottawa-Kent Conference in the previous five seasons. What are they feeding those boys on the west side of the state? Is it the last rays of sunshine off Lake Michigan? They must be eating their vegetables! Whatever it is, the Ottawa Kent Mega Conference is the largest (44 schools) and arguably the best conference in the state.

Â
Now we get to the team I’ve wanted to see since *before* they smashed my former high school’s team out of the 2006 playoffs. The Menominee Maroons spanked everyone they played in 2006, scoring 539 points to their opponents’ 44. In Ken Hofer’s 38 years as head coach, their record stands at 267 – 122 – 2. The unique thing about Menominee is that they run the single wing offense. Knute Rockne ran that offense at Notre Dame. It’s hard to defend an offense that hasn’t been used much in 50 years. The people from Northern Michigan are very passionate about their football. Their teams play well and the higher division numbers better be ready to go against some tough squads from the north.

Â
Being from Saginaw, it’s hard not to know Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central, how they have played historically, and their recent Division 6 Championship. “Smokey” Boyd is a coaching legend around here. His son, Mike, did what his father couldn’t do while coaching Nouvel…win a state title. They’ve graduated the majority of the players from last season, but like many powerhouse teams, they don’t rebuild; they reload. Nouvel has only experienced two losing seasons since the football program (and school) started in 1984.

Â
The second independent conference school (Nouvel being the other) to win a state championship was Division 7 winner Muskegon Catholic Central. I’ve had a difficult time finding information about this team. All I know is that they have won seven state titles, and that’s freaking awesome!Â

Â
The smallest school that won is Division 8 Champions New Lothrop. Graduation took 18 players from this school but they aren’t giving up yet. Word on the street is that they’ve been working real hard this off season to make it back to Ford Field. So has everyone else though. The school lost a few kids and now will be playing in Class D. That doesn’t matter too much; they are already in Division 8. Can they repeat as champions? Only time will tell.Â

Â
To those that won championships, congratulations. Enjoy them while they last. The new season is starting and everyone wants what you have!Â

Â
If you have thoughts or want to suggest a game of the week, send us an email by clicking on the email Hondo link and out in the message line:Â prep!