These young gridiron giants are ready for the 2024 season.
(Photo courtesy of Localsportsjournal.com)
By Ron Rop
LocalSportsJournal.com
One quick scan of the Mona Shores football roster brings an immediate smile to the face of veteran coach Matt Koziak.
You can hardly blame him because he’s got a strong group of players, not all seniors, back for the 2024 season.
“We have a lot of guys back on both sides of the ball,” said Koziak, who expects a final roster of about 40 players. “I’m super pleased with where we’re at, but a big part of it is that you have to stay injury free.”
He knows there will be stiff challenges along the way - like two Muskegon County rivals in Muskegon and Reeths-Puffer - but Koziak is ready to see just what this team can do in the conference and into the playoffs.
“We are excited about some quality returners, especially offensively,” Koziak said. “We have our skills back other than a couple of slots.”
You can start with senior quarterback Jonathan Pittman, who is now a senior. His 6-2, 205-pound frame will come in handy when the Sailors need tough yards on the ground or through the air.
Tomarion Steward, who showed off his speed and power a year ago as a sophomore, is back at 6-0, 218 pounds. For speed, the Sailors will look to senior Tyrese McCorvey-Hill in the backfield. Both saw the ball quite extensively a year ago and that will not change this season.
“Any time you have a veteran quarterback coming back, it deepens your playbook,” said Koziak, who saw a lot of good things from his squad right from the first day of two-a-day workouts. “It’s like having another coach out there. He’s our catalyst who makes us go.”
On the edge, the Sailors feature seniors Jaeger Johnson and Micah Carefelle. Mona Shores also landed a big transfer in George Duggins, from Spring Lake, Duggins is a 6-3, 205-pound tight end who also will play safety on the defensive side of the ball.
Of course, those guys won’t have much success without the big guys up front and there’s where the Sailors feature the likes seniors Chandler Medendorp, Vince Coleman and Chris Smith, who all played extensively a year ago.
“That’s big too when you have some veteran guys up front,” Koziak said.
On defense, Koziak sees good things from linebacker Solomon Robertson, Ja’Mari Taylor on the line and two-year starter Hunter Krueger along the line. Micah Carefelle also plays a lot of defense.
In the secondary, Corey Bothwell, who suffered a severe leg injury in the season opener a year ago, is healthy and ready to lead the defense. Senior James Starr also lends his experience as a defensive back.
“It’s good when you can name a lot of guys who are back,” Koziak said. “Those are some guys we expect to play some big roles for us.”
And, with a few tweaks, the Sailors will be facing some new foes in the league.
“I love the strength of our conference,” Koziak said. “All but one was a playoff team last year, which I love. The problem is, we don’t have that many conference games so instead of finding two games, we had to find four.”
Two welcome sights on the schedule are the Big Reds and the Rockets.
“Muskegon is always a great measuring stick as the winningest program in the state,” Koziak said. “We get to play them once, maybe twice.”
Mona Shores and Muskegon are both in Division 2 this season.
Mona Shores kicks off the season on the road for three weeks. The opener is at Grand Blanc, followed by trips to River Rouge and Flint Hamady.
“That part I don’t like,” he said. “I wish our conference had some crossover games.” The season ends at Toledo Central Catholic, an Ohio powerhouse.
If that doesn’t get the Sailors ready for the postseason, nothing will.
The first goal is to win the conference, a prize that has eluded the Sailors for several seasons. Then comes making the playoffs, which the Sailors have done on a regular basis of late. But then comes the ultimate goal of making a run toward a state title. The Sailors have not been to Ford Field since 2020.
“That’s three years without that taste of Ford Field,” Koziak said. “The kids are hungry. This is the first time since I’ve been here that we have a kid who has not played or dressed for a game at Ford Field.”
And that makes the Sailors hunger even more for the ultimate prize.
LocalSportsJournal.com
One quick scan of the Mona Shores football roster brings an immediate smile to the face of veteran coach Matt Koziak.
You can hardly blame him because he’s got a strong group of players, not all seniors, back for the 2024 season.
“We have a lot of guys back on both sides of the ball,” said Koziak, who expects a final roster of about 40 players. “I’m super pleased with where we’re at, but a big part of it is that you have to stay injury free.”
He knows there will be stiff challenges along the way - like two Muskegon County rivals in Muskegon and Reeths-Puffer - but Koziak is ready to see just what this team can do in the conference and into the playoffs.
“We are excited about some quality returners, especially offensively,” Koziak said. “We have our skills back other than a couple of slots.”
You can start with senior quarterback Jonathan Pittman, who is now a senior. His 6-2, 205-pound frame will come in handy when the Sailors need tough yards on the ground or through the air.
Tomarion Steward, who showed off his speed and power a year ago as a sophomore, is back at 6-0, 218 pounds. For speed, the Sailors will look to senior Tyrese McCorvey-Hill in the backfield. Both saw the ball quite extensively a year ago and that will not change this season.
“Any time you have a veteran quarterback coming back, it deepens your playbook,” said Koziak, who saw a lot of good things from his squad right from the first day of two-a-day workouts. “It’s like having another coach out there. He’s our catalyst who makes us go.”
On the edge, the Sailors feature seniors Jaeger Johnson and Micah Carefelle. Mona Shores also landed a big transfer in George Duggins, from Spring Lake, Duggins is a 6-3, 205-pound tight end who also will play safety on the defensive side of the ball.
Of course, those guys won’t have much success without the big guys up front and there’s where the Sailors feature the likes seniors Chandler Medendorp, Vince Coleman and Chris Smith, who all played extensively a year ago.
“That’s big too when you have some veteran guys up front,” Koziak said.
On defense, Koziak sees good things from linebacker Solomon Robertson, Ja’Mari Taylor on the line and two-year starter Hunter Krueger along the line. Micah Carefelle also plays a lot of defense.
In the secondary, Corey Bothwell, who suffered a severe leg injury in the season opener a year ago, is healthy and ready to lead the defense. Senior James Starr also lends his experience as a defensive back.
“It’s good when you can name a lot of guys who are back,” Koziak said. “Those are some guys we expect to play some big roles for us.”
And, with a few tweaks, the Sailors will be facing some new foes in the league.
“I love the strength of our conference,” Koziak said. “All but one was a playoff team last year, which I love. The problem is, we don’t have that many conference games so instead of finding two games, we had to find four.”
Two welcome sights on the schedule are the Big Reds and the Rockets.
“Muskegon is always a great measuring stick as the winningest program in the state,” Koziak said. “We get to play them once, maybe twice.”
Mona Shores and Muskegon are both in Division 2 this season.
Mona Shores kicks off the season on the road for three weeks. The opener is at Grand Blanc, followed by trips to River Rouge and Flint Hamady.
“That part I don’t like,” he said. “I wish our conference had some crossover games.” The season ends at Toledo Central Catholic, an Ohio powerhouse.
If that doesn’t get the Sailors ready for the postseason, nothing will.
The first goal is to win the conference, a prize that has eluded the Sailors for several seasons. Then comes making the playoffs, which the Sailors have done on a regular basis of late. But then comes the ultimate goal of making a run toward a state title. The Sailors have not been to Ford Field since 2020.
“That’s three years without that taste of Ford Field,” Koziak said. “The kids are hungry. This is the first time since I’ve been here that we have a kid who has not played or dressed for a game at Ford Field.”
And that makes the Sailors hunger even more for the ultimate prize.
