Pictured: Mateo Rivera, Andrew Holt Jr., Keyshawn Drummer, Recarder Kitchen, Louis Gressett, Ernesto Botello, Caleb Lardie.
(Photo courtesy of Craig Smith)
By Tom Kendra
LocalSportsJournal.com
LocalSportsJournal.com
This time last year, the buzzword around Muskegon High School football was “repeat.”
Muskegon was coming off a dream season, which culminated with 12-straight victories, a Division 2 state championship at Ford Field and the 900th victory in the school’s storied 130-year football history.
Ultimately, all of the departures from that championship team -- coupled with injuries, tight losses and a brutal schedule -- proved to be too much to overcome, as the Big Reds missed the playoffs and finished with a losing record (3-5) for the first time since 1999.
Muskegon had qualified for the playoffs 24 straight years, which was the fourth-longest streak in the state. So the new “re” words around Hackley Stadium this fall are rebound and redemption.
“To say that I’m motivated after what happened last year is an understatement,” said 16th-year Muskegon coach Shane Fairfield, who has guided his team to the state finals nine times in the past 13 years. “I would say I’m more pissed off than anything. That is not who we are and that is not our standard.”Muskegon fans can expect a return to a more traditional offensive look from their team, starting with a big, strong offensive line and one of the fastest groups of skill players Fairfield has had.
Senior tackles Caleb Lardie (6-3, 300) and Mateo Rivera (6-3, 260) bookend the offensive front, along with returning senior guard Ernesto Botello (6-3, 270) and junior center Javen Puhalski (5-11, 305). Juniors Sincere Hathorn and Lorenzo Johnson are competing for the other guard spot.
Those big boys up front will be drive blocking for a pair of downhill senior fullbacks in Keshawn Drummer (5-9, 170) and Amiere Chandler (5-9, 195), who, combined with Division 1 junior recruit Recarder Kitchen (6-6, 250) at H-back , will force defenses to commit serious resources between the tackles.
That could open up the edges for maybe the fastest group of receivers and slots in school history. Three of the four members of Muskegon’s 4x100 relay team, which qualified for regionals last spring, are expected to start on offense -- junior wideouts Ja’Mier Jefferson and Jamir Matthews-Foster and senior slotback De’ontae Chambers. Dangerous senior Arquez Petty also returns in the slot, along with senior AJ Holt.
“We’ll be back to a more traditional look for us on offense, where we want to establish the run game,” said Fairfield. “But we made some major progress with the passing game last year and we will definitely be able to throw the ball down the field.”
Montrell Dockery returns as offensive coordinator, and he will be assisted by Brent White (offensive line and run game coordinator) and Kam Williams (slot receivers and passing game coordinator). But what could ultimately determine if Muskegon can get back to its lofty standards -- the school’s 903 victories ranks first in state history and seventh nationally -- will be what unfolds at the quarterback position.
In the weeks leading to the season opener, there was a full-fledged battle going on for the starting quarterback spot between senior Lamar Bradford (5-8, 155) and sophomore Lou Gressett (6-2, 190).
Bradford is out of the mold of former Big Red great M’Khi Guy, a speedy threat who is adept at running the outside veer. Gressett, who was the starting JV quarterback for Muskegon last fall as a freshman before breaking his collarbone, is more of a downfield passing threat and similar to his cousin, last year’s starting quarterback James Young.
“It’s been a neck-and-neck battle, but it’s great because they encourage and support each other,” said Fairfield, who passed Leo Redmond last year as the all-time winningest coach in school history.
“Lou knows he’s the younger guy and has some catching up to do, but he’s a true dual-threat guy. Lamar is a wrestling kid, a tough kid who runs the option really well. “We could use them both, possibly.”
Fairfield, known as one of the top defensive coaches in West Michigan, is excited about his team’s potential on that side of the ball. His primary assistants on defense are Scott Fodrocy (linebackers), Tracy Lewis (defensive line), Don Poole (defensive ends) and Van Parker and Lorenzo Rodriguez (secondary). Standout sophomore Dacari Johnson (6-2, 200) and senior Elijah Askew (6-2, 205) and expected to start at inside linebacker, with Chandler and sophomore Cameron Sims on the outside.
Juniors Jacob Watkins (6-2, 270) and Kitchen will lead the defensive front. The biggest question mark defensively is in the secondary, where the Big Reds need to replace four senior starters.
Senior Charlie Chatman figures to be at one of the safety positions, with Jefferson the frontrunner at the free safety spot. Seniors Trey Johnson and Ke’yaun Bradford are the probable starters at cornerback.
The Big Reds’ defense was already fired up for a big challenge in its opening game on Aug. 28 when O-K Red power Grandville rolled into town, featuring star running back Jayden “Tank” Terry (5-9, 190), who has rushed for more than 5,000 career yards and recently committed to Ferris State.
Muskegon goes to Rockford on Week 2, then makes the first of two trips to Ohio, playing at Garfield Heights on Week 3 and at Cincinnati Moeller on Week 9. In-between those two Ohio trips, the Big Reds will look to improve on last year’s third-place finish in the O-K Green behind Mona Shores and Byron Center.
“Last year was really a case of everything that possibly could go wrong, went wrong,” said Fairfield. “We are glad to be back to nine games, and we know it’s a very tough schedule. But I know that we’re ready to get back out there and get rid of this bad taste.”
Muskegon was coming off a dream season, which culminated with 12-straight victories, a Division 2 state championship at Ford Field and the 900th victory in the school’s storied 130-year football history.
Ultimately, all of the departures from that championship team -- coupled with injuries, tight losses and a brutal schedule -- proved to be too much to overcome, as the Big Reds missed the playoffs and finished with a losing record (3-5) for the first time since 1999.
Muskegon had qualified for the playoffs 24 straight years, which was the fourth-longest streak in the state. So the new “re” words around Hackley Stadium this fall are rebound and redemption.
“To say that I’m motivated after what happened last year is an understatement,” said 16th-year Muskegon coach Shane Fairfield, who has guided his team to the state finals nine times in the past 13 years. “I would say I’m more pissed off than anything. That is not who we are and that is not our standard.”Muskegon fans can expect a return to a more traditional offensive look from their team, starting with a big, strong offensive line and one of the fastest groups of skill players Fairfield has had.
Senior tackles Caleb Lardie (6-3, 300) and Mateo Rivera (6-3, 260) bookend the offensive front, along with returning senior guard Ernesto Botello (6-3, 270) and junior center Javen Puhalski (5-11, 305). Juniors Sincere Hathorn and Lorenzo Johnson are competing for the other guard spot.
Those big boys up front will be drive blocking for a pair of downhill senior fullbacks in Keshawn Drummer (5-9, 170) and Amiere Chandler (5-9, 195), who, combined with Division 1 junior recruit Recarder Kitchen (6-6, 250) at H-back , will force defenses to commit serious resources between the tackles.
That could open up the edges for maybe the fastest group of receivers and slots in school history. Three of the four members of Muskegon’s 4x100 relay team, which qualified for regionals last spring, are expected to start on offense -- junior wideouts Ja’Mier Jefferson and Jamir Matthews-Foster and senior slotback De’ontae Chambers. Dangerous senior Arquez Petty also returns in the slot, along with senior AJ Holt.
“We’ll be back to a more traditional look for us on offense, where we want to establish the run game,” said Fairfield. “But we made some major progress with the passing game last year and we will definitely be able to throw the ball down the field.”
Montrell Dockery returns as offensive coordinator, and he will be assisted by Brent White (offensive line and run game coordinator) and Kam Williams (slot receivers and passing game coordinator). But what could ultimately determine if Muskegon can get back to its lofty standards -- the school’s 903 victories ranks first in state history and seventh nationally -- will be what unfolds at the quarterback position.
In the weeks leading to the season opener, there was a full-fledged battle going on for the starting quarterback spot between senior Lamar Bradford (5-8, 155) and sophomore Lou Gressett (6-2, 190).
Bradford is out of the mold of former Big Red great M’Khi Guy, a speedy threat who is adept at running the outside veer. Gressett, who was the starting JV quarterback for Muskegon last fall as a freshman before breaking his collarbone, is more of a downfield passing threat and similar to his cousin, last year’s starting quarterback James Young.
“It’s been a neck-and-neck battle, but it’s great because they encourage and support each other,” said Fairfield, who passed Leo Redmond last year as the all-time winningest coach in school history.
“Lou knows he’s the younger guy and has some catching up to do, but he’s a true dual-threat guy. Lamar is a wrestling kid, a tough kid who runs the option really well. “We could use them both, possibly.”
Fairfield, known as one of the top defensive coaches in West Michigan, is excited about his team’s potential on that side of the ball. His primary assistants on defense are Scott Fodrocy (linebackers), Tracy Lewis (defensive line), Don Poole (defensive ends) and Van Parker and Lorenzo Rodriguez (secondary). Standout sophomore Dacari Johnson (6-2, 200) and senior Elijah Askew (6-2, 205) and expected to start at inside linebacker, with Chandler and sophomore Cameron Sims on the outside.
Juniors Jacob Watkins (6-2, 270) and Kitchen will lead the defensive front. The biggest question mark defensively is in the secondary, where the Big Reds need to replace four senior starters.
Senior Charlie Chatman figures to be at one of the safety positions, with Jefferson the frontrunner at the free safety spot. Seniors Trey Johnson and Ke’yaun Bradford are the probable starters at cornerback.
The Big Reds’ defense was already fired up for a big challenge in its opening game on Aug. 28 when O-K Red power Grandville rolled into town, featuring star running back Jayden “Tank” Terry (5-9, 190), who has rushed for more than 5,000 career yards and recently committed to Ferris State.
Muskegon goes to Rockford on Week 2, then makes the first of two trips to Ohio, playing at Garfield Heights on Week 3 and at Cincinnati Moeller on Week 9. In-between those two Ohio trips, the Big Reds will look to improve on last year’s third-place finish in the O-K Green behind Mona Shores and Byron Center.
“Last year was really a case of everything that possibly could go wrong, went wrong,” said Fairfield. “We are glad to be back to nine games, and we know it’s a very tough schedule. But I know that we’re ready to get back out there and get rid of this bad taste.”
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