Jerrod’s Thoughts: Week Six Game Picks
Every week on this Blog, I will be making my selections on local games and trying to pick the winners of those games each week. The games posted will be within my seven county window (Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, Saint Joseph and Van Buren) and will cover ALL games. Games predicted below are not in any specific order, just by order of the school alphabetically by county.
Last Week: 32-5 (.865)
Season: 155-40 (.794)
Top Three Games of the Week
1. @ Dowagiac 20, Plainwell 17: At this point in the season, I don’t think one year ago I could say these teams would both be 4-1, but well done to Plainwell. A team that went 0-9 last year is in the playoff and conference race. However, this week they are up against two things: one, the Dowagiac home crowd and two, Brett Scanlon, whose leg, in the end, gives them a hard-fought win.
2. @ Comstock 20, South Haven 7: Why is this a game of the week? Well, it’s because it’s two 0-5 Wolverine Conference teams going at to win their first game of the season in Comstock. The only reason I picked Comstock is two fold: one, home field and two, because I flipped a coin. Best two-of-three won.
3. @ Hartford 24, Decatur 21: OK, Hartford, you let me down last week (although I had the Lawton total correct). It is time to step up, quit making silly mistakes and play like a playoff team. This game is a toss-up, but Decatur lacks a solid kicker, unlike Hartford. Problem is if Hartford can’t win Friday, it could spell disaster. Remember 2009, Indians?
Friday Games
@ Allegan 31, Richland Gull Lake 21
@ Saugatuck 52, Fennville 14
Hamilton 31, @ Holland Christian 17
@ Hopkins 48, Wyoming Lee 7
@ Gobles 58, Martin 7
@ Vicksburg 20, Otsego 14
@ Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills 41, Wayland Union 17
Olivet 38, @ Delton-Kellogg 10
Grand Rapids South Christian 41, @ Hastings 13
@ Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern 20, Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg 7
@ Portage Central 44, Benton Harbor 38
@ Berrien Springs 38, Buchanan 28
Three Oaks River Valley 21, @ Bridgman 17
Edwardsburg 31, @ Coloma 6
@ New Buffalo 41, Eau Claire 13
Portage Northern 38, @ Niles 13
@ Cassopolis 34, Niles Brandywine 24
Saint Joseph 34, @ Mattawan 17
Saint Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 2, @ Covert 0 (FORFEIT)
Stevensville Lakeshore 38, @ Kalamazoo Central 14
@ Watervliet 48, Lawrence 6
@ Lawton 41, Marcellus 7
Climax-Scotts 24, @ North Adams-Jerome 14
@ Constantine 41, Galesburg-Augusta 0
@ Kalamazoo Christian 24, Vermontville Maple Valley 13
@ Schoolcraft 48, Kalamazoo Hackett 10
@ Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 38, Battle Creek Central 7
@ Battle Creek Pennfield 41, Parchment 21
@ Bronson 30, Centreville 10
Colon 28, @ Camden-Frontier 22
@ Mendon 49, White Pigeon 14
@ Sturgis 31, Battle Creek Lakeview 21
Paw Paw 48, @ Three Rivers 7
Bangor 34, @ Bloomingdale 24
Saturday Game
Saint Joseph Michigan Lutheran 35, @ LaPorte LaLumiere (Ind.) 10
Jerrod’s Thoughts: Week Five Recap
Every week in the HartfordFootball.com Blog, I will be posting a Blog on the previous weeks three stars (standout performances by teams and/or players), three not-so top three stars (poor performances by teams and/or players) and be posting my Top 10 “Class B” (Big School) and Top 10 “Class C-D” (Small School) rankings for the week. Remember, the rankings are based on Class B, C and D teams in my seven county area: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, Saint Joseph and Van Buren counties.
Three Stars
1. Trent Sauer, Lawton: Last week, I got to see up close, for the second time this season, Trent Sauer of Lawton and he had one of the big games last week. Sauer threw for 245 yards on 13-of-24 passes for three touchdowns, the last of which came with 2:55 left in the game to beat Hartford, 27-24.
2. Aaron Buckner, New Buffalo: New Buffalo can be a run attack like it has been in recent years…maybe they should stick to the pass. Aaron Buckner was 7-of-10 passing for 139 yards with five touchdowns last week in the Bison’s win over River Valley. Four of those touchdowns were passes (two to Jim Mullen and one each to Devon Huitsing and Kevin Levine) and one was rushing.
3. Saint Joseph Bears: Why the Bears? Well, they trailed 14-7 at half to winless Portage Central and came back with 21 points in the second half to beat the Mustangs. It was a turnaround based upon team offense and defense. The Bears also out gained Portage Central by a 400-to-162 margin in total yards.
Three Not-So Top Stars
1. Lawrence: It got worse for our neighbors from the west, they got shutout for the third time in as many games. They are currently 0-5 on the season and have been outscored 141-to-0 in the last three games.
2. Fans, Players: Show Respect: This has not shown up at Hartford just yet, but it’s happening at other schools throughout the area, state and country. It’s time to take a stand for respect at a football GAME. Remember, it is a GAME, not life. Most of these young men and women are friends beyond the rivalries. Step up and respect the game!
3. Declining Enrollments: Declining money and enrollments are shrinking school sizes across the state. What does this mean for athletics? It means some teams and even the schools, may not be around much longer. So, in part, that may cause conference realignments, much like we’ve seen in High School and Collegiate Athletics. Support your schools, everyone!
Top 10 BIG SCHOOL Rankings
1. Saint Joseph (5-0)
2. Edwardsburg (4-0)
3. Berrien Springs (5-0)
4. Stevensville Lakeshore (4-1)
5. Paw Paw (5-0)
6. Dowagiac (4-1)
7. Plainwell (4-1)
8. Otsego (4-1)
9. Buchanan (3-1)
10. Vicksburg (4-1)
Honorable Mentions: Hastings (3-2)
Top 10 LITTLE SCHOOL Rankings
1. Mendon (5-0)
2. Saugatuck (5-0)
3. Gobles (5-0)
4. Schoolcraft (4-1)
5. Watervliet (4-1)
6. Lawton (4-1)
7. Decatur (4-1)
8. Climax-Scotts (4-1)
9. Hartford (4-1)
10. Saint Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic (4-1)
Honorable Mentions: Niles Brandywine (4-1), Constantine (3-2), New Buffalo (3-2)
Hartford vs. Lawton: The Live Chat
Tonight is the Southwestern Athletic Conference South Division opener for the 4-0 Hartford Indian Varsity Football team, as they take on 3-1 Lawton at Indian Stadium at 7:00 PM. Tonight, as part of our commitment to better serve the public and community we serve, I will be hosting a LIVE Chat on this Blog!
With the help of CoverItLive, we will be chatting in real time, giving you real time play-by-play updates from the game. Also, with this feature, you, our chat viewers, will be able to send questions to me about the game or anything Hartford Football related. The only stipulation is you must include your name and a “quality” question. Any question with an anonymous name will not be answered. Granted, I can not answer all your questions, but I will try my best to answer as many as one person can!
I sincerely hope you enjoy this new feature tonight! If this works, we will run with it for the final two home games of the season and potentially, the playoffs. Go Green!
Jerrod’s Thoughts: Week Five Game Picks
Every week on this Blog, I will be making my selections on local games and trying to pick the winners of those games each week. The games posted will be within my seven county window (Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, Saint Joseph and Van Buren) and will cover ALL games. Games predicted below are not in any specific order, just by order of the school alphabetically by county.
Last Week: 30-6 (.833)
Season: 123-35 (.778)
Top Three Games of the Week
1. Edwardsburg 28, @ Buchanan 14: Lakeland Conference rivals and two unbeatens hook up this week at Buchanan. Edwardsburg went to the Division Four state quarterfinals last year. The key in this game is defense. What puts the Eddies ahead in this one? Revenge. For 2010. Buchanan handed Edwardsburg its only loss of the regular season.
2. Mendon 24, @ Whittemore-Prescott 14: Non-Conference game of two more unbeatens and teams you usually see go deep in the playoffs every single year. Mendon has the slight advantage due to skill position athletes, but Whittemore-Prescott’s pound-it offensive attack could give the Hornets a slight problem.
3. @ Hartford 31, Lawton 27: Look, everyone, I love our Indians, but let’s face some facts: Hartford does have some passing defense issues and aren’t so solid in the open field right now. However, Lawton isn’t strong defensively either. Hartford has a slight edge, because of the big play potential. To beat Lawton, Hartford must stop the pass and big plays Lawton can make. Definite potential for a classic.
Friday Games
@ Plainwell 31, Allegan 21
@ Bangor 38, Fennville 31
Hudsonville Unity Christian 41, @ Hamilton 14
@ Zeeland East 38, Holland Christian 7
@ Wyoming Kelloggsville 41, Hopkins 21
Saugatuck 49, @ Martin 0
@ Otsego 48, Three Rivers 14
Grand Rapids Catholic Central 41, @ Wayland Union 7
Delton-Kellogg 38, @ Kalamazoo Hackett 17
Hastings 28, @ Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg 17
@ Portage Northern 38, Benton Harbor 10
Berrien Springs 41, @ Cassopolis 14
@ Eau Claire 27, Bridgman 6
@ Niles Brandywine 38, Coloma 28
@ New Buffalo 41, Three Oaks River Valley 21
@ Stevensville Lakeshore 48, Niles 20
Saint Joseph 31, @ Portage Central 17
@ Saint Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 42, LaPorte LaLumiere (Ind.) 10
Watervliet 42, @ Marcellus 7
@ Dowagiac 51, Comstock 7
Kalamazoo Christian 21, @ Galesburg-Augusta 14
Mattawan 28, @ Kalamazoo Central 24
@ Battle Creek Harper Creek 30, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 10
@ Parchment 31, Constantine 21
Vicksburg 41, @ Richland Gull Lake 27
Schoolcraft 51, @ Vermontville Maple Valley 13
North Adams-Jerome 38, @ Colon 21
Sturgis 31, @ Battle Creek Central 27
Gobles 41, @ Bloomingdale 13
@ Decatur 38, Lawrence 0
@ Paw Paw 41, South Haven 6
Saturday Games
@ Saint Joseph Michigan Lutheran 2, Covert 0 (FORFEIT)
@ Climax-Scotts 35, White Pigeon 21
Hesperia 21, @ Centreville 7
Jerrod’s Thoughts: Week Four Recap
Every week in the HartfordFootball.com Blog, I will be posting a Blog on the previous weeks three stars (standout performances by teams and/or players), three not-so top three stars (poor performances by teams and/or players) and be posting my Top 10 “Class B” (Big School) and Top 10 “Class C-D” (Small School) rankings for the week. Remember, the rankings are based on Class B, C and D teams in my seven county area: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, Saint Joseph and Van Buren counties.
Three Stars
1. River Valley Wins: River Valley has been one of the puns of bad football jokes over the last several seasons, but last Friday night, River Valley won a game for the first time since 2009, defeating Michigan Lutheran 20-14. In fact, a River Valley rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter was the only scoring of the second half. Congrats, Mustangs!
2. Jake Cramer, Gobles: Anyone on the 4-0 Tigers could be a standout performer, but last week, it was Jake Cramer who stood out. In a 55-0 demolition of Lawrence, he kicked seven extra points, all in the first quarter, followed by two field goals the rest of the game. Not a bad thirteen point performance on the night.
3. “My Area” Unbeatens: Start spreading the news, nine unbeatens dot my seven county area as of this point in the season and deserve recognition. Those nine are Saint Joseph, Edwardsburg, Berrien Springs, Buchanan, Paw Paw, Mendon, Saugatuck, Gobles and Hartford. Great job to those nine teams.
Three Not-So Top Stars
1. Lawrence: There is ugly and then, there is really ugly and really ugly described Lawrence against Gobles last week. In addition to giving up 55 points to Gobles, they gave up 49 in the first quarter (six rush TD’s, one punt return TD), but they also had just sixteen, yes sixteen, yards in the game, including -14 yards rushing as a team.
2. Turnover Follies: I must say in every game I have went to this year, there has been an abundance of turnovers, especially fumbles by running backs. I don’t know if it is the ball or the weather or what, but teams that have won have definitely been on the plus side of the turnover ratio at games end.
3. “My Area” Winless: Also, spread this news: ten of the teams in my seven county area at this point have no wins at all in the first four weeks and have basically, in my opinion, failed to make playoffs this season, but could play spoiler to others. Those ten teams are Martin, Comstock, Galesburg-Augusta, Kalamazoo Christian, Kalamazoo Hackett, Portage Central, Three Rivers, Bangor, Lawrence and South Haven.
Top 10 BIG SCHOOL Rankings
1. Saint Joseph (4-0)
2. Edwardsburg (3-0)
3. Berrien Springs (4-0)
4. Stevensville Lakeshore (3-1)
5. Buchanan (3-0)
6. Paw Paw (4-0)
7. Dowagiac (3-1)
8. Plainwell (3-1)
9. Otsego (3-1)
10. Vicksburg (3-1)
Honorable Mentions: Parchment (3-1)
Top 10 LITTLE SCHOOL Rankings
1. Mendon (4-0)
2. Saugatuck (4-0)
3. Gobles (4-0)
4. Hartford (4-0)
5. Schoolcraft (3-1)
6. Watervliet (3-1)
7. Lawton (3-1)
8. Decatur (3-1)
9. Climax-Scotts (3-1)
10. Delton-Kellogg (3-1)
Honorable Mentions: Niles Brandywine (3-1), Saint Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic (3-1)
Jerrod’s Thoughts: A Personal Blog
From time to time–and since this is “My Blog”, I will be posting my personal thoughts on some football and non football-related topics. Also, I will be posting my “Parting Shots”, which may or may not have to do with football, at all. These “Parting Shots” will include congratulations on a personal basis from me to a certain person, team or otherwise denoted individuals.
However, this week, this personal Blog will just have some parting shots to several individuals this week and is off topic and is about racing and winning in general.
Parting Shots
Here are my “Parting Shots” for the Week of September 12, 2011:
This weeks “Parting Shot” goes out to a good friend of mine, Josh Hobson. Who’s Josh Hobson? Josh is a high-school senior from Birch Run, near Flint. Last Saturday night (with yours truly in attendance), Josh scored his first “Stock Car” Feature Victory at the Berlin Raceway in Marne, near Grand Rapids, leading all thirty laps in the feature race. Josh has been racing for several years now and has been crowned seven times as the WKA Karting National Champion on Asphalt and was filmed in a documentary entitled “Racing Dreams”, which he starred in. The film was executively produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. To follow Josh’s racing career and future endeavors, seek him out by hitting up his official website or his Facebook “Fan Page” or even on his Twitter and tell him Jerrod sent you! Congratulations, Josh, I’m very proud of you! And also, a big congratulations to one of his crew men, C.J. Opperman, too. He is a football player in Birch Run (see, it is Football related!).
Other Racers I Support
Even though I just mentioned Josh, I also support a number of other racers, both locally and nationally and ask you all to SUPPORT them, as well. Below are a list of my supported drivers, a little background information about them and links (if applicable) to their Websites, Twitter and Facebook Fan Pages. Please, PLEASE, support them just as much as you do this website and also, tell them Jerrod sent you! (F means a Facebook Fan Page, W means a Website and T means a Twitter Feed)
Alex Bowman (NC): NASCAR K&N East Series, ARCA.
(W) (F) (T)
Alex Kennedy (AZ): NASCAR Nationwide Series.
(W) (F)
Austin Luedtke (WI): ASA Midwest Tour Truck Series.
(W) (T)
Ben Kennedy (FL): NASCAR K&N East Series.
(W) (F) (T)
Brandon Hermiller (MI): Pro Stock and Premier Boyne Machine Late Models (at Berlin).
(W)
Camden Murphy (IL): ASA Midwest Tour Truck Series, USST Super Truck National Series.
(W) (F) (T)
Casey Roderick (GA): NASCAR Nationwide Series.
(F)
Clint King (NC): Southeastern United States Late Model Series(s), ARCA.
(W) (F) (T)
Cody Hodgson (CA): NASCAR K&N East Series.
(W) (F) (T)
Cole Powell (Canada): NASCAR Whelen Modifieds, CRA Jeg’s All-Stars Tour.
(T)
Conor Daly (IN): Firestone Indy Lights (2010 Champion). GP3 (IndyCars) throughout Europe.
(W) (F) (T)
Corey LaJoie (NC): NASCAR K&N East Series.
(W) (F) (T)
Derrick Griffin (IN): CRA Super Series.
(F) (T)
Dillon Welch (IN): Asphalt “Wingless” Sprint Cars.
(W) (T)
Dylan Kwasniewski (NV): NASCAR K&N West Series.
(W) (F) (T)
Erik Jones (MI): CRA Jeg’s All-Stars Tour.
(W) (F) (T)
Gabe Ensing (MI): Premier Boyne Machine Late Models (at Berlin).
Garett Goodwin (MI): ASA Midwest Tour Truck Series.
(W) (F) (T)
Jake Zellmer (WI): Local Late Models throughout Wisconsin.
(W)
Jason LaDuke (MI): USST Super Truck Great Lakes and National Series.
(F)
Jonathan Martin (IN): USA Modifieds, CRA Jeg’s All-Star Tour.
(W) (F) (T)
Jordan Dahlke (MI): Modifieds and Premier Boyne Machine Late Models (at Berlin).
(W)
Kyle Brinkmann (WI): ASA Midwest Tour Truck Series.
(W) (F) (T)
Matt DiBenedetto (CA): NASCAR K&N East Series.
(W) (F) (T)
Max Gresham (GA): NASCAR K&N East Series, ARCA.
(W) (F) (T)
Petri Suvanto (Finland): US Formula 2000 (IndyCars) (2011 Champion).
(W) (F) (T)
Reed Sorenson (GA): NASCAR Nationwide Series.
(W)
Sage Karam (PA): Star Mazda Series Driver (IndyCars).
(W) (F) (T)
Scott Saunders (Australia): PASS Late Model South Series, Go-Karts.
(W) (F)
Seth Moody (MI): Super Stock and Premier Boyne Machine Late Models (at Berlin).
(W)
Spencer Gallagher (NV): NASCAR K&N West Series.
(F) (T)
Spencer Pigot (FL): US Formula 2000 (IndyCars) (second in 2011 Points).
(W) (F) (T)
Tanner Berryhill (OK): NASCAR K&N East Series, Legends Cars.
(W) (T)
Tanner Whitten (IL): NASCAR K&N East Series.
(W) (F) (T)
Timmy Megenbier (IL): US Formula 2000 (IndyCars) (seventh in 2011 Points).
(W) (F) (T)
Tyler Nawrocki (MI): Four-Cylinder “B” Division Driver (at Berlin).
Tyler Roahrig (IN): Local Late Models throughout Indiana. CRA All-Stars Series.
Zach Veach (OH): US Formula 2000 (IndyCars) (fourth in 2011 Points).
(W) (F) (T)
Jerrod’s Thoughts: Week Four Game Picks
Every week on this Blog, I will be making my selections on local games and trying to pick the winners of those games each week. The games posted will be within my seven county window (Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, Saint Joseph and Van Buren) and will cover ALL games. Games predicted below are not in any specific order, just by order of the school alphabetically by county.
Last Week: 30-9 (.769)
Season: 93-29 (.762)
Top Three Games of the Week
1. @ Vicksburg 20, Plainwell 14: Vicksburg and Plainwell are shocking the Wolverine “B” Conference. Vicksburg is 3-0, Plainwell is 2-1 after finishing 0-9 last season. Vicksburg is a slight favorite due to the kicking game, as they proved against Dowagiac last week.
2. @ Saint Joseph 17, Portage Northern 14: Battle of SMAC West foes in the home of the Bears. Should be a great game with great defense. The one advantage: the Bears are not coming off a loss, unlike the Huskies.
3. Parchment 27, @ Schoolcraft 20: Parchment is an “unlikely” 3-0 and Schoolcraft is a “solid” 2-1. This game will be decided by Schoolcraft’s rush defense against Parchment’s pass defense. Both teams have solid defenses and one stop will prove to be a major difference.
Friday Games
Dowagiac 31, @ Allegan 21
Lawton 42, @ Fennville 22
@ Hamilton 38, Wyoming Rogers 17
Zeeland West 41, @ Holland Christian 10
@ Sparta 21, Hopkins 14
Watervliet 41, @ Martin 0
Otsego 52, @ South Haven 21
Saugatuck 48, @ Marcellus 10
@ Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg 48, Wayland Union 21
@ Delton-Kellogg 35, Galesburg-Augusta 7
@ Grand Rapids Catholic Central 31, Hastings 14
Mattawan 31, @ Benton Harbor 14
Berrien Springs 41, @ Niles Brandywine 14
@ Bridgman 2, Covert 0 (FORFEIT)
@ Buchanan 35, Coloma 0
Saint Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 35, @ Eau Claire 21
Kalamazoo Central 28, @ Niles 21
Saint Joseph Michigan Lutheran 45, @ Three Oaks River Valley 8
Stevensville Lakeshore 35, @ Portage Central 10
@ Edwardsburg 42, Cassopolis 15
Climax-Scotts 35, @ Decatur 27
@ Paw Paw 49, Comstock 7
Olivet 38, @ Kalamazoo Christian 7
@ Constantine 35, Kalamazoo Hackett 10
@ Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 28, Sturgis 14
Richland Gull Lake 31, @ Three Rivers 14
Mendon 51, @ Centreville 10
@ Colon 20, Waldron 10
White Pigeon 34, @ Bronson 20
Hartford 35, @ Bangor 21
Bloomingdale 48, @ Grand Rapids Northpointe Christian 31
Gobles 37, @ Lawrence 0
Saturday Game
New Buffalo 41, @ LaPorte LaLumiere (Ind.) 14
Jerrod’s Thoughts: Week Three Recap
Every week in the HartfordFootball.com Blog, I will be posting a Blog on the previous weeks three stars (standout performances by teams and/or players), three not-so top three stars (poor performances by teams and/or players) and be posting my Top 10 “Class B” (Big School) and Top 10 “Class C-D” (Small School) rankings for the week. Remember, the rankings are based on Class B, C and D teams in my seven county area: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, Saint Joseph and Van Buren counties.
Three Stars
1. Gobles over Lawton: All I gotta say is wow after this one. Gobles’ running game took Lawton to school last week, with Adam Vosburg, whom I consider the best rusher in the conference, rushed for 332 yards in the win. Gobles could be a threat to win the North Division, while Lawton has to improve to keep up in the South, especially defensively.
2. Vicksburg, Paw Paw Both at 3-0: Both of these Wolverine “B” Conference teams lost many stud athletes last spring to graduation, but by both accounts, they are 3-0. Why? Big players stepping up at big times. For Paw Paw in their 23-20 win over Otsego, it was James DeYoung and his defensive attack. And Vicksburg, it was kicker Jesser Boulnemour with two field goals to beat Dowagiac, 6-3.
3. T.J. Sobota, Bloomingdale: Talk about a star performance in a losing battle. Sobota rushed for 174 yards and four touchdowns against Hartford last week, in a LOSS, 41-34 to the Indians. Apparently, the Bloomingdale defense needs to improve. Can’t have big numbers like that and lose.
Three Not-So Top Stars
1. White Pigeon: Chiefs, what’s up? Two years ago, this team BEAT Decatur in the first round of the playoffs and now, you’re 0-3? I understand a lot has changed, players are gone and what not, but it’s time to step up. It was looking good for a few years for Coach Jason Vogel, but you can’t help but wonder if the honeymoon is over.
2. Constantine at 1-2: Who would have thought the defending back-to-back semi-finalists in Division Six would be struggling with back-to-back losses? Sure, they’ve played conference favorite Pennfield and defending Division Five runner-up Olivet, but only 14 points in two games? It’s shocking. But, in defense, the team that has beaten them both years, Monroe Saint Mary Catholic Central, is also 1-2.
3. Referees: Look, I know the referees are there at a game to make sure the rules of the game are enforced, but sometimes, including in a game I saw last week, they take over the game. I respect the referees of the MHSAA, but when you take over the game in the fourth quarter rather than the kids, then spend eight minutes disputing a call, that’s wrong. Let the kids decide the game on both sides.
Top 10 BIG SCHOOL Rankings
1. Saint Joseph (3-0)
2. Edwardsburg (2-0)
3. Berrien Springs (3-0)
4. Buchanan (2-0)
5. Stevensville Lakeshore (2-1)
6. Vicksburg (3-0)
7. Paw Paw (3-0)
8. Parchment (3-0)
9. Dowagiac (2-1)
10. Otsego (2-1)
Honorable Mentions: Allegan (2-1), Hastings (2-1), Plainwell (2-1)
Top 10 LITTLE SCHOOL Rankings
1. Mendon (3-0)
2. Saugatuck (3-0)
3. Gobles (3-0)
4. Climax-Scotts (3-0)
5. Hartford (3-0)
6. Watervliet (2-1)
7. Schoolcraft (2-1)
8. Lawton (2-1)
9. Niles Brandywine (3-0)
10. Decatur (2-1)
Honorable Mentions: Cassopolis (2-1), Delton-Kellogg (2-1), Saint Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic (2-1)
Update: Website Downtime Statement
To the Hartford Indian Football Family and Fan Base:
Last Sunday, during the day, you may have noticed that when you came to our website at http://www.hartfordfootball.com, you received for a majority of the day a page containing “Debt Consolidation” and not the page you come and support every day.
The truth about what occurred is behind the scenes. The fact is I addressed the situation quickly, soon after the first signs of trouble and the situation was taken care of that same day. It was corrected and in the evening on Sunday, the website was returned to normal function.
I have been doing this site for almost six years now, since the days when we where on Freewebs “free hosting” with limited space and bandwidth to the site you see today, fully featured. But, this is the first and only time that the website has been down for a “lengthy” period of time. I’d consider this a complete success from a Webmaster and IT perspective.
Those who are saying that I’m slacking and don’t care about this page, guess what? I care more than you think. That’s why the site issues were taken care of so quickly. I don’t sit idly by when our site is not working or correct. I may not be at every Hartford game now with new opportunities lurking, but I’m more dedicated to this site than I have ever been.
Everyone know it’s who I am. I spend literally ten or more hours a week on this site, between updates on the site to this Blog to combing through all sorts of information and data to make sure the site has the correct information for you, the fans. It’s ten-plus hours a week I could be spending some place else, but I decide to dedicate it to you, the community of Hartford.
I love this community. Everyone in Hartford knows this place has a special attachment to all who live here. Some may like it, some may not, but the truth is we are small town America, where everyone knows everyone. We see each other in the restaurants or the bank or the grocery store and at the Friday night Football games. We may not know every single person living here, but no matter who we are or what we look like, we are united as one family: the Hartford family.
So, to show my dedication to this community and the Hartford family, I have decided to extend the website and my “contract” through the Fall of 2013. I hope in the next two years to continue to build the website up even further to enhance the Indian Football experience, especially to those with local ties, but who can’t make it to the games. (Look forward to future updates, everyone!)
My special thanks first goes to Matt Olds and Custom Computing, who have graciously hosted this site the past five years and whom the relationship will continue into the future. Matt has been especially great in allowing us to keep the domain and host this website at a nominal cost to us and that, in these times, is greatly appreciated. Matt knows what it’s like to be a Hartford Indian and he is also showing his true Hartford spirit. If you ever see Matt, tell him Thank You as well. He’s as important as I am to making this site happen.
My thanks also extends to the Hartford Indian Football family: the coaches, staff, players and the Hartford Public Schools family for their support. It’s always great to have the support of so many people in the football arena and in the School District and your kind words always ease the stresses of getting the site done.
And my final thanks goes to you fans, for you are the backbone behind this website. I’ve heard a lot of great compliments from you over the years and your support is very much appreciated. I’ve said right along that Hartford has the GREATEST fans in football and I’ll stick by that statement until I die, because it’s the honest truth. I may not ever meet all of you in person, but know I do appreciate each and every single one of you! So, Thank You!
If you have any questions, ideas or comments, good or bad, do not ever hesitate to e-mail me at webmaster@hartfordfootball.com. I’m usually good in responding to everyone, but it may take some time to get back with you due to a hectic schedule. But rest assured, your comments do not fall on deaf ears!
Thanks for your support of the website and here’s to many great years ahead for the Indians! Always remember, cheer often, cheer loud; but do that in a responsible and positive manner. It’s sportsmanship on the field and in the stands, too!
GO INDIANS!
Jerrod Birmele
Webmaster
Jerrod’s Thoughts: Week Three Game Picks
Every week on this Blog, I will be making my selections on local games and trying to pick the winners of those games each week. The games posted will be within my seven county window (Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, Saint Joseph and Van Buren) and will cover ALL games. Games predicted below are not in any specific order, just by order of the school alphabetically by county.
Last Week: 30-9 (.769)
Season: 63-20 (.759)
Top Three Games of the Week
1. @ Saugatuck 31, Watervliet 17: It’s the battle of two Southwestern Athletic Conference teams that are unbeaten. Saugatuck and Watervliet have started strong. One has to lose, why? Watervliet has had trouble, in the past, shutting the Wing-T down.
2. @ Dowagiac 38, Vicksburg 17: Dowagiac may very well be the best team in the Wolverine “B” Conference this year and Vicksburg, after losing many seniors last year after a playoff birth, is 2-0 as well. Dowagiac’s offense is stout, led by multi-college recruit Brett Scanlon. After seeing Dowagiac last week, great team.
3. @ Mendon 48, Edgerton (Oh.) 41: This could easily be the “GAME OF THE WEEK” in the area, overall, as Ohio powerhouse Edgerton takes on Michigan powerhouse Mendon. Last year, Edgerton beat Mendon in Ohio, 47-28. This year, the game will be a lot closer and could swing either way. Favorite: Mendon at home.
Friday Games
@ Allegan 41, Comstock 7
@ Fennville 28, Lawrence 14
@ Byron Center 31, Hamilton 10
Holland Christian 31, @ Wyoming Rogers 27
@ Hopkins 51, Kent City 7
Marcellus 35, @ Martin 20
@ Otsego 38, Paw Paw 34
@ Plainwell 28, Three Rivers 20
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern 28, @ Wayland Union 20
Delton-Kellogg 41, @ Vermontville Maple Valley 17
Hastings 31, @ Caledonia 27
@ Grand Rapids Catholic Central 28, Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg 21
Saint Joseph 38, @ Benton Harbor 7
Berrien Springs 38, @ White Pigeon 14
Buchanan 28, @ Wyoming Kelloggsville 26
@ Saint Joseph Michigan Lutheran 48, Eau Claire 10
New Buffalo 2, @ Covert 0 (FORFEIT)
Niles 27, @ Mattawan 14
@ Saint Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 55, Three Oaks River Valley 6
Portage Northern 21, @ Stevensville Lakeshore 20
@ Cassopolis 48, Centreville 20
Edwardsburg 49, @ Bronson 12
Climax-Scotts 30, @ Bellevue 20
Schoolcraft 56, @ Galesburg-Augusta 14
@ Portage Central 21, Kalamazoo Central 7
@ Parchment 31, Kalamazoo Christian 13
Battle Creek Pennfield 49, @ Kalamazoo Hackett 6
Coldwater 28, @ Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 20
@ Richland Gull Lake 31, South Haven 8
Pittsford 38, @ Colon 28
@ Olivet 28, Constantine 22
Battle Creek Harper Creek 41, @ Sturgis 17
@ Bangor 38, Decatur 21
Hartford 38, @ Bloomingdale 31
@ Gobles 28, Lawton 22
Saturday Game
Coloma 31, @ LaPorte LaLumiere (Ind.) 21