2023 High School Football Preview – Independent schools
Today’s look at the upcoming high school football season is those schools that do have a conference affiliation, but have chosen for various reasons to not play within those conferences this season. Coloma did not field a varsity team last season, so with their opponents locked into two year scheduling contracts, Coloma will not be able to resume their SAC Conference schedule until next season.
Gull Lake and Kalamazoo Loy Norrix each stepped away from the SMAC conference for football to try to spend their time rebuilding their struggling programs. Gull Lake has announced that they will be heading back to the SMAC for 2024. Loy Norrix is facing a mandate from the rest of the SMAC to rejoin the league. Loy Norrix has not made any announcement on any possible return to SMAC play.
Independent football teams
Coloma Comets
2022 Record: No varsity team last year
Head Coach: Brian Klee (3rd season, 0-8)
2023 Schedule:
8/24 vs. Parchment – 7:00 p.m.
8/31 at Buchanan – 7:00 p.m.
9/8 at Dowagiac – 7:00 p.m.
9/15 at Watervliet – 7:00 p.m.
9/22 at Saugatuck – 7:00 p.m.
9/29 vs. Kalamazoo Loy Norrix – 7:00 p.m.
10/6 BYE WEEK
10/13 vs. Brandywine – 7:00 p.m.
10/20 vs. Decatur – 7:00 p.m.
Coloma returns to the varsity football field this season after only fielding a junior varsity team last year. Brian Klee is back for his third year as head coach of the program, but he has been on the Coloma coaching staff for 10 years.
Coloma’s JV team last year had 1 junior, 8 sophomores and 17 freshman. This year, Coloma will have 23 players on the varsity roster this season and has four seniors, who will be getting their first taste of varsity football in the final season of high school.
Since Coloma did not field a varsity team last season, their opponents in the SAC last year scheduled games for two seasons, so Coloma will be an independent team, but will also give the Comets at chance to give their young inexperienced roster the snaps they need before rejoining the rest of the SAC conference in 2024.
Klee says his key players on his Multiple Gun Option offense are; Treyton Myers, Running Back, 5’9″, 175, Sophomore, Callen Hickmon, Offensive Line, 5’11” 190, Junior, Evan Schadowsky, Offensive Line, 5’10”, 245, Sophomore, Cole Hartmann, H-Back, 6’2″, 180, Junior, Jayelin Vawter, Tight End, 6’3″, 200, Sophomore, Maverick Kraemer, Quarterback, 6’0″, 150, Sophomore, Ryan Schroeder, Wide Receiver, 6’3″, 150, Junior, and Carson Ashlye, Wide Receiver, 5’9″, 135, Junior
The key players on the Comets 3-4 defense will be Robert Wagner, Linebacker, 5’11”, 155, Senior
Cole Hartmann, Linebacker, 6’2″, 180, Junior, Jayelin Vawter, Defensive Line, 6’3″, 200, Sophomore
Jaymes Phillips, Defensive Line, 6’2″, 215, Junior, Callen Hickmon, Offensive Line, 5’11” 190, Junior, Evan Schadowsky, Offensive Line, 5’10”, 245, Sophomore, Aaron Case, Linebacker, 6’0″, 160, Sophomore and Landon Kitchell, Defensive Back, 5’10”, Junior.
Myers will be the punter and kick returner and Wagner will be the kicker.
Klee tells us, “I’m excited that Coloma is making the return to competing at the varsity level this year after playing only junior varsity games last year with a team that had 1 junior, 8 sophomores and 17 freshmen. In 2022, while posting a 7-2 junior varsity record the young players gained invaluable experience that will surely help them to be better prepared to play a varsity schedule in 2023. The team is obviously very young, but shows promising talent.
The offense should be led by a strong offensive line and very good speed both in the backfield and on the perimeter.
The defense should be stout with an explosive defensive line and great team speed at the linebacker and defensive back positions.”
Even though the Comets are not playing in the SAC this season, he says. “We obviously look forward to competing against several conference rivals who were able to help us put a schedule together! I’m sure once again that both the Lakeshore Division and Valley Division will be very competitive.
Coloma opens the season at home against Parchment, before heading to Buchanan the following week for the Bucks tribute night for the Galien Gaels.
Gull Lake Blue Devils
2022 Record: 3-6 (Independent)
Head Coach: Jason Porter
2023 Schedule:
8/25 vs. Marshall – 7:00 p.m.
8/31 vs. Vicksburg – 7:00 p.m.
9/8 vs. Jackson Lumen Christi – 7:00 p.m.
9/15 at Parma Western – 7:00 p.m.
9/22 at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix – 7:00 p.m.
9/29 vs. Benton Harbor – 7:00 p.m.
10/6 at Cadilliac – 7:00 p.m.
10/13 at Pinckney – 7:00 p.m.
10/20 vs. Olivet – 7:00 p.m.
Gull Lake did not reply to our request for a season preview.
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix Knights
2022 Record: 2-7 (Independent)
Head Coach: Lorenzen Robertson (3rd season, 2-16)
2023 Schedule:
8/24 at Kalamazoo Central – 7:30 p.m.
8/31 at Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills – 7:00 p.m.
9/8 vs. Allegan – 7:00 p.m.
9/15 at Lansing Everett – 7:00 p.m.
9/22 vs. Gull Lake – 7:00 p.m.
9/29 at Coloma – 7:00 p.m.
10/6 vs. Livonia Clarenceville – 7:00 p.m.
10/13 at Tecumseh – 7:00 p.m.
10/20 vs. Bronson – 7:00 p.m.
Loy Norrix did not reply to our request for a season preview.
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