Lenawee Christian football eyes state title run after dominating to 8-0 start

ADRIAN — If anyone knows when the running clock rule takes effect in MHSAA football, it's Lenawee Christian.

When a team goes up by 35 or more points in the second half, the clock only stops for scores, injuries or if someone calls a timeout until the opposing teams can get the deficit back under 35 points.

The Cougars are 8-0 and have needed to use the running clock in all eight games.

"(We've) got so many weapons," said coach Bill Wilharms. "Defensive coordinators can't stop one person or two people. That's one of the things we've really worked on here. Run your routes hard and maybe you'll get a chance to catch the ball. We don't look for one person, everybody is a threat for us."

LCS is ranked No. 1 in the state in Division 2 8-man and have looked the part all season, outscoring opponents 441-58.

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It's not like the Cougars have played a weak schedule either. LCS' opponents combined record is 37-35, which includes Division 1 No. 7 Kingston next week on the road. The Cougars also put the most points on Division 1 Mendon in decades (73) and beat unbeaten Pittsford, 41-0, this week for the SCAA East title.

"Our kids might not have the stats, but they've got the state championship rings," Wilharms said. "It's a very caring group for each other. They aren't jealous of each other's talents, they use each others talents to push themselves even farther and they are happy for the success of their teammates.

"That's a credit to the parents and the school here and they believe in and what they teach."

LCS is deep, and tall, in receiver targets with 6-foot-6-inch Easton Boggs, 6-5 Seth Davis, 6-2 Paul Towler and 6-0 Jesse Miller. Elijah Lutz, Brenner Powers and Blake Drogowski provide threats out of the backfield as well, but leading the offense is quarterback Sam Lutz.

The 5-6 senior is as dynamic as any quarterback to come through LCS in recent history.

From Adam Baker when the Cougars were still in 11-man, to Landon Gallant who was in the backfield with Jameson Chesser on the first state title run, to Ashur Bryja who led the team in the second state title run and now it's Lutz's turn to direct the Cougars.

"He's went to what Adam Baker was and as good as Landon and Ashur," Wilharms said. "He's been able to drop the ball in a little bit better, but they all have similar attributes. They are all such competitors. It's not that they like to win, but they just don't like to lose and that's so vital."

A loss, or three losses rather, have been the driving force to motivating this LCS squad.

The Cougars are a little more loose than last year's team which went 8-3 and lost in the Division 1 8-man regional final to eventual state champions, Martin, 56-14.

LCS won back-to-back Division 1 8-man state titles in 2020 and 2021, going 24-0 and carrying the win streak to 27 games by winning the first three games in 2022.

There was a lot of pressure on last year's squad and it came to a head with losses to Colon and Climax Scotts in the regular season, the program's first regular-season losses since Week 2 of 2019 when the Cougars were still 11-man.

"It's a lot of pressure on the kids," Wilharms said.

Between seasons, LCS' enrollment dropped from 174 to 138, moving the program down to Division 2 8-man where Powers North Central has won three-straight state titles.

"It's a lot nicer to be the hunter because the last few years we've been the hunted," Wilharms said.

The move from divisions and the pressure of the winning streak no longer hanging over the program has created a looser team this season.

"We've been riding our freshmen and sophomore state championships," Lutz said. "Last year showed we're a different team, but we can be just as good. We're creating our own legacy.

"We love the game and come out here and have fun. We love it and that's a big part of our game."

At times, it can drive Wilharms and his staff a little crazy with how much fun the team is having on the practice field.

"It almost drives me insane," Wilharms said. "But this is their personality. They are serious, they'll turn it on, but they've got their own unique peace."

One of the things this team got serious about was the weight room.

The team is stronger as a whole and they are serious about one other thing as well.

"We were in the weight room every morning at 4:30," Lutz said. "We came to win a chip. That's what we're looking at and that's what our goal was this offseason."

Contact Sports Editor Kristopher Lodes at klodes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter, @LenaweeLodes

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lenawee Christian football overpowering opponents to 8-0 start