Predictions, breakdowns for Week 5 Livingston County football games
I was standing on the Howell sideline Friday night shortly after the Highlanders took a 28-21 lead over Plymouth with 4:21 left in the fourth quarter.
Levi Curtin, Howell’s injured running back and linebacker, informed me that if that result held up, I would have nailed the exact final score in my Week 4 predictions.
I had no clue. I knew I picked Howell to win a close game, but didn’t remember the exact score. Quite frankly, had I known Howell would go for 2-point conversions after every touchdown, I would’ve picked a number like 27 or 29, not 28.
A couple Howell players also reminded me after the game that I picked the exact final score.
Once again, I was reminded that, if nobody remembers a single word I write in any other article, they remember my football picks.
I was more concerned that a game that had been moving along nicely because Howell didn’t attempt a single pass could be heading for overtime. Overtime in sports is an awesome thing, but is a dirty word among sports writers who can’t cheer for teams, but can root for fast games.
Photographer extraordinaire Tim Arrick thought I jinxed it when I looked at the clock and mentioned the “O” word.
But thanks to Howell linebacker Ethan Keider and friends, who stuffed a fourth-and-two quarterback sneak with 1:31 remaining, the Highlanders came away with a 28-21 victory and I was able to get to bed (barely) before 3 a.m.
Perhaps more significant than getting the final score correct was actually watching a Livingston County team win in person for the first time this season. After covering four losses, it was nice to write a happy story for a change.
I’m guaranteed to have that opportunity for at least the next two Friday nights with two of the three head-to-head matchups between county teams this season taking place. Hartland will be involved in both, visiting Brighton this Friday before hosting Howell next week.
With county teams going a combined 5-15, there haven’t been many opportunities to cover winning teams. Personally, I’m having a banner year predicting games, going 18-2 after a 5-0 record in Week 4.
Will both trends continue? Read on as I break down and predict the outcome of the county’s Week 5 games, which all kick off at 7 p.m. Friday.
Hartland at Brighton
Both teams are 1-3, but it doesn’t matter to either team that this game won’t impact the KLAA West championship picture.
This is a rivalry game, one of only three that football fans in this county get to enjoy each regular season. In what has been a dismal start for both teams, winning this game would work wonders toward changing the outlook for the season.
For Hartland, a victory would be one of the biggest moments for the program in the past several years. The Eagles have lost eight straight times to the Bulldogs since winning 14-7 on Oct. 2, 2015.
Hartland has played well enough defensively to win the last two years, losing 7-6 in 2021 and 9-7 last year. The leg of Braeden Chiles, now a senior, has been the difference in both games. He converted his extra point while Hartland’s was missed in 2021 and he kicked a game-winning 25-yard field goal with 1:48 left last season. With a school-record 54-yarder to his credit this season, Chiles could be the X-factor.
Brighton’s defense, stinging from allowing six touchdown passes to Novi’s Caleb Walker last Friday, faces a Hartland team that has scored 67 points the last two weeks. However, Plymouth and Salem aren’t exactly the toughest defenses in the KLAA.
Brighton quarterback Grant Hetherton will make just enough plays for the Bulldogs to extend their mastery over the Eagles.
Prediction: Brighton 17, Hartland 13
Northville at Howell
Howell is feeling good about itself after back-to-back victories have the Highlanders at the .500 mark.
Now in comes Northville, a team that looks very much like the favorite to win the KLAA West. The unbeaten Mustangs are the complete package, possessing a balanced offense that has hung 50 points on two opponents (and hasn’t played Salem yet) and a tough defense that has allowed only 53 points.
Brighton could manage only one measly rushing yard against the Mustangs two weeks ago. Since running the ball is Howell’s preferred (and pretty much only) mode of transportation, it could be a long night for the Highlanders. Howell can’t afford to be in third-and-long situations and hope to win.
Prediction: Northville 28, Howell 14
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Fowlerville at Williamston
Losing 26-23 to St. Johns on a late field goal last Friday was a tough blow for Fowlerville, which would have been looking much better at 2-2.
Junior quarterback Wyatt Soli had a solid performance in the loss, throwing for two touchdowns to Will Shrader and running for another score.
He will have to play at a different level to keep pace with Williamston’s explosive passing attack. Zach Cribbs is averaging 26.1 yards per completion and receiver Max McCune is averaging 29.6 yards per catch, grabbing six of Cribbs’ nine touchdown passes.
Prediction: Williamston 28, Fowlerville 21
Pinckney at Tecumseh
Pinckney still hasn’t won a game and has scored only 13 points through four games, but an encouraging sign was the play of its defense in a 13-7 loss to Jackson last Friday. Jackson scored 83 points the previous two weeks, while Pinckney allowed an average of 44 points the first three weeks. Holding Jackson to only one touchdown was a big boost for the Pirates.
Sitting at 0-4 for the first time since 2015, the Pirates have their toughest opponents behind them. Three of the next five opponents are 1-3, including Tecumseh. The Indians have dropped off considerably following a 10-1 2022 season, but they know Pinckney well enough to focus all their defensive attention on receiver Nolan Carruthers, coming off a 16-catch, 181-yard performance.
Prediction: Tecumseh 21, Pinckney 13
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Predictions, breakdowns for Week 5 Livingston County football games
