Week 1 high school football previews, predictions around Coldwater
The 2023 high school football season here in Branch County is upon us as kick-off time quickly approaches for all five teams in The Daily Reporter coverage area.
Week one will see a whole slate of games, most of the non-conference variety, with old rivalries renewed, new regimes tested, and a whole new class of players take the field.
With all that in mind let us look at what to expect with our Week 1 Prep Football Previews and Picks.
Sturgis at Coldwater
The Daily Reporter Game of the Week, at Cardinal Field, Friday, 7 p.m.
This renews a long-standing rivalry that dates to 1916, when the Cardinals defeated Sturgis 70-0. The two teams met annually from 1919 to 2013, when the teams went their separate ways in a conference realignment, Sturgis to the Wolverine Conference and Coldwater to the Interstate 8. The teams have faced each other one time since then, in the first round of the 2020 Division Three MHSAA playoffs, a game Coldwater won 40-14.
Both teams have taken turns controlling the rivalry, with Sturgis holding the longest win streak from 1996-2004. Besides that stretch, the games are nearly even.
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Coldwater returns a good deal of talent from a team that only won one game last season, and those players have put together a big offseason.
Sturgis finished last year at 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the Wolverine Conference, seeing their season end with a first-round playoff loss to Mason. Sturgis lost a big offensive weapon, Jacob Thompson, to graduation but does return its starting quarterback from last season, Taner Patrick, and leading receivers Callahan Lamb and Rasean Otey. Lamb will also lead the Sturgis defense from his defensive end position.
Coldwater returns last year’s leading passer and rusher in quarterback Zach Coffing, not to mention running backs Jackson Reilly, Jack Ruden, Tre Miller, and Drew Ennis. Ruden and Coffing also lead a physical defense that hopes to have made huge strides in the offseason.
Coldwater struggled last year, but this is a different team with a different mindset, look for 2023 to be a bounce back year for the Cardinals.
Prediction: Coldwater 20, Sturgis 13
Centreville at Union City
at Alumni Field, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Union City is the reigning Big 8 conference champion, and the Chargers return nearly everyone from a team that went 7-3 last season, including a 6-0 record in the Big 8.
Starting quarterback, junior Eli Payne (996 yards, 11 touchdowns, 2 interceptions) has weapons galore, including his top four receivers from last season, led by all-conference honorees Rick Austin (16 catches, 493 yards, six touchdowns) and Jeremy Zehr (23 catches, 351 yards, two touchdowns. The Chargers also have are their top four rushers back, including all-conference back Riley (115 carries, 774 yards, 11 touchdowns) along with talented junior Dylon MacDonald who, even hampered by injuries, rushed for 391 yards and four scores.
The Chargers are tasked with replacing most of their offensive and defensive lines, only returning one starter along the offensive front. The guys in the trenches will be hard to replace, as each earned all-conference honors on one side of the line or the other.
Centreville has been known in the past as a running team but that changed last year as the Bulldogs aired things out a little more. The Bulldogs had their share of success, advancing to the MHSAA playoffs before falling to eventual district champion White Pigeon.
Like last year, this game will be a slugfest between two exceptionally good teams. The Chargers are dynamic on offense and quick on defense. Centreville took last year’s matchup with a mix of pass and the run, which it will need to rely on to grind out a high-powered Union City offense. I think this one will be close, but I think the Chargers will get revenge for last season and start the year at 1-0.
Prediction: Union City 27, Centreville 20
Sand Creek at Quincy
at Quincy High School, Friday, 7 p.m.
Quincy finished at 2-7 last year and returns some key players, but must replace their leading rusher and big parts of their offensive and defensive front seven. Last year, Sand Creek took the slim 8-0 win to kick off the season, on their way to also finishing 2-7.
Both teams need to replace key spots so week one should be a great test for both teams. I think the Orioles get one back on Sand Creek with a win in week one.
Prediction: Quincy 12, Sand Creek 8
Prairie Heights at Bronson
at Bronson High School, Friday, 7 p.m.
The Vikings return last year’s MVP in Seth Withington and boasts two of the toughest players in the area in Collin York and Carson Norton, with York holding down the defensive and Norton leading the offense as this year’s signal caller.
Prairie Heights is 0-1 after falling in their Indiana season opener to South Whitley Whitko, 20-0. The Panthers finished 2-8 last season as their defense gave up more than 32 points per game.
Both teams enter on a different path than last season, however with Bronson’s renewed focus on its physical run game, I think the Vikings grind out a much-needed season opening win.
Prediction: Bronson 26, Prairie Heights 6
Tekonsha vs. St. Phil
at Battle Creek Central High School, Friday, 7 p.m.
In our first 8-player game of the season, we see two teams in need of a win.
Tekonsha enters under new head coach Jordan Morrison, who is tasked with replacing a host of graduated all-conference selections, including: quarterback Wyatt Blashfield, running back Xander Kilbourn, offensive lineman Blake Griffith and two-way honoree Isaac Henry and Claude Wart.
The Indians do return one of the better linebackers in the area in Ben Mead and quarterback Emmitt Blashfield, who has the pedigree and the drive to replace his brother and then some at the signal caller spot.
Tekonsha must replace a lot of production from last year’s team and although I believe coach Morrison will have his guys ready, week one goes to St. Phil.
Prediction: St. Phil 42, Tekonsha 20
Do you agree with Troy’s predictions? Disagree? Let him know via email at ttennyson@thedailyreporter.com. For up to minute scoring updates, stats, news and more regarding Branch County football every week, not to mention all sports throughout the week, follow Sports Editor Troy Tennyson on Twitter (X) at @tennysonTDR or follow The Daily Reporter on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Coldwater high school football preview, predictions for Week 1
