By John Raffel
MaxPreps.com
Lumen Christi 's football team exceeded expectations in 2007 by making the Division V state finals. But coach Herb Brogan and his team one to take one more giant step this fall.
Last season, the squad from Jackson (12-2) was defeated by two-time state champion Menominee 21-7 in the title game at Ford Field.
Under Brogan, Lumen Christi has won four state championships this decade.
“I thought we had a great year,” Brogan said. “It was not one of our more talented groups. It was a real high character group. We had a great senior class in terms of leadership. I think we felt we overachieved. We would have liked to have won the last one. But our kids probably accomplished more than they should have.”
The key to the season “was the quality of the kids we had,” he said. “We probably had more injuries than in recent memory. The key to the whole thing was character.”
Coming into this season, which begins with the first formal day of practices on Aug. 11, “we lost 10 defensive starters,” Brogan said. “We've got some kids who (have) some experience over the course of the year. Defense is the biggest question mark right now. We have our work cut out for us there.
“Offensively, we had a lot of sophomores playing last year. We're going to be a young team this year. But even though we're young, we're somewhat experienced.”
Lumen Christi figures on having competition for spots on the offensive and defensive lines.
“We think that's good,” Brogan said. “But we only have 15 seniors. We have a very small senior class and 35 juniors. We have a large younger group. They've been pretty successful. When you play that many young kids, it's always a question mark.”
Lumen Christi standouts include junior Scott Hough, a 6-2, 210-pound tight end and senior defensive end Luke Chase (6-5, 200).
Lumen Christi could emerge into another state title contender but it won't be easy. Its schedule is a monster.
“We open with Battle Creek Central and they have the (Larry) Capers kid at running back. He's among the top kids in the state. That makes it a big challenge,” Brogan said. “We have Stevensville-Lakeshore second and they beat us in the regular season last year. When we get into the league, we have some pretty good football teams.”
More Football
Zeeland West almost made it two straight titles last season but fell short. But coach John Shillito and his troops realize that two state titles in three seasons wouldn't be bad either.
Zeeland West won the 2006 state title in Division IV but lost in the semifinals last season after a 12-0 start.
“We thought the kids achieved as much as they possibly could have,” Shillito said. “We had lost a lot of quality seniors to graduation the year before. We were happy with what the kids accomplished.”
Shillito is hoping he'll have a team that can go after another state crown.
“Right now it's kind of a blank page,” he said. “We're going to be pretty inexperienced. We don't have many seniors. Our juniors are going to be a pretty good group. We have a lot to find out coming up early.
“We have a tough early-season schedule. We open with Inkster. Then we play Coopersville in week two and then Unity Christian and Hamilton. We'll be tested early and we'll find out a lot.”
His team's strength will be quickness, Shillito said, adding that “we're not going to be real big. We have only one returning defensive lineman who was an all-conference lineman last year in 290 pounds, Josh Villanueva.”
Other standouts for Zeeland West would be inside linebackers Derek Fritz and Nate Bazan, who were both starters last year. “Nate is a two-way starter for us. He'll also start at tight end. He started at tight end last year too,” Shillito said. “They'll be key guys. We're largely inexperienced at other spots.”
Shillito's team stayed active during the summer.
“We're always working,” he said.
Girls Golf
The girls golf season got a head start in Michigan by opening up practices on Aug. 7. All other sports open on Aug. 11. Most golf teams will have their first matches next week.
Greenville is among the teams hoping to be a state title threat in Division 2 after taking third place last season. Coach Nancy Johnson said she's trying to replace five key seniors from last year but will go through the tryout process.
This marks the second season girls golf is in the fall in Michigan. There are three divisions for state titles, which will be determined Oct. 17-18.
Johnson lost five seniors from last year's state championship-contending team — including four who are playing college golf — but has 29 girls trying out for the varsity squad.
“I am going to do something that I have never done before and that is have the girls play three rounds of golf with the low scorers determining who the varsity players will be for our first tournament,” Johnson said. “However, that does not guarantee a spot on the varsity for the season.”
A major tourney takes play Aug. 13-14 at Traverse City Invitational in northwest Michigan with 40 schools competing.
“We are very excited to get things going,” Johnson said.