Former Lion shows how not to coach high school football

Scott Mitchell has found another way to make himself look like heel.
As the quarterback for the Detroit Lions, Mitchell had one great season before hopping into the mediocrity elevator and taking it to the ground floor. Ding!
He had stops in Baltimore and Cincinnati before his lackluster NFL career ended.
These days he's coaching high school football in Utah, and recently found himself back in the news for a pretty questionable, and in my opinion, gutless decision.

Profootballtalk.com reports:
"Mitchell's Springville squad is 7-1 and had already clinched a spot in the state playoffs, and the team he was scheduled to play next week, Mountain Crest, is 6-2 and wouldn't have its playoff hopes affected by a the game with Springville. So Mitchell called the Mountain Crest coach and proposed that they just cancel the game to rest both teams up for bigger games down the road. Mountain Crest agreed, and so the game was called off -- but not everyone in Utah likes the decision.

"We have a lot of guys who are banged up, and I'm not sure how productive we would have been in the game," Mitchell said. "I don't really care what people think. I'm focused on the playoffs, because we're already seeded where we're going to be seeded. It's not going to change at all. I just wanted to be as fresh and healthy as possible going into the playoffs."

Really, Scott?
This could be one of the most egregious examples of what is wrong with high school sports.
High school sports are not just about making the playoffs and winning championships. They are about competing and working hard, no matter what the circumstances are. In other words, if you schedule a game, you play it.
So, Scott, you've got some guys that are banged up?
Great. Sit them. Let them get well.
Start the scout team then!
Bring some guys up from the JV or freshman teams.
If you are willing to call an opposing coach and collude to cancel a game, why not call him and tell him you want to play a game where just the guys who haven't gotten to play much this season get to take the field?
What an amazing way to reward the kids that have been working their butts off since August, helping your starters all the way to a 7-1 record and a playoff berth.
Scott Mitchell was mediocre to crummy quarterback when he played in the NFL, but at least I had a bit of respect for him. Now, though?
Sorry.
I don't respect quitters.

Win a Detroit Lions Fathead!

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All you have to do to enter to win is share this link with all of your Facebook friends, asking them to becomes fans of Heritage Sports and A2 Journal Sports on Facebook.
Once you become a fan, write, "I want a Fathead!" on the wall of each site. On Friday, Oct. 29, a winner will be randomly chosen from all of the wall posts.

Good luck Ed!

I just wanted to take a minute and wish a fellow reporter, Ed Patino, whom I have worked with over the past few years good luck in the future and good luck with his new new job.
Ed has been a very good sports reporter for Manchester and the village will be losing a good writer and a great story teller. I hope the people realize who good coverage they have been getting and in my opinion what a good job this young man from Adrian College has done. You know the old saying you don't know what you get til it is gone.
It has been a pleasure to work next to him and have the laughs and good times we have shared over the years.
I have nothing but good things to say about him and I hope he feels the same way about me.
We will miss your insight in college sports as well as your wit and humor in the paper.

Going the distance (Week 10)

It's been three days since I ran in (and finished!) the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon, and it still hasn't completely sank in yet.
The training took so long, but the race itself was over in a couple of hours. Actually, for me, it was over in two hours, 12 minutes and 49 seconds.
Not too bad for a guy with toes, ankles and knees ravaged by chemotherapy treatments and a doctor who told him he'd probably never be able to run to the mailbox, let alone a 13.1 mile trip through Detroit.
So finishing this race was a big deal for me. As of right now, it's probably the biggest personal triumph I've ever had. Graduating college, meeting my fiancee and the birth of our son were all amazing moments in my life, but this was different. This was one of the first times I put my mind to doing something so challenging, something that took so much preparation, and actually went through with it, actually came out on the other side a better and stronger person.
And it wasn't easy.
In fact, the race itself was much harder than I ever imagined. I've never felt so alone as I did around the sixth mile of that race. At that point, I was running through Windsor, Ont., watching as faster runners blew by me on both sides. But I kept going. I kept pushing along.
It was weird, because all through my training there was a voice in my head that always seemed to be trying to bring me down.
He would always be saying, "Let's just slow down for a minute," or "Let's just walk until the end of this block, nobody is looking," or the very worst one, "We've been so busy, let's just skip the run today." It was like the voice of a whiny kid or a lazy freeloader. Around that sixth mile, I heard the voice again. But at this point, even he knew how important this was, how absolutely necessary that it was for me to finish this race.
"Look, I know we've had our differences," he said. "But today, today I'm on your side."
And I believed him.
"Keep going, you're doing awesome," he said. "Look over there, across that river. Your family is over there waiting for you. Your son is over there. You've got to keep going."
So I did. And that voice is the one thing that kept me going until I got back into Detroit.
At that point, another voice took over.
My best friend Paul, who is a former cross country runner, decided to jump in and run the last five miles or so with me. He kept me going, told me everything was going to be OK. He encouraged me when my legs felt like they were going to snap off at the hips, like one of those old G.I Joe action figures when you break the little rubber band inside their lower torsos.
Paul ran alongside me right up until the last mile, when he took off down a side street so he could be at the finish line to meet me.
The last mile was a blur. I couldn't wait to finish.
As I closed in on that "Mile 13" sign, I saw another familiar face. My friend Kim, also a former cross country runner, was jogging down the sidewalk alongside me screaming my name and shouting encouragement.
Then I took off. Dead sprint. I needed to finish.
And I did. But that wasn't the best part.
I had literally run away from all that loneliness. And into the arms of my friends and family.
My mom and dad were there. Amanda and her dad, Gary were there. Later on, I found out that Amanda's mom, Debbie, who was in Florida to tend to her ailing parents, watched me cross the finish line by way of the live internet feed.
And, maybe most importantly, our son Teigan was there. He was tired, kind of cranky, more than likely cold, but he was there.
He was one of my biggest inspirations when I took on this challenge. He was a baby who was never supposed to have been conceived. Buy he made it. He defied the odds. And as I stood there, feeling like a baked potato because I was wrapped in one of those foil blankets they give runners at the end of races, I realized that I had defied the odds too. I beat cancer and I beat this race.
So I savored my moment, and I took my son in my arms.
He looked at me blankly for a second, his face absolutely emotionless. Then he opened his mouth and...yawned.
He didn't care about the race. He didn't care about the odds. He just wanted me to hold him.
We should all be so lucky to live our lives like that.
This challenge was much harder than I ever expected it to be, but it was also much more satisfying than I ever imagined it could be.
And I can't wait to do it again.

Manchester closes regular season with big challenge

One of the hottest teams in Division 6 and a desperate team in Division 5 are preparing to collide.
With a playoff berth already in tow, the Manchester varsity football team will close out the regular season Friday when it visits the Hillsdale Hornets in a non-conference game.
The game features similar circumstances to last season. Manchester (7-1, 6-1 Cascades) has already clinched a berth in the Division 6 state playoffs. The Dutchmen are also entering the game on a six-game winning streak, which includes a 38-6 victory over East Jackson last week.
Hillsdale (5-3, 5-0 SMAA) will host the Dutchmen facing the same situation it was in last year – needing a victory to clinch a spot in the Division 5 state playoffs. The Hornets overcame an 0-2 start by winning five straight games and clinching the Southern Michigan Athletic Association title. However, they were stunned at home last week in a 40-28 loss to the Dundee Vikings.
In last year’s regular season finale, the Hornets pulled out a 25-18 over the Dutchmen in a muddy game in Manchester.
“Hillsdale is a good game for us, and it means a lot because a win could give us home field advantage throughout districts,” Manchester coach Wes Gall said. “We’d like to play at home in the districts, because we know after that we’ll be road warriors.”
The Dutchmen went 8-1 in last year’s regular season, but only received one home game for the playoffs. After defeating Grass Lake, the Dutchmen had to travel to Clinton for the second round despite the teams having identical records and Manchester holding a victory over the Redskins.
With Hillsdale being a bigger school, the Dutchmen’s power ranking can increase for the Division 6 playoffs. Depending on the district pairings, Manchester could host the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Though they’ve traditionally run a spread offense, the Hornets have relied on a balanced running game this season. Four running backs have been used, with Dustin Moyer leading the way with 694 yards and five touchdowns. Running back/quarterback Dan Vear has 611 yards and five touchdowns. Dustin Lewis (464 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Travis Hodos (101 yards, 2 touchdowns) also added to the Hornets’ backfield depth.
Vear and Hodos have split time at quarterback this year, with Vear holding a slight edge in completion percentage. Vear had throw five touchdowns to three interceptions, while Hodos is 28-for-60 passing for 333 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Kyle Minion leads the Hornets’ receiving core with 17 catches for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
Manchester will counter with a high-octane offense led by sophomore quarterback Nate Bossory. After being projected as the backup at the start of the season, Bossory has thrown for 2,061 yards in eight games. He has a deep arsenal of receivers led by Brandon Casey, Josh Blades and Devin Jose.
“We knew that Hillsdale has a good offense, but I feel we have one of the best offensives in Division 6,” Bossory said. “We think our offense can go hand-in-hand with theirs.”
Challenging the Hornets’ offense will be Manchester’s strong defense, led by senior defensive linemen Dylan Neff and Ben Stachnik. Chris Margraves and Alex Wallace have been strong at linebacker, while Casey and Jose have effectively patrolled the secondary.
The Dutchmen will look to do something they haven’t done since 2006 – close out the regular season with a victory. Manchester dropped two games to Onsted in 2007-08 before last season’s loss to Hillsdale. The Dutchmen defeated Ida in the regular season finale four years ago.

Willow Run football going to the show

Rufus Pipkins and the rest of the Willow Run Flyers are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 1989. The Flyers have five wins with two games left and that will determine if the locals make it a home playoff game or one on the road.
Not bad for a team with only one loss and that happens to be the only game I saw of them in person and it was against Ecorse.
I hope that for their sake they can do much better than they did against the Red Raiders.
I am looking forward to this playoff season and the main reason is because I have a team in it.

U-M vs MSU

This is the perfect match up for two college rivals. Both teams are undefeated at 5-0 and both teams are looking for the win so they can have the bragging rights for next season. Let me tell you who will win and why. The Wolverines will win the game for two simple reasons. The first is because they are playing at home and when they play at home in the Big House they have the advantage.
The second reason is quarterback Denard Robinson. I don't think I have ever seen a college football player more exciting to watch than this young man from Florida. He is a natural and I really think he will show people on Saturday why as a sophomore he is being considered for the Heisman Trophy.
So sports fans if you don't have a ticket to the big game better grab a seat and check it out from a nearby bar or at your home.
This one is going to be one for the ages.

Going the distance (Week 9)

The other day I looked at my calendar and noticed something both kind of nerve-wracking and very exciting.
As I am typing this, the Detroit Free Press half marathon is just 10 days away.
To me it has become one of those things that I can't wait for, but will be tremendously happy when it's over.
Going into the final stretch of my training, I can't stop thinking about what it will feel like to cross that finish line in Detroit.
I can't wait to see all the people who are planning to come out and support me. I am excited to see their faces, hear their congratulations and enjoy the celebration that will surely follow.
As I said before, I'm running in this as a way to prove to myself that I can do it, and now, there is no doubt in my mind that I can. I wanted to show myself that even after having a pretty tough battle with bone cancer a few years ago, that I could get my body in shape to conquer something else.
The people whom I cared about most were there to love and support me while I went through chemo and fought my fight with cancer, and I'm so proud and blessed to know that many of those same people will be waiting for me at the finish line in downtown Detroit.
What an amazing feeling it is to know you are loved that much.
But there will be one person at that finish line who wasn't there before, and he just might be the most important, at least in terms of why this race is so important to me.
If all goes as planned my son Teigan will be waiting for me when I finish the race, just a day after his 16-week birthday.
Him just being able to be there would be special enough, because he's my son and I love him. But there is something else that makes his presence even more special, and that is simply that he was never supposed to have been born.
After my treatment I was told I would likely never be able to father a child naturally. I was heartbroken at first, but I was also going to survive, so I tried to look on the bright side.
But you can imagine my surprise when we found out that the doctors had been wrong, and that we were expecting a little boy. My oncologist never went so far to call his conception a miracle, but in my mind, there has never been a question about that.
He defied the odds and came into the world when we were told his existence wasn't possible. And he's getting bigger and stronger every day. He's living, breathing proof that odds don't matter, regardless of what anyone says. He's an inspiration without even knowing it.
So when I conquer this latest obstacle, and when I finish this race, I'm going to hold my son.
Because, just like in life, when things get tough, it's those who inspire you most who are waiting on the other side.

Dutchmen, Warriors renew rivalry Friday

Two of the most successful football teams in the Cascades Conference over the past decade are set to continue their rivalry.
There will be plenty at stake when the Manchester varsity football team collides with the Grass Lake Warriors in a Cascades Conference battle Friday at the Joe Bechtel Athletic Complex.
For the Dutchmen, the game is a chance to look up a berth in the state playoffs for the third straight year. Manchester (5-1, 4-1 Cascades) will also look to remain in the league championship race, as it is currently tied with Addison for second and sit one game behind undefeated Michigan Center.
Grass Lake (4-2, 3-2 Cascades) is looking for a key victory to stay in contention for a playoff spot. The Warriors are also trying to put eight years of frustration to rest when they host Manchester.
Both teams are entering the game hot. After opening Cascades play with a tough loss to Michigan Center, the Dutchmen have reeled off four straight victories. Last week, another two touchdown performances from sophomore quarterback Nate Bossory sparked Manchester to a 32-17 homecoming victory over Hanover-Horton. The Dutchmen scored all of their points in the first half, then cleared their bench in the second half as several players on the second unit received playing time.
The Warriors have been just as strong over the last two weeks, allowing a combined seven points in victories over Napoleon and East Jackson. In last week’s 39-0 victory over the Trojans, Grass Lake used a balanced attack that featured three Mason Finch touchdown passes.
Over the past several seasons, the Warriors have featured a powerful rushing attack with standouts like Skylar Stoker (’09), John Vuocolo and Ben Kulwicki. Grass Lake can still pound the ball at teams, as six different running backs have scored touchdowns this year. Zach Wallace and Steven Tyler led the Warriors with three rushing touchdowns apiece, while Frank Vuocolo has a team-best 401 yards on 60 carries this season.
The ground game is not the only thing the Dutchmen defense will have to deal with Friday, as Grass Lake is focusing more on balance in its offense this year. Finch has thrown for 606 yards so far with six touchdowns to two interceptions. Dylan and Jordan Adams have been Finch’s favorite targets, as the duo has combined for 21 catches and five touchdowns.
Grass Lake has emerged as one of the top programs in the Cascades, having qualified for the state playoffs six straight years and 10 times since 1998. The Warriors’ deepest run came in 2006 when they advanced to the Division 7 state championship game before falling to Muskegon Catholic Central. Grass Lake finished 11-3 that season. Two years later, the Warriors earned a share of the Cascades title with Manchester and Addison.
Despite the Warriors’ success, it has been the Dutchmen with the upper hand in the rivalry. Manchester has won its last eight games against Grass Lake, including a thrilling 10-8 victory in the first round of last year’s Division 6 state playoffs. The Warriors put together a long drive in the closing minutes of the game, but Brent Schriber blocked a potential game-winning field goal with 24 seconds later to give Manchester the win.
Three of the last four meetings have been decided in the final minute. In 2007, Kyler Ritter’s touchdown run with 40 seconds remaining gave the Dutchmen a 15-12 victory. The following year, Will Rickert accounted for five Manchester touchdowns, the last coming with 15 seconds left in the Dutchmen’s 44-38 victory.
Grass Lake’s last victory over the Dutchmen came in the 2002 campaign.