Oceana County’s high school football teams hit the field this week as MHSAA fall sports teams were permitted to begin practice Monday.
New Hesperia football coach Tyler Fehler played quarterback at Fruitport prior to a collegiate career that took him to Concordia University Ann Arbor, so he’s aware enough of the Panthers to know that they don’t have a strong football tradition — yet. He hopes to change that.
While it’s only in the exploratory stages, Walkerville High School has taken a step toward having its own football team this month, making a call for students to sign up and express interest.
Friday night marked the end of football season in Oceana County, but each team went out, in its own way, on a high note.
Oceana County’s football season will end this week without a playoff bid for any team, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to play for — particularly in Hart.
Friday's scheduled Shelby @ Oakridge football game has been canceled due to the Tigers' shorthanded roster, athletic director Chuck Persenaire said Wednesday morning.
While Hart continues to show signs of growth and optimism for the future, things have been rough for Shelby and Hesperia as we head into week seven of the football season. But none of the squads are giving up as they head into more challenging games this Friday.
County football teams delivered a mixed bag last week — one game was a disappointing yet encouraging loss, one game fell short of what the team had hoped, and a third game was wiped out by COVID-19 protocols.
Hesperia's football game against Kent City Friday has been canceled due to COVID-19 outbreaks in both programs, as reported by M7 Sports.
It was a rough week in Oceana football, as the three local teams combined to score eight points, all by Hesperia. Bouncing back will be the key if Hart, Shelby and Hesperia are going to be able to enjoy success in week five of the football season.
County football teams each have a different sort of loss from which to bounce back this week as the season nears its halfway point.
Two weeks into the Oceana County football season, Hart has snatched the headlines as the area’s top team, with Thursday’s upset win over Kent City giving the Pirates their first 2-0 start since 2004.
ST. LOUIS — Hesperia played a solid first half Thursday night at St. Louis, but wasn't able to convert it into a good second half, as turnovers and miscues doomed the Panthers to a 39-18 loss.
RAVENNA — Shelby couldn't get much going or stop an explosive Ravenna offense Thursday night, and the Tigers dropped a 63-6 decision to open West Michigan Conference play.
HART — Hart sent a message across the area Thursday night: These Pirates are different.
Football season is underway in Oceana County, and while the Hart Pirates are riding high following an impressive win, Shelby and Hesperia will try to improve after week one defeats.
No one wants a repeat of the 2020 football season in any way — some will surely bear scars for a long time from the couple of weeks last August where it appeared the season would be moved to the spring — but the Oceana football teams in particular would love to turn the page in 2021. Hart wo…
New Hart football coach Joe Tanis has spent all off-season selling his players on the program’s motto, ‘Attack the Storm’, so when rain came during Monday’s opening practice, it offered a very literal metaphor for the Pirates. The team lived its credo by continuing with its scheduled practic…
New Shelby football coach Phil Fortier knows what sort of rebuild he’s taking on after being elevated from his defensive coordinator position in February. The Tigers have only won four games in the last seven years since making state semifinal runs in 2012 and 2013.
Former Shelby football coach Lorenzo Rodriguez said when he stepped down as Tigers' coach that he wanted to remain in football in some capacity, and it didn't take long for him to prove it.
Shelby’s new football coach is a familiar face.
Hart announced Monday afternoon that it has hired Joe Tanis as head football coach. Tanis previously coached at Orchard View from 2012-18 and is still coaching at the school as an assistant on the boys basketball team. He also was an assistant at Wyoming this past football season.
David Smith never really wanted to stop coaching varsity football, and Hesperia gave him his chance to return to the big job over the weekend, announcing his hire as the new head coach.
Hart is on the hunt for a football coach for the second time in the past five months after coach Eric Anderson resigned following one season with the Pirates.
Mason County Central senior Khole Hofmann reached a rare distinction for the program when he was named to the Associated Press’ Division 5-6 All-State First Team Wednesday.
Local football players received plenty of all-conference hardware this fall after an abbreviated 2020 season.
Two of Oceana’s football programs will see changes at the top for the 2021 season after Shelby coach Lorenzo Rodriguez joined Hesperia’s Doug Bolles in submitting resignations late this fall.
MONTAGUE — Hart couldn't get anything going Friday night against Montague, and took a 75-0 loss to end its season in its first-ever postseason game.
PEWAMO — Hesperia couldn't solve defending Division 7 state champion Pewamo-Westphalia in Friday night's postseason opener, falling to the Pirates 46-14.
The three county football teams each learned their first-round playoff matchups Sunday afternoon when the MHSAA posted pairings to its website. Each will be underdogs in their first game.
SHELBY — Shelby suffered a 57-0 defeat Friday night against Ravenna, ending the regular season with an 0-6 record.
WHITE CLOUD — Hesperia handled White Cloud Friday night, 34-15, to cap its regular season with a 4-2 record.
HART — Behind four total touchdowns from Khole Hofmann, Mason County Central picked up its second West Michigan Conference win of the year as they beat Hart Friday night, 40-6.
The regular season is already coming to an end in Oceana County. Luckily, the state’s all-in football season this year means every team has at least one more game after this week, and the focus is beginning to shift to where teams want to sharpen the areas they can to maximize their postseas…
SHELBY — A huge game by Hart quarterback Braeden Carskadon propelled the Pirates to a 46-36 win over Shelby Friday night in the battle for the Blood, Sweat and Tears Jug.
PERRY — Hesperia boasted an impressive offensive showing Saturday afternoon in defeating Perry, 36-21, to improve to 3-2 on the season.
The headline matchup this week in Oceana County football, of course, is the rivalry showdown between Hart and Shelby, who will each enter the game with 0-4 records and thirsting for their first win. Before getting into that matchup, though, it’s worth taking a look at Hesperia’s second win o…
HESPERIA — Hesperia hung on Friday night with a late defensive stop in its own territory to defeat rival Holton, 21-14.
MONTAGUE — Shelby took a 63-0 beating Friday night against Montague, and simply couldn't get anything going offensively.
HART — Hart got off to a good start, even taking an early lead, in Friday's West Michigan Conference game against Ravenna, but the visiting Bulldogs took over from there, winning the game 55-8.
MORLEY — Hesperia clawed its way back into Friday's Central State Activities Association Silver battle at Morley-Stanwood, but couldn't keep the Mohawks from pulling away for a 28-12 win.
SHELBY — Shelby had another rough night Friday, taking a 55-0 defeat to Mason County Central in a game marred by Tiger mistakes.
MUSKEGON — Hart took a 41-16 loss Friday night at North Muskegon, but the Pirates got some offense going in defeat.
HESPERIA — Hesperia came just short of a huge victory Friday night against Kent City, with a late Eagles interception the difference in a 10-8 heartbreaker.
WHITEHALL — It was a rough night for Shelby football Friday, as the Tigers took a 64-0 loss to Whitehall to drop to 0-2 and 0-2 in the West Michigan Conference.
With week one of football, and its accompanying adrenaline rush, now in the books, county teams can now settle into something of a routine, or as close as you can get amidst a pandemic. Challenging foes await all three local squads, but for each, it’s an opportunity to get better.
HESPERIA — Hesperia dominated the game on the ground from start to finish Friday night and pounded Lakeview, 34-7, for an impressive opening victory.
After months of uncertainty and so many stops and starts, the Oceana County football season is on.
Fall sports suddenly have a much different look to them this year after the MHSAA announced Friday afternoon that football season will be moved to the spring due to the risk of transmission of COVID-19.
Should it take place as scheduled, the 2020 football season will mark a new era in the way the MHSAA determines its state champions. The state will be switching from a system that automatically qualifies any team with six wins to a system where the playoff field is determined by the Michigan…
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