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Bear Lake Looks to Begin New Streak

September 25, 2020

By Tom Spencer
Special for Second Half

When Bear Lake takes steps on the football field at Brethren tonight, the Lakers have a chance they never had last fall.

It’s a chance to win two games in a row and remain undefeated. Bear Lake is coming off a 26-6 win over Ashley last week, the Lakers’ first win since 2018. The victory sparked a lot of relief and a great celebration in the Bear Lake community. 

“It was a long time coming,” said assistant coach and offensive coordinator Samantha Mullet. “Seeing the guys get to experience the results of all their hard work was rewarding. 

“But it’s just the beginning,” she continued. “They’ve set the bar now. They know that feeling only comes if you’ve earned it.”

Mullet, who goes by Sam and Coach Sam, has been an assistant coach with head coach John Prokes since 8-player football began at Bear Lake four seasons ago. She was also an intern the summer of 2019 for the Baltimore Ravens and coach John Harbaugh.

The Lakers’ seniors who have played football since their freshman year are thrilled to take the field tonight. Wins have been hard to come by and they were 0-9 in 2019. COVID-19 nearly took away their chance to play football in 2020 and feel the jubilation of victory.  

It was long, hard summer of training not knowing the future of all MHSAA sports. The Lakers’ last victory was 28-18 over Big Rapids Crossroads Academy during the 2018 campaign.

“Participating in sports is one opportunity that provides our young adults with an experience that will only continue to help them with the trials and tribulations throughout their own life,” noted Prokes, who also teaches science in the middle and high school. “We are fortunate to have football at our school and in our community.  

“The memories we've established will last well beyond the wins and losses.”

Mullet and Prokes have been together since Bear Lake exited a football co-op with Onekama to start the exciting 8-player football option. It hasn’t been a smooth road, but both feel the ship is righted now and the future is bright. 

Bear Lake athletic director Karen Leinaar couldn’t be happier with the football program. She had never served a school district previously that didn’t offer football.  

“The cool thing was the community stepped up and the board made a commitment to football,” she said.  “They took a chance and it paid off.

“These two coaches have given hundreds and thousands of hours to these kids,” she continued. “Taking it from nothing to where it is today is great!” 

A new culture of football began this summer as training for a possible 2020 season began. Not knowing how COVID-19 would impact MHSAA sports, the Lakers embarked on significant changes.  

“With students having been out of school and away from each other since March, we felt it was important to get the kids together and active again, even if it was just for socially-distanced outdoor workouts,” recalled Mullet.  “They were really the shift from there – they showed up and worked hard day after day, even when the future of sports was uncertain.

“Their attitude and commitment made us realize this could be the group to really establish our program,” she continued.  “We’d been building, but without much of an identity. These guys committed to defining the vague ‘success’ we’ve always talked about and hashed out exactly how things were going to go down – what would be required of everyone and what would not be tolerated of anyone.”

The Lakers took their name and turned it into a “LAKES” acronym for core qualities that all players and coaches must be – Loyal, Accountable, Knowledgeable, Excellent, Resilient, and Selfless.

“We took an Edward Everett Hale quote and used it to establish our creed,” Mullet said. “‘I am only one. But I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will.’”

The Lakers’ new creed and culture also came with new helmets featuring improved safety components to start the season. The helmets were made possible by a grant from the Manistee County Community Foundation.  

The Lakers were led offensively to victory Saturday afternoon by Bryce Harless and Jake Griffis. Harless connected on 5 of 8 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Griffis had five receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns.

Tate Aultman led the Lakers defensively with 10.5 tackles and a sack. Griffis and Quentin Ruize each had nine tackles and combined on a sack. Jack Cook recorded nine tackles.

“We are not the biggest team, by no means,” Prokes said after the Bears snapped their losing streak. “We’ll probably be outsized in every game we play, but we play with a lot of heart. 

“Our guys aren’t going to back down from anybody.” 

And, when they walk on the field for every practice and tonight’s game, each player must contribute, Mullet believes.

“Every single player has been instrumental in pushing our culture forward,” she said. “As our creed implies, if one person doesn’t do their job, doesn’t give 100 percent effort, doesn’t buy in, the whole team fails. 

“You may only have one job, but that one job is critical to the success of the whole team.” 

Prokes and Mullet are appreciative of tremendous support they've received from everyone in the Bear Lake community, especially the boosters.  

“The town has really embraced the team and has shown nothing but encouragement and patience with our development,” Mullet said. “They've enjoyed the experience that comes with having a football program including the tailgating, Friday Night lights, and even Saturday afternoons.”

And every Laker tonight will be playing with an undefeated helmet.

Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Bear Lake’s Jack Cook makes a move upfield during last week’s win over Ashley. (Middle) Bear Lake assistant Samantha Mullet, far left, during her Baltimore Ravens internship, with, following left to right, John Wolfe (co-founder of ShirtFaced), Tim Goins (coach from Japan’s X League) and Jordan Hogan (formerly at Cornell, now a new assistant coach for the Arizona Cardinals). (Below) Bear Lake head coach John Prokes in his science classroom. (Photos courtesy of the Bear Lake football program.)

Detroit Cass Tech’s Alex Graham pulls away for a touchdown against Detroit Martin Luther King at Ford Field.

1st & Goal: 2024 Week 8 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 21, 2024

This forecast for late October never fails:

MI Student AidAs expected, championships were celebrated and big playoff pushes were made all over the state during Week 8 of another football regular season that will be over by this time next week. 

This week's "Review" details several of those league races now decided, but also the movements of several teams in, or out, of the potential playoff field as we inch closer to Sunday's selection announcement. 

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Frankenmuth 21, Freeland 20 Frankenmuth (8-0) clinched the Tri-Valley Conference Red title and extended its league winning streak to 66 games, but with Freeland (7-1) providing one of the strongest challenges to the decade-plus run. Logan Diener’s second touchdown, with 3:58 to play, and Aiden Labissoniere’s go-ahead extra point helped put the game, and title, away. Click for more from the Saginaw News.

Watch list Grand Blanc 55, Davison 49 Grand Blanc (7-1) finished a perfect run through the Saginaw Valley League Red by handing Davison its lone Valley loss, although the Cardinals (6-2) finish with Lapeer this week. The Bobcats’ championship was their first since 2021 and came after finishing second to Davison a year ago.

On the move Goodrich 42, Fenton 3 Goodrich (7-1) won the overall Flint Metro League championship game and in doing so handed the Tigers (7-1) their first loss, finished a run of reaching 42 points in all seven league games and gave up a total of 45 points to Metro opponents. Ubly 30, Cass City 12 No one should have thought Ubly (5-3) was going away quietly with its 0-3 start this fall after last season’s Division 8 championship. Those first three opponents are a combined 23-1, and the Bearcats are up to No. 19 on the Division 8 playoff point list. Midland Dow 23, Lapeer 14 Dow (5-3) has won five of its last six games to jump into the Division 2 playoff picture for the first time this season, moving up seven spots to No. 26 while sending Lapeer to 5-3 and the No. 24 position on the Division 1 list.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Detroit Cass Tech 30, Detroit Martin Luther King 14 Cass Tech (6-2) again broke the recent trend in this rivalry, taking the Detroit Public School Blue City championship after King won their first meeting this season and finished with the PSL Blue regular-season title. It was the second time in three years the Technicians have avenged a King loss from a month earlier, and also only the second time in five years that the winner of the first matchup didn’t finish with a sweep. Cass Tech’s Alex Graham scored on a kickoff return and catching a pass as the Technicians reached the end zone three times through the air. Click for more from the Detroit News.

Watch list Detroit Central 22, Detroit Denby 18 Central (6-2) has won six straight games and avenged a pair of losses from last season to Denby (5-3) to take the PSL Gold City championship after these two shared the regular-season title. The Trail Blazers gave up six points total with four shutouts over five division games and cooled a Denby offense that was averaging 33 points per game.

On the move Gibraltar Carlson 42, Allen Park 0 Carlson (7-1) clinched a share of the Downriver League title, its fourth straight, with Allen Park (6-2) holding out hope for a share as well if Lincoln Park can catch the Marauders this week. Clarkston Everest Collegiate 42, Royal Oak Shrine Catholic 3 The Mountaineers (8-0) finished off an outright title run in the Catholic High School League Intersectional #2, their second straight as they ran their league game winning streak to 12 with a seventh in a row over Shrine (6-2) – which has guaranteed its best record since 2020. Belleville 31, Dearborn Fordson 0 Belleville (8-0) closed out an eighth-straight league title by finishing another sweep of the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East, with this the Tigers’ second-straight shutout and third over seven KLAA games. Walled Lake Western 20, Mason 17 Walled Lake Western (8-0) entered the week No. 2 in the Division 3 coaches poll, and Mason (6-2) was No. 6 and had won both matchups with the Warriors last season including in a Regional Final.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Howell 36, Brighton 14 The Highlanders (8-0) completed a KLAA West outright championship, defeating Brighton (6-2) for the second-straight season to avoid what would have been a shared league title with the Bulldogs. Justin Jones ran for three touchdowns and caught a fourth to pace Howell, which faces Belleville this week in the overall KLAA championship game. Click for more from the Livingston Daily Press & Argus.

Watch list Portland 33, Lansing Sexton 0 Portland coach John Novara reached 200 career wins as the Raiders (8-0) finished another perfect run through the Capital Area Activities Conference White, extending their league game winning streak to 20. The shutout kept Portland at No. 9 on the Division 4 playoff list and Sexton (4-4) just outside the field at No. 34.

On the move Clare 54, Pinconning 28 After sharing the Jack Pine Conference Division 1 title, Clare (7-1) won this matchup with JPC Division 2 runner-up Pinconning (5-3) to move up to No. 11 on the Division 5 playoff list. Ionia 16, St. Johns 13 After this close win over St. Johns (5-3), the Bulldogs (5-3) are a win away from guaranteeing their best record since 2013 with rival Lake Odessa Lakewood up next. Olivet 27, Lansing Catholic 14 Olivet has two wins over Lansing Catholic (5-3) in two seasons in the CAAC White, with this one giving the Eagles (6-2) second place in the league and sending the Cougars into a tie for third.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER East Jordan 33, Frankfort 6 This could pay off in multiple ways for East Jordan (6-2). The Red Devils can continue to hold out hope of a title share in the Northern Michigan Football League Legacy (if Mancelona defeats first-place Maple City Glen Lake this week), and East Jordan also jumped past Frankfort on the Division 8 playoff list after trailing the Panthers (6-2) by one position entering Friday. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Watch list Ogemaw Heights 64, Harrison 28 The JPC Division 1 co-champion Ogemaw Heights (7-1) handed Division 2 winner Harrison (7-1) its first loss and scored a season high in bouncing back from a Week 6 defeat to Standish-Sterling.

On the move Boyne City 36, Oscoda 0 Boyne City (6-2) has climbed the Division 6 playoff list for the fourth-straight week, this time up to No. 18 while sending Oscoda (5-3) down only two slots to No. 30 in Division 7. Maple City Glen Lake 32, Saginaw Valley Lutheran 13 Glen Lake (7-1) has put together its best season since 2019 and heads into a potential outright league title clincher after a solid win over the Chargers (4-4). Manistee 65, Montague 32 Manistee (5-4) moved up from No. 30 to 24 on the Division 6 playoff list and moved Montague (3-5) from 31 to just outside the field at No. 33.

Grand Blanc’s Caseton Sendry (18) eludes a pair of Davison defenders.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Hudson 22, Clinton 6 Hudson (7-1) has a share of the Lenawee County Athletic Association championship and winless Hillsdale to play this week to make it outright, while Clinton and Ida are tied for second and likely the newest Hillsdale fans. Clinton (6-2) had won 24 straight LCAA games and the last two league titles. Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.

Watch list Ottawa Lake Whiteford 30, White Pigeon 16 On paper, Whiteford (4-4) has had a tougher run than usual this fall. But its losses are to teams that are a combined 31-2, and the Bobcats are up to No. 21 on the Division 7 playoff list after handing White Pigeon (7-1) its lone defeat.

On the move Hanover-Horton 28, Brooklyn Columbia Central 19 The Cascades Conference West title belongs entirely to Hanover-Horton (8-0) as the Comets clinched it outright in sending Columbia Central (3-5) into third place and avoiding a potential three-team share. Grass Lake 28, Leslie 7 Leslie (7-1) already had the Cascades Conference East outright title in hand, but this is major win for Grass Lake (5-3) nonetheless as it bumped the Warriors up four spots to No. 37 on the Division 6 playoff list. Chelsea 21, Trenton 20 Division 4 contender Chelsea (7-1) needed a score during the final minutes to get past the Trojans (5-3), who remain No. 11 on the Division 3 playoff list.

Southwest Border

HEADLINER Kalamazoo United 35, Parchment 13 In a matchup of tough defenses, United’s was able to hold its ground most and slowed a Parchment offense that was averaging 42 points per game. In doing so, the Titans (7-1) clinched the outright Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore championship, sending the Panthers (6-2) to second place with their only league defeat. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Watch list Mattawan 42, Kalamazoo Central 20 Over the last two weeks, Mattawan (5-3) has defeated leaders of both the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West and now East, in the process jumping from No. 39 two weeks ago to No. 22 on the Division 2 playoff list. Central (5-3) is tied for first in the East and plays Loy Norrix this week for that outright title.

On the move Decatur 18, Hopkins 0 Decatur (7-1) may have fallen eight points shy of catching champion White Pigeon in the Southwest 10 Conference, but it earned this win over Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver co-leader Hopkins (6-2) to guarantee its winningest season since 2014. Portage Northern 45, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 0 The SMAC West could send four of its five teams to the playoffs, with this win over the Knights (5-3) bumping Northern (5-3) up to No. 21 on the Division 2 playoff list. Lawton 26, Saugatuck 10 Lawton (6-2) concluded the SAC Valley schedule by winning this matchup for second in the standings, further solidifying itself in the middle of the Division 7 field while Saugatuck (5-3) occupies the same in Division 8.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Kingsford 13, Menominee 12 This season’s Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper race couldn’t have been much closer, with champion Kingsford (8-0) edging Menominee (7-1) this time to go with its two-point win over Negaunee in Week 4. The Flivvers will face Marquette this week as they play for a perfect regular season. Click for more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.

Watch list Calumet 19, Gladstone 6 While just a notch below contending in the Copper, Calumet (5-3) gave Kingsford a 14-point game in Week 5 and won its three games since. The Copper Kings climbed the Division 6 playoff list for the third straight week, now to No. 26.

On the move Iron Mountain 42, Manistique 21 The Mountaineers (8-0) pulled within a win of a potential second-straight undefeated regular season. L’Anse 40, Gwinn 22 L’Anse not only reversed a 33-6 loss to Gwinn from Week 3, but ended a 15-game losing streak stretching back to 2022. Marquette 41, Cadillac 32 The Sentinels (6-2) bounced back from a heartbreaker against Petoskey to surpass last year’s victory total. Despite the loss, Cadillac (4-4) actually moved up a spot on the Division 3 playoff list, to No. 27.

East Grand Rapids’ Carson Thornton (8) finds a gap in the Grand Rapids Catholic Central defense.

West  Michigan

HEADLINER Grand Rapids West Catholic 54, Hamilton 14 After edging Ada Forest Hills Eastern by a point to take over first place alone in the O-K White in Week 7, West Catholic (6-2) sent Hamilton into third place and clinched the outright championship – its second straight after winning the O-K Blue outright last season. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.

Watch list Byron Center 17, Muskegon 14 With Byron Center’s move into the O-K Green this season, these two met for the first time since 2017 – and the Bulldogs (7-1) put a serious dent in the reigning Division 2 champion’s hopes of extending its playoff qualification streak that began in 2000.  

On the move Grand Rapids Northview 35, Holland Christian 20 Northview (8-0) finished an outright title run in the O-K Black while sending Holland Christian to 6-2. East Grand Rapids 31, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 28 East Grand Rapids (5-3) made second place in the O-K Black a three-team share with this win over the Cougars (5-3) in their first meeting since 2016. Big Rapids 24, Coopersville 7 Fresh off wrapping up a league title in Week 7, Big Rapids (7-1) handed a loss to River Cities Alliance co-leader Coopersville (5-3), which plays Cedar Springs this week for a potential outright league title.

8-Player

HEADLINER Climax-Scotts 46, Mendon 44 The Panthers (7-1) are outright Southern Central Athletic Association Red champions after handing the lone loss this fall to Mendon (7-1), with Jackson Bagwell scoring on a four-yard run and adding the winning 2-point conversion run with 55 seconds to play. Climax-Scotts scored first, and the teams then traded touchdowns all the way until the Panthers scored last. Click for more from WWMT.

Watch list Bay City All Saints 61, Kinde North Huron 22 The Cougars’ only loss this season came in Week 1 – to still-undefeated Deckerville – and they are Big Thumb Conference Red champions after this impressive winner-take-all performance against former co-leader North Huron (6-2).

On the move Pittsford 46, Waldron 14 The SCAA Blue belongs entirely to Pittsford (7-1), which clinched a share of the championship in Week 7 but needed to get past third-place Waldron (5-3) to finish the perfect run. Pickford 51, Norway 6 Pickford (8-0) clinched a share of the Great Lakes Eight Conference East title in this matchup of previous co-leaders. The Pirates may need to defeat third-place (tied) Munising this week to clinch it outright, with Norway (6-2) hoping to share with a win over the other third-place team, Rudyard, and a Munising victory. Indian River Inland Lakes 64, Bellaire 12 Inland Lakes (8-0) will play co-leader Gaylord St. Mary for the Ski Valley Conference title this week after turning back third-place Bellaire (6-2).

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PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Cass Tech’s Alex Graham pulls away for a touchdown against Detroit Martin Luther King at Ford Field. (Middle) Grand Blanc’s Caseton Sendry (18) eludes a pair of Davison defenders. (Below) East Grand Rapids’ Carson Thornton (8) finds a gap in the Grand Rapids Catholic Central defense. (Top photo by Olivia B. Photography. Grand Blanc/Davison photo by Terry Lyons. EGR/Catholic Central photo by Michigan Sports Photo.)