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Marine City Focused on Comeback Quest
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
October 11, 2016
Ryan Alexander was in a familiar place this past Thursday.
The Marine City senior running back was at East China Stadium, the junior varsity team on the field in front of him playing against Warren Woods-Tower and a group of junior program football players behind him, preparing to get onto the big field and play at halftime.
He and his Mariners teammates were coming off a win against archrival St. Clair, and had just finished their last practice in preparation for a Week 7 game against Warren Woods-Tower, one they would also win.
All of that is familiar for Alexander and the Mariners. The start of the season, however, was far from it.Â
âIt was different than anything Iâve ever experienced,â Alexander said of Marine Cityâs first 0-4 start since 1971. âIâve been on varsity for three years now, and to start 0-4, it was the first time Iâve ever felt anything like that since Iâve been in the program, since Iâve been in Marine City.
âIt was a new feeling, but it was also a sense of motivation. It pushed me harder knowing that we had something to prove and that everyone was doubting us because we were 0-4. Itâs hard to go through, but I think it made us a better team.â
Alexander and his teammates are on the road back, sitting at 3-4 and eyeing two more wins which could possibly preserve the schoolâs streak of qualifying for the postseason, which started in 1998. He said getting there would show those junior program players that by coming together as a team, you can accomplish anything.
The Mariners have already shown their coach plenty.
âI wondered, because our program has had so much success, what would happen if we had a bad start like this, how would that team be and how difficult would it be to coach,â Marine City coach Ron Glodich, who is in his fifth season as head coach after serving as a longtime assistant in the program. âWhat I found is these kids are incredible. Their perseverance and their work ethic has not changed. Nobody has quit, even though I challenge them week in and week out, nobody has quit. The bigger the challenge I give them, the bigger they step up.â
âWe live footballâ
Football in Marine City has a bit of a âFriday Night Lightsâ feel to it.
The town with a population of a little more than 4,000 essentially shuts down on game nights to support its team. Not long ago, it moved trick-or-treating because it conflicted with a Friday night playoff game. When the team went to Ford Field for MHSAA championship games in 2007, 2011 and 2013, it filled its entire side of the lower bowl with fans clad in orange and black.
âItâs a football crazy town,â Alexander said. âWe live football.â
Kids grow up wanting to be Mariners as much as they grow up wanting to be Wolverines or Spartans, and you canât even go to a JV game without seeing groups of them playing a side game of touch â or tackle â at East China Stadium.
âThey were always winning, ever since Iâve been a kid and ever since my parents have been around,â senior lineman Andrew Steinmetz said. âItâs a great feeling to grow up here, live here and then play here.â
Always winning isnât hyperbole, especially for someone Steinmetzâs age. The playoff streak is only scratching the surface of the Marinersâ success in the past few decades.
The program won MHSAA championships in 2007 and 2013, and â prior to this year â had lost more than two games in a season only three times since 1992.
From 2006 through 2009, Marine City had three undefeated regular seasons, and in the only exception, it went 13-1 with a Division 4 championship. The Marinersâ last losing season came in 1982.
There have been stars who went onto play Division I college football â Brendon Kay, a 2008 graduate went to Cincinnati and was the Most Valuable Player of the Belk Bowl, and Anthony Scarcelli, who was the Associated Press Division 3-4 Player of the Year in 2011 and is currently a senior on Central Michigan Universityâs football team â but most of Marine Cityâs success has come thanks to players who donât have a recruiting site ranking.
âWhen you mention the name Marine City outside the area, itâs common for someone to say, âOh, youâve got a great football program,ââ Glodich said. âAnd weâre proud of that. Itâs been a long time since we built it, and a lot of people are proud of it in the area and they come out to support it. Itâs nice that thatâs linked to the town, and that people believe we have a great football program. And I believe we do.â
In Marine City, even 8-1 teams catch flack. At 0-4, the loud minority of the fan base gets more vocal.
âAs any coach who doesnât win, there are critics out there,â Glodich said. âI happened to get a letter and I shared it with the kids. I told them, âWeâre all in this together. Youâre being criticized in the stands, Iâm being criticized, so understand that weâre all in this together and itâs all about getting better.â
âThe good news is, Iâm at the point in my career where I know that this staff does a great job. So when you get letters like that, you chuckle and say, âOK, this person is venting, but they donât know what the hell theyâre talking about.â And I would tell that person if they ever had the guts to look me in the eye, I would tell them, âYou donât know what the hell youâre talking about.ââ
Glodichâs players said they were able to shut out the outside noise, for the most part, and anything that did enter their brains was used as motivation. Alexander said it went in one ear and out the other, because practicing with a clear mind was much more necessary than reacting to insults.
Even better, however, was the fact there was much more support than derision. Marine City may be football crazy and unaccustomed to waking up on a Saturday after a loss, but its love for football goes beyond a stunning win-loss record.
âThe parents and the past players, they really had our backs,â senior lineman Tom Kaminski said. â(Former player) Ethan Cleve made a nice Facebook message on the Marine City football fans page, and (former player) Jarrett Mathison was saying, âDonât worry about it, it will get better.ââ
Writing the final chapter
The message within the team was similar to Mathisonâs, but the players knew they were the ones who would have to make things better.Â
âA lot of it came from themselves,â Glodich said. âAfter that fourth loss, we challenged them and said you guys make a decision of how you want to move forward. Thatâs where your senior leadership and the guys that really care about the program, they kind of step forward and they rally the troops. We challenged them come Monday, and they responded to the challenge.â
The change could be seen in practice, and it translated into a 37-29 win against Madison Heights Madison in Week 5. That was followed by a 27-6 win against St. Clair in Week 6 and most recently a 49-31 win against Warren Woods-Tower in Week 7.
âWe just had to put our heads down and keep fighting for it, because we knew we were better than what we were,â Kaminski said. âItâs big on your shoulders, because everyoneâs used to 9-0 teams here, so that was a big wake-up call, but I think weâve got it.â
As stated above, while this is a position Glodich never wanted to be in, he said heâs always wondered what would happen if a Marine City team had a start like this one. Heâs wondered how the players would react. Heâs wondered how difficult it would be to coach a team that no longer held its playoff destiny in its own hands before the midpoint of the season.Â
âIâm amazed that these kids are working this hard â I donât know if any other team that was 0-4 is working as hard as we do,â Glodich said. âItâs just a credit to these kids and their background; theyâre not afraid to work. The kids that come to school here in this community are not afraid to work, and thatâs why Iâm one of the luckiest guys in the state to be able to coach in this community.â
The 0-4 start may have put the Mariners on the brink of playoff extinction, but their opponents in weeks 1-4 could wind up helping push them over the top when it comes to playoff selection, should Marine City get to 5-4.Â
Algonac, Port Huron Northern, Detroit Loyola and Marysville were a combined 25-3 through seven weeks, with one of those losses a Northern defeat against Marysville.Â
The Mariners are taking the one-game-at-a-time approach to the end of the season, but they know that can help. They know they can do something special to close it out, and accomplish something no Marine City team has done before â rebound from a start that could cause some to pack it in.
Glodich said he canât look past the next game, but admits he and his coaches have talked to the players about writing the final chapter in their book, and how they want their story to end.
Alexander has already started writing in his head.
âIt would mean the world (to finish 5-4) especially because itâs my senior year and Iâd love to end on a high note,â he said. âIâd love to be the team that started 0-4, won the last five games and then proved what we have in the playoffs. We have a good team, we have a good shot.
âWe just want to get to 5-4. We donât really focus on anything else (in terms of playoff points). If we get there, it doesnât matter, weâll be happy.â
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected]Â with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Marine City's MJ Frank cuts through an opening against Marysville this season. (Middle) A group of Mariners surround and take down a Port Huron Northern ball carrier. (Photos courtesy of the Marine City football program.)
![Detroit Cass Tech celebrates during its PSL Golf championship win at Ford Field.](/sites/default/files/2023-10/231016_football_2H.jpg)
1st & Goal: 2023 Week 8 Review
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 16, 2023
The sun is setting â and lately, a ton of rain has been falling â on the 2023 football regular season.Â
Week 8 saw most of the rest of the remaining league championships decided, and tons of movement up and down the list of potential playoff qualifiers as 20 teams moved into (and 20 out of) the possible field of 288.
Several more teams moved up and down their respective division lists, nearly as important as projections of which teams will be going where and which will be hosting playoff games begin to fly with more frequency this week and we draw closer to Sunday's 6 p.m. "Selection Sunday Show" on Bally Sports Detroit Extra.
Below is our latest look at the most recent results that caused notable shifts in the landscape.
Bay & Thumb
HEADLINER Davison 35, Grand Blanc 21Â Davison clinched a share of the Saginaw Valley League Red championship, moved to 8-0 overall this season and jumped three spots back to No. 3 on the Division 1 playoff-points average list. Thatâs a strong haul from a third-straight win over the Cardinalsâ biggest rival, but their regular-season work isnât done yet. Grand Blanc (5-3) still could end up with a share of the Red title if Lapeer is able to catch Davison this week. Click for more from WJRT.
Watch list Ubly 42, Cass City 8Â After reaching Ford Field two of the last three season, Ubly (8-0) appears locked in for another run. The Bearcats won this matchup of Greater Thumb Conference division champions to jump to a season-best No. 3 on the Division 8 playoff-points average list. Cass City (6-2) remains firmly in the middle of the Division 7 list.
On the move Harbor Beach 18, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker 6Â Its only loss to Ubly, Harbor Beach (7-1) further set itself up for a possible playoff rematch with this win over the Division 7 hopeful Lakers (4-4). Midland 41, Lapeer 24Â Midland (5-3) has been a mainstay on the Division 2 playoff-points average list but firmed up its position with its best win this season, as Lapeer also is 5-3. Saginaw Swan Valley 14, Birch Run 10Â A three-game winning streak has Swan Valley (5-3) up to No. 18 on the Division 5 playoff-points average list after sitting just outside the top 32 after Week 3. Birch Run (5-3) remains No. 4 on the same list.
Greater Detroit
HEADLINER Detroit Cass Tech 24, Detroit Martin Luther King 23Â Cass Tech (6-2) finished a season sweep of its rival to complete a Detroit Public School League Blue championship. Five of the last six meetings between these PSL powers have been decided by seven points or fewer, and Corey Sadler Jr. was a difference maker in several ways as the Technicians firmed up their position in the Division 1 playoff field. King (4-4), meanwhile, moved up in Division 3 as well. Click for more from the Detroit Free Press.
Check out the moments from Detroit Cass Tech's victory over King in the Detroit Public School League Blue Division Championship game on October 13th, 2023! Watch as Mr. Football candidate Corey Sadler Jr. showcases his skills with a touchdown pass and run in the nail-biting 24-23⊠pic.twitter.com/arhssBMuGA
â STATE CHAMPS! Michigan (@statechampsmich) October 15, 2023
Watch list Gibraltar Carlson 20, Allen Park 18Â Carlson (7-1) has guaranteed itself at least a share of the Downriver League championship for the third straight season and can claim it outright for the first time during this streak this week against Lincoln Park. In handing Allen Park (7-1) its only loss, the Marauders capitalized with a five-position boost to No. 2 on the Division 2 playoff-points average list.
On the move Detroit Denby 29, Detroit Central 28Â Denby (8-0) played by far its closest game of an otherwise dominating run to earn the PSL Blue championship. Central (4-4), which also lost to Denby 38-24 in Week 4, is one of only two opponents to score on Denby this fall. Northville 28, Novi 14Â The winner-take-all for the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title went to Northville (8-0), which continued its ascension after finishing second in the league a year ago and 3-6 in 2021. Novi (6-2), similarly, has guaranteed its best finish since 2016. West Bloomfield 31, Southfield Arts & Technology 20Â In handing the Warriors (7-1) their only loss, West Bloomfield was able to nearly switch spots with A&T on the Division 1 playoff-points average list â the Lakers moved from No. 11 to 7, and Southfield moved from No. 4 to 11.\
Mid-MichiganÂ
HEADLINER Mason 30, Walled Lake Western 7Â Walled Lake Western was top-ranked and Mason tied with Zeeland West for No. 2 in last weekâs Division 3 coaches poll, but Mason (8-0) didnât allow a point after the first quarter while its offensive stars found their footing including senior running back AJ Martel a week after setting the schoolâs career rushing record. Walled Lake Western (7-1) remains No. 1 on the Division 3 playoff-points average list, with Mason No. 4 but with another chance to gain this week against Fenton. Click for more from WILX.
Check out the highlights from Mason High School's 30-7 victory over Walled Lake Western! Mr. Football contender had two rushing touchdowns and a blocked FG. Not to be outdone, Cason Carswell and Kaleb Parrish delivered a spectacular duo with two touchdown connections. Delivered⊠pic.twitter.com/BKoVGgd3AL
â STATE CHAMPS! Michigan (@statechampsmich) October 14, 2023
Watch list Corunna 57, Fenton 7Â In commanding fashion, Corunna (8-0) won the Flint Metro League championship game and put itself in position to play for a first perfect regular season since 2002. Fenton (6-2), as noted above, will face another undefeated team in its regular-season finale in Mason.
On the move Portland 41, Lansing Sexton 0Â In another dominating performance, Portland (8-0) won this winner-take-all for the Capital Area Activities Conference White championship, stopping Sexton (7-1) and an offense that was averaging 37 points per game. Mount Pleasant 42, Midland Dow 7Â After a big Week 1 loss to Saginaw Heritage, Mount Pleasant may have faded from the championship focus a bit â but the Oilers are back in a big way, having clinched the SVL Blue title outright and sitting in the No. 3 spot on the Division 3 playoff-points average list for the second-straight week after putting Dow (4-4) back outside the field at No. 34 in Division 2. Hastings 51, Jackson Northwest 14Â Despite a 1-2 start in nonleague play, Hastings (6-2) also has bounced back in a big way and with this win clinched the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title while moving to No. 8 on the Division 4 playoff-points average list.
Northern Lower Peninsula
HEADLINER Gaylord 24, Jackson Lumen Christi 21Â During a stunning season for Gaylord (8-0), and a weekend with plenty of stunners statewide, the Blue Devils made another headline by remaining undefeated while handing Lumen Christi (7-1) its only loss. The reigning Division 7 champion Titans had won 18 straight games going back to September 2022. Click for more from the Petoskey News-Review.
Watch list East Jordan 38, Frankfort 36Â This was similarly massive among the small schools up north, as East Jordan (7-1) scored during the closing seconds to take a winner-take-all and its second Northern Michigan Football Conference Legacy title over the last three seasons. Frankfort (6-2) finished second for the third consecutive season.
On the move Benzie Central 28, Maple City Glen Lake 14Â A third-straight win sent Benzie (5-3) up six spots on the Division 7 playoff-points average list to No. 15 and Glen Lake (4-4) down seven spots to No. 29 in Division 8. Petoskey 27, Sault Ste. Marie 7Â With another tough opponent in Clare this week, there was some added urgency in this matchup for Petoskey â and the Northmen (5-3) jumped eight spots on the Division 3 playoff-points average list to No. 24 while Sault Ste. Marie (5-3) fell six spots in Division 4 to No. 32. Boyne City 28, Oscoda 0Â Despite still falling one spot on the Division 6 list to No. 27, Boyne City (4-4) also connected on a must-win as it seeks to reach the playoffs for the 10th time in 12 seasons.
Southeast & Border
HEADLINER Dundee 22, Hudson 16 (OT)Â After losing to Hudson the last three years by 14, 28 and then 29 points last fall, respectively, Dundee took its opportunity to impact this weekâs Lenawee County Athletic Association championship decider between Hudson and Clinton, with Hudson (7-1) now needing a win to share the title instead of winning it outright. More importantly, the Vikings (5-3) also jumped two spots into No. 32 on the Division 5 playoff-points average list. Click for more from the Monroe News.Â
Watch list Ann Arbor Pioneer 40, Ann Arbor Huron 38Â Pioneer, 5-3 this fall after going a combined 2-22 over the last three seasons, had lost three straight to Huron (4-4) including 57-0 a year ago. Thanks to this win, Pioneer also jumped five spots to No. 20 on the Division 1 playoff-points average list.
On the move Chelsea 17, Trenton 14 (OT)Â Myles Bieber made three field goals for Chelsea (7-1), including one to tie the score with 34 seconds left in regulation and then the game-winner in overtime after Trenton (4-4) threw an interception. Michigan Center 42, Manchester 27Â After its league title chances all but ended with a Week 7 loss to Napoleon, Michigan Center (6-2) bounced back to secure second place and move to No. 17 on the Division 6 playoff-points average list while Manchester (6-2) is No. 12 in Division 7. Ottawa Lake Whiteford 45, Union City 7Â Whiteford (8-0) won a matchup of league champions and maintained its top spot on the Division 8 playoff-points average list while Union City (6-2) fell to No. 15 on the Division 7 tracker.
Southwest Corridor
HEADLINERÂ Lawton 21, Saugatuck 0Â By handing Schoolcraft and Saugatuck (7-1) their only league losses over the last two weeks, Lawton (7-1) secured the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley championship for the third straight season. Caleb Mallory had two of the Lawton scores, and the Blue Devils stopped a Saugatuck offense averaging 37.3 points per game. See below for more from WZZM.
Watch list Constantine 20, South Haven 0Â Constantine (7-1) pushed its SAC Lakeshore winning streak to 20 and its championship streak to five straight with its second shutout in four league games. The Falcons earned a share and can clinch the title outright this week against Parchment, with South Haven (5-3) and Kalamazoo United a game back and hoping for an upset while they also face off.
On the move Berrien Springs 38, Benton Harbor 14Â After finishing runner-up last season, Berrien Springs finished an outright championship in the Lakeland Conference and moved up four spots to No. 23 on the Division 5 playoff-points average list. Edwardsburg 34, Vicksburg 20Â The Eddies bounced back from two straight losses to keep their playoff hopes alive as they attempt to extend their streak to 14 straight postseasons. After falling out of the top 32 on the Division 4 playoff-points average list in Week 7, the Eddies moved back to No. 30 while Vicksburg fell from No. 30 to 35. Portage Northern 38, Stevensville Lakeshore 17Â Coming off a tough loss to rival Portage Central, Northern (7-1) climbed back up the Division 2 playoff-points average list to No. 9, while Lakeshore fell to No. 16 on the Division 3 tracker.
Upper Peninsula
HEADLINER Kingsford 41, Menominee 32Â Trailing at halftime, Kingsford (7-1) turned to powerful back Elizin Rouse and followed his historic performance to a share of the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper title in the first season in the league for both teams after previously playing football in the Great Northern Conference. Kingsford is the No. 16 team on the Division 6 playoff-points average list, and Menominee (6-2) fell only to No. 7 in Division 7. Click for more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.
Watch list Bark River-Harris 56, Manistique 14Â After falling back as far as No. 38 on the Division 8 playoff-points average list, Bark River-Harris (5-3) has won three straight and is back to No. 26, with Manistique (4-4) still on the bubble in Division 7 at No. 36.
On the move Negaunee 13, Houghton 6Â Negaunee (7-1) also secured a share of the Copper title while holding off a potential spoiler in Houghton (2-6). Marquette 28, Cadillac 13Â The bounce-back season continued as Marquette (5-2) secured at least second in the Big North Conference with a chance at a league title share if Sault Ste. Marie can catch Gaylord this week. Cadillac (4-4) remains in the postseason running in Division 3 at No. 30 on that playoff-points average list, while Marquette moved up to No. 20. Gladstone 28, Calumet 21Â Gladstone (6-2) is back to No. 7 on the Division 6 playoff-points average list, while Calumet (3-5) sits No. 36.
West Michigan
HEADLINER Rockford 34, Grandville 13Â Make that five straight Ottawa-Kent Conference Red championships for the Rams (8-0), who clinched a share and can finish an outright title this week against Hudsonville. Grandville (6-2) did give the Rams their closest league game so far, but quarterback Drake Irwin continued to shine with two rushing and two passing touchdowns for Rockford. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.
Check out the performance by Rockford as they beat Grandville 34-13 on October 13th, 2023! Mr. Football candidate Drake Irwin scored 4 touchdowns (2 rushing and 2 passing). Delivered by @hungryhowies
Cast your vote for Drake Irwin in the Mr. Football Award Contest at⊠pic.twitter.com/3H16hMnKe6
â STATE CHAMPS! Michigan (@statechampsmich) October 14, 2023
Watch list Grand Rapids Catholic Central 21, Grand Rapids South Christian 12 A year ago it was South Christian (6-2) winning this matchup and eventually the O-K Gold title, but this time GRCC (7-1) took it back and needs only to defeat winless Ottawa Hills this week to finish an outright championship run.
On the move Byron Center 9, East Grand Rapids 0Â Six of eight teams in the O-K White remain .500 or better overall, but Byron Center (7-1) is tied at the top with Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central with one league game left for both and East Grand Rapids (6-2) now tied for third. Muskegon Mona Shore 14, Zeeland West 6Â Both are left chasing Muskegon in the O-K Green after both falling to the Big Reds, but from a playoffs point of view this was huge as Mona Shores (6-2) moved up six spots to No. 13 on the Division 2 list and Zeeland West (6-2) fell back only three to No. 13 in Division 3. Montague 24, Manistee 22Â Montague (4-4) got a big boost as it bounces back from a 2-4 start, as this win vaulted the Wildcats five spots on the Division 6 list for the second week in a row, this time to No. 16. Manistee fell back only three spots to No. 5 with a possible rematch ahead.
8-Player
HEADLINER Adrian Lenawee Christian 41, Pittsford 0 Itâs been this kind of season for Lenawee Christian (8-0), which for the second time in three weeks handed the first loss to a highly-ranked opponent. Pittsford (7-1) had given up only 54 points total over its seven victories, but the Cougars got to 35-0 by halftime of this Southern Central Athletic Association East clincher. Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.
Watch list Bay City All Saints 47, Akron-Fairgrove 6 The winner would claim the North Central Thumb League Stripes title outright, and All Saints did so â with the championship its first since sharing the Greater Thumb Conference West title in 2003. These two flip-flopped on the Division 2 playoff-points average list, with All Saints (7-1) moving to No. 8 and Akron-Fairgrove (6-2) at No. 13.
On the move Norway 32, Powers North Central 26 The Knights (6-2) clinched a share of the Great Lakes Eight Conference West title with this win over the reigning champion Jets (6-2). Pickford 60, Newberry 52 Tommy Storey made the record book multiple times in leading Pickford to this outright clincher in the GLEC East, as Newberry (6-2) fell to third. Alcona 66, Rogers City 0 Alcona (7-1) claimed the North Star League Big Dipper title outright after losing by 16 to finish second to Rogers City (4-4) a year ago.
Second Halfâs weekly â1st & Goalâ previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the stateâs 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and X (Twitter) @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top)Â Detroit Cass Tech celebrates during its PSL Gold championship win at Ford Field. (Middle) Davison defenders swarm during their win over Grand Blanc. (Below)Â An Otsego rusher charges into the line during a rainy 47-6 win by Paw Paw. (Top photo by Olivia B. Photography, middle photo by Terry Lyons, below photo by Gary Shook.)Â