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Orchard View Buy-In Reaps Big Turnaround

October 30, 2019

By Tom Kendra
Special for Second Half

It was far from love at first sight.

When returning Muskegon Orchard View standouts like senior Dayton Rose and junior Owen Swanson first met their new varsity football coach Fred Rademacher back in January, they weren’t so sure what to expect moving forward.

“I was very skeptical,” said Rose, who at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds was asked to move from tight end back inside to guard in Rademacher’s wing-T offense. “I caught a lot of passes last year, and I really didn’t want to go back to the wing-T.

“Then I told him that I was a second-team all-state punter. He told me: ‘That’s nice, but I don’t punt.’ At that point, I was really wondering about this dude.”

Fast forward to present day, and there’s overflowing mutual admiration between team and coach at this eastern Muskegon County school district, which had emerged as a mid-sized state powerhouse for a solid decade from 1995 to 2005 before falling off the map.

The Cardinals are not only back in the MHSAA Playoffs after a 10-year hiatus, but they returned in style improving from 2-7 last fall to a perfect 9-0 this regular season. OV is ranked No. 2 in Division 4 heading into Friday night’s home showdown against No. 7 Sparta (8-1).

“We have a great senior class,” said Rademacher, whose most recent head coaching job was at Hastings, where he was 44-43 over nine years. “There are 14 seniors that are great football players, and they like to work hard. You add in a coaching staff that has bought in and an administration that is backing us, and it’s a formula for success.”

Orchard View opened the season with a hard-fought home win over Spring Lake, then went on the road for three straight weeks – coming home a perfect 4-0 after wins over Kent City, perennial power Muskegon Catholic Central and Belding.

The Cardinals did it on the field by ditching the spread offense and going back to the wing-T, which they ran to so much success under John Shillito (making the MHSAA Finals in 1995 and 1999) and Matt McDonald (winning the school’s lone championship, in Division 4 in 2004).

Rose, a dominating pulling guard, is one of six seniors among the starting front seven on offense – with the only underclassmen junior guard Jayshawn Sandin-Davis. The other starters up front are center Jordan Tuttle, tackles Dominic Baushke and Xavier Ruiz and ends AJ Herrera and Hayden Stanfield.

The ground game is keyed by the 1-2 punch of shifty junior fullback Brendan Hyatt and bruising senior halfback Edmari Mitchell, along with regular subs in senior Alex Andrews and sophomore Darius Williams.

“I like my backs to be unselfish,” said Rademacher, 51, who was an assistant at East Kentwood for four years under Shillito before taking the Hastings job. “They have adopted my viewpoint that it doesn’t really matter who scores the touchdown as long as we score a touchdown.”

Rademacher is a Flint native whose father, Fred, was the first varsity football coach at Flint Powers Catholic. His varsity assistants include OV principal Dan Bolhuis and defensive coordinator Brian Andrews, along with Morgan Wansten (running backs and defensive line), Eric Prow (offensive and defensive lines) and Pete Vellenga (defensive backs and offensive line).

The trigger man for the Cardinals is Swanson, who has done an admirable job distributing the ball and carrying out all of the fakes that are an integral part of the wing-T. He has been deadly on keeper runs, and his strong arm adds another dimension to the attack – which may be required to win a loaded District that also includes Grand Rapids Catholic Central, which has won two Division 4 titles over the past three years.

“I love to throw the ball, like any quarterback, so I wasn’t real happy at first about the new offense,” said Swanson, who plays four sports – football, basketball, bowling and baseball. “But going 9-0 makes up for everything.”

The Cardinals capped their turnaround tale with a 32-20 home victory last week over North Muskegon. OV raced out to a 24-0 lead in that game, before NM rallied back behind the arm of senior quarterback John Hayhurst.

Rose, the leader of the Cardinals’ defense at middle linebacker, knows that unit is going to have to play much better pass defense against Sparta, which is led by four-year starting quarterback Jakel Davis.

The secondary of Hyatt and Andrews at safety and Brendan Nelson and Williams at cornerback will be put to the test, both in coverage and in knowing when to come up and fill on keeper runs.

True to his coach’s word, Rose has punted just three times the entire season, as Rademacher has chosen to go for it on fourth down from all over the field.

Rose said he and his teammates have come to understand that there is a method to their new coach’s madness, and that belief has produced a new-found confidence in the OV program. Rademacher got a head start on preparation this week, skipping the team’s playoff selection show watch party Sunday to map out this week’s practice plan.

“He’s a little weird, and it takes awhile to get to know him,” concedes Rose, who hopes to continue playing football at the Division II or Division III college level next year. “I mean, we have no music at our practices and he doesn’t get any of our jokes. He is the definition of an old man. But hey, we’re winning.”

Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Senior guard Dayton Rose pulls down the line as Alex Andrews gets a handoff from quarterback Owen Swanson during Orchard View’s 42-35 win at Belding on Sept. 20. (Middle) First-year coach Fred Rademacher (gray hat) talks to his team during that Cardinals' win. (Below) Orchard View is back to playing wing-T football as the backfield, from left, of Alex Andrews, Brendan Hyatt and Edmari Mitchell get their proper spacing before a play during a 32-20 win over visiting North Muskegon on Oct. 25. (Photos by Katie Ream.)

Martin's Haylen Buell charges into an opening during his team's win over Gobles.

1st & Goal: 2023 Playoff Week 2 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 6, 2023

This weekend’s 8-Player Regional Finals and 11-Player District Finals featured more rematches from the regular season that crop up when the best teams must face off again but with the winner moving on and the loser this time putting away the pads until next fall.

MI Student AidAnd as we see just about every season, those matchups during the second week of this MHSAA Playoffs showed how much can change between the first meeting to the last – even if, in some cases, only a few weeks have passed between those two games.

8-player alone featured five rematches (of eight games total) – and three were won by the team that lost the first time, Martin enjoying the greatest reversal in flipping a 37-point defeat. The 11-player series saw its share of rematches as well – with a classic nearly stealing the thunder of another massive showdown in Division 1.

Of course, several individuals stood out over the weekend’s 72 games – but a couple require special recognition. Braylon Isom tied and reset the 11-player career receiving touchdowns record with his 49th and 50th in Saginaw Heritage’s 35-13 win over Midland Dow in Division 1. About a 1½-hour drive east, in Division 8, Ubly kicker Brett Mueller set the career extra points record with five more for 209 total as his team downed Harbor Beach 35-14.

See below for more of the most notable as we neared the halfway point of this postseason:

11-Player Division 1

HEADLINER Belleville 65, Saline 14 The growing legends of Belleville and quarterback Bryce Underwood added another chapter with the team’s 36th-straight win. Underwood was nearly perfect throwing the ball as the Tigers (11-0) also held Saline (9-2) to well below its 45 points-per-game average heading into the day. Click for more from the Ann Arbor News.

District Digest Clarkston 38, Lake Orion 37 Clarkston (6-5) dealt Lake Orion (10-1) the latter’s only loss of the season, doing so by avenging a 42-21 defeat by the Dragons in Week 7 and this time coming back from two touchdowns down with five minutes to play. Southfield Arts & Technology 36, Detroit Cass Tech 25 The Warriors (10-1) claimed their first District title since 2016, adding to a 29-27 win over Cass Tech from Week 1 and avenging last season’s District Final loss to the Technicians (7-4). Northville 24, Detroit Catholic Central 17 This also was a rematch of a 2022 District Final, with Northville (10-1) avenging last season’s 42-17 loss to the Shamrocks (8-3) to earn a rematch this week with Belleville. The Tigers dealt the Mustangs their only defeat this fall, in Week 9.

11-Player Division 2

HEADLINER Byron Center 31, Caledonia 28 A back-and-forth game during the second half went Byron Center’s way permanently on the final play as the Bulldogs (10-1) scored the go-ahead touchdown to clinch their first District title since 2016. Caledonia ended 8-3 and are a combined 30-7 over the last three seasons after reaching the Division 1 Final a year ago. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.

District Digest Muskegon 42, Muskegon Mona Shores 28 The Big Reds (9-2) secured their 11th District championship over the last 12 seasons, adding to a Week 4 win over the rival Sailors (7-4). Roseville 24, Grosse Pointe South 17 A program that won its first District title in 2021 now has its second in three seasons, Roseville (8-3) earning it by avenging a 16-7 Week 5 loss to the eventual MAC White champion.  Grosse Pointe South (9-2) capped its winningest season since 1987. Waterford Mott 34, Birmingham Seaholm 21 Mott (9-2) tied its school record for wins, per Michigan-Football.com, by also claiming a second District title in program history and second over the last three seasons. Seaholm finished 9-2, continuing a rise from 1-8 two seasons ago.

11-Player Division 3

HEADLINER Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 45, Mount Pleasant 21 Forest Hills Central (10-1) took a massive step as it continues to build on last season’s Division 2 runner-up finish, as these two ended the regular season fourth and second, respectively, in Division 3 playoff-point average. The Oilers finished 9-2, their only other loss in their season opener. Click for more from the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun.

District Digest Zeeland West 46, Coopersville 32 After ending the regular season with three close losses, West (8-3) has bounced back with a repeat District championship and two of its five highest-scoring games this fall. Coopersville (8-3) ended its winningest season since 2007, and its three defeats were by a combined 18 points. Walled Lake Western 50, Auburn Hills Avondale 22 In clinching its first District title since 2019, Western (10-1) earned a rematch with the lone opponent it lost to this season, Mason. Avondale finished 9-2, its best since 2012. River Rouge 49, Riverview 27 The Panthers (7-4) ran their winning streak to six games with their first District title since 2020, and earned a rematch with Detroit Martin Luther King, which ended Rouge’s season in a playoff opener a year ago. Riverview saw an eight-game winning streak come to an end in finishing 9-2.

11-Player Division 4

HEADLINER Big Rapids 28, Whitehall 27 A final-seconds field-goal attempt block earned Big Rapids its first District title since 2003, as the Cardinals (10-1) also reached double-digit wins for the first time since that season. Whitehall (10-1) had entered the playoffs as one of only two undefeated teams in Division 4. Click for more from the Big Rapids Pioneer.

District Digest Niles 42, Paw Paw 13 Niles followed up its 56-18 Week 9 win over Paw Paw (9-2) that clinched the Wolverine Conference title with this victory to earn the Vikings (10-1) their first District championship. Haslett 30, Chelsea 22 The Vikings (8-3) went on the road and held on through the final play to clinch their first District title since 2005. Chelsea finished 9-2, nearly doubling its wins from a 5-5 run a year ago. Goodrich 21, Freeland 20 The reigning Division 4 runner-up followed up last season’s 10-9 District Final win over Freeland (9-2) as Easton Phipps scored the go-ahead touchdown for Goodrich (10-1) with 1:46 to play.

11-Player Division 5

HEADLINER Corunna 28, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 17 Corunna (11-0) downed an unbeaten opponent for the second-straight week, and in doing so set a program record for wins as Jaden Edington starred again on both sides of the ball. Notre Dame (9-1) had defeated its opponents by an average score of 54-10. Click for more from the Owosso Argus-Press.

District Digest Macomb Lutheran North 32, Marine City 30 Just 3-6 a year ago, Lutheran North (9-2) also set a program record for wins this weekend in winning its first District championship on a last-minute field goal. Marine City finished 9-2, its only other defeat coming in its season opener. Kingsford 19, Ogemaw Heights 14 Kingsford (10-1) finished its road trip with its first District championship since 2009 and after reaching 10 wins for the first time since 2004. Ogemaw Heights also finished 9-2, with its only other defeat coming in Week 1. Detroit Southeastern 26, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 22 Southeastern’s most recent District title had come in 2018, in Division 8, and the Jungaleers improved to 8-3 after an 0-2 start this fall. Father Gabriel Richard finished 8-3, up from 3-6 a year ago and its first winning record since 2017.

11-Player Division 6

HEADLINER Gladstone 28, Negaunee 14 Gladstone (9-2) won a District title and reached nine wins both for the second-straight season, and also avenged last year’s 18-12 Regional loss to Negaunee as the Miners went on to finish Division 6 runner-up. Negaunee’s only other losses this fall were to Iron Mountain in Week 9 and Gladstone 42-14 to start the league schedule in Week 2. Click for more from the Escanaba Daily Press.

District Digest Midland Bullock Creek 49, Chesaning 22 The Lancers (8-3) won their first District championship since 2005 and equaled their most wins since 2007, and after winning four games each of the last three seasons. Chesaning finished 9-2, its winningest run since 2001. Almont 40, Warren Michigan Collegiate 38 (OT) Almont (10-1) delivered Michigan Collegiate its lone loss after the Cougars (10-1) had come back from an early deficit in seeking what would have been a fourth-straight District title. The Pirates had fallen to Collegiate in their only other meeting, a 2021 District Final. Detroit Edison 32, Ecorse 6 Edison (8-3) continued its record-setting season with its first District championship, continuing to bounce back from last year’s 2-7 finish. Ecorse finished 8-2, reaching that win total for the third-straight season.

11-Player Division 7

HEADLINER North Muskegon 27, Lawton 24 North Muskegon (11-0) trailed by three points heading into the fourth quarter, but found the end zone one more time to clinch its first District championship since 2006 and tie the program record for wins set in 1981 and also tied in 1986. Lawton finished 9-2 and is a combined 31-6 over the last three seasons. Click for more from the Muskegon Chronicle.

District Digest Millington 21, Cass City 20 The Cardinals (11-0) repeated as District champions, scoring the game-tying touchdown and connecting on the winning extra point with 1:52 to play. Cass City finished 8-3, a solid jump after back-to-back 5-5 seasons. Jackson Lumen Christi 26, Napoleon 0 These two collided in the playoffs for the second straight season, and Lumen Christi (10-1) followed last year’s Semifinal win by ending Napoleon’s season this time at 9-2. Menominee 50, Charlevoix 14 Menominee’s best season since 2017 continued in a big way as the Maroons improved to 9-2 and ended Charlevoix’s winningest season since 1977 also at 9-2.

11-Player Division 8

HEADLINER Ithaca 29, New Lothrop 28 Joe Dawe’s field goal with eight seconds to play sent Ithaca past New Lothrop (9-2) for a second-straight District championship after winning one in Division 7 a year ago. After not playing a single-digit game during the regular season, the Yellowjackets (11-0) have won both of their playoff games by a point. New Lothrop’s only other defeat this fall came by five, in Week 2 to Chesaning. Click for more from the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun.

District Digest Ubly 35, Harbor Beach 14 Ubly (11-0) claimed a fifth-straight District title and added to its 56-20 win over Harbor Beach (9-2) in Week 4. Ottawa Lake Whiteford 24, Hudson 14 Whiteford’s closest game since early September netted the Bobcats (11-0) their third District title in a row, and after Hudson (8-3) had won their last playoff meeting in a 2021 Semifinal. Clarkston Everest Collegiate 19, Marine City Cardinal Mooney 14 These two have met in league play and District Finals the last two seasons, and Everest (9-2) has won their last three matchups adding this to a 21-7 victory in Week 6. Cardinal Mooney ended 6-5 after bouncing back from an 0-2 start.

8-Player Division 1

HEADLINER Indian River Inland Lakes 40, St. Ignace 36 Inland Lakes (10-1) reached double-digit wins for the second time in three seasons and clinched a Regional title by avenging its lone loss of this fall. These two continued to match up about as closely as possible, with the Bulldogs claiming this meeting after St. Ignace won 30-28 in Week 4. The Saints ended their first season of 8-player at 9-2. Click for more from the Cheboygan Daily Tribune.

Regional Roundup Pickford 34, Norway 16 This was a rematch of Pickford’s 40-18 win in Week 7 and this time sent the Panthers (10-1) back to Semifinals for the first time since winning Division 2 in 2019. Norway’s 8-3 finish was its best since 2017. Kingston 26, Brown City 0 The Cardinals (9-2) have posted two of the most notable playoff victories to kick off any division, this one clinching a Regional title for the first time since 2019 but also avenging a 38-20 Week 3 loss to previously-undefeated Brown City (10-1). Martin 28, Gobles 6 Reigning Division 1 champion Martin (9-2) hurdled a major obstacle in Gobles (8-3), avenging a 53-16 loss to the Tigers from Week 4.

Freeland defenders attempt to gauge Goodrich's next move during Friday's Martians win.

8-Player Division 2

HEADLINER Adrian Lenawee Christian 56, Climax-Scotts 16 The dominance Lenawee Christian (11-0) is exhibiting this fall may eclipse its work from its undefeated championship seasons of 2020 and 2021. The Cougars opened up a 13-point lead by halftime and then extended it for their ninth win of at least 40 points this fall. Climax-Scotts (10-1) posted its best record in five seasons of 8-player. Click for more from the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Regional Roundup Lake Linden-Hubbell 37, Powers North Central 18 There will be a new Division 2 champion as Lake Linden-Hubbell (8-3) ended North Central’s three-year run in this elimination game. The win also finished a season sweep of the Jets (8-3), as the Lakes won their Week 5 meeting 28-25. Deckerville 34, Portland St. Patrick 32 Deckerville (9-2) built a lead early and held on late to clinch a first Regional title since 2017 and end the Shamrocks’ run at 9-2 – a mighty bounce-back from 3-6 in 2022. Marion 48, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 6 Marion (10-0) claimed a fourth-straight Regional championship and will enter the Semifinals undefeated for the second-straight year, this win ending the strongest of Sacred Heart’s six seasons of 8-player at 9-2 – double the success of finishing 4-5 a year ago.

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PHOTOS (Top) Martin's Haylen Buell charges into an opening during his team's win over Gobles. (Middle) Freeland defenders attempt to gauge Goodrich's next move during Friday's Martians win. (Top photo by Gary Shook; middle photo by Terry Lyons.)