2023 High School Football Preview – Southwest 10 Conference
The Southwest 10, like the Big Ten, is a conference of 10 in name only, at least for football only.With some schools dropping to 8-man football, or some not fielding a varsity team the past few years. The league is still trying to gain a little stability after a few years of membership changes.
2024 Southwest 10 Preview
Cassopolis Rangers
2023 Record: 3-6 (2-2 Southwest 10)
Head Coach: Jeremiah Lee (2nd season, 3-6)
2024 Schedule
08/29 – Allegan – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – at Galesburg-Augusta – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – White Pigeon – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – Hartford – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – at Centreville – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – at Comstock – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – Decatur – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – BYE WEEK
10/25 – at Dowagiac
After a winless season in 2022, Cassopolis turned to Jeremiah Lee to begin to turn around the program, and even if the Rangers went 3-6 officially in 2023, they did win 2 more games on the field as they did in 2022.
Lee comes back for year two with even higher expectation for the Rangers squad. Cassopolis will have 20 players on the roster this season but 5 starters remain on offense and 5 on defense, and they’ll benefit greatly from a consistent voice for a 2nd straight season. Plus the Rangers have four seniors to lead the team.
The Rangers will operate from the veer offense, with a young sophomore starting at QB in the form of Lucas Williams (6’1, 150). Other skill positions for the Rangers include WR/RB Junior’s Turner Westgate (6’1, 165) and Cameron Steward (5’10, 175). Junior Ayden Archer (5’9, 155) at wide receiver, and Sophomore Lane Leach (5’9, 150) and senior Anthony Higgins (5’9, 160) at running backs. All playing behind tackle Mason Boyer (6’3, 270). Nic Davis will serve as Offensive Coordinator.
Coach Lee will serve as the defensive coordinator, running out of a 4-4 alignment. Leach at Linebacker and Steward at cornerback will play both ways, joined by junior Turner Westrate (6’1, 165) at defensive back and linebacker. Senior Brayden Gould (6’2, 175) will line up at free safety. Senor Jaren Willman (6’1, 250) will also line up at linebacker with junior Jackson Whitmeyer (5’11, 175) at linebacker.
On special teams, Cassopolis will go with their QB Williams at punter and kicker, with Steward, Westrate, Ayden Gillam, and Jaylee Pratt returning kicks.
Lee expects to see his team to win 5 or 6 games and make the playoffs, something the Rangers haven’t done since 2021 when the Rangers went 5-4 in the regular season before losing in the first round.
Coach Lee expects White Pigeon as the top team in the Southwest 10 this season. Cassopolis opens the season at home against Allegan on Thursday, August 29th.
Centreville Bulldogs
2023 Record: 5-5 (3-1 Southwest 10)
Head Coach: James Philips (1st season)
2024 Schedule
08/29 – Union City – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – at Schoolcraft – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – at Hartford – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – at Comstock – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – Cassopolis – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – at Decatur – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – White Pigeon – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – Muskegon Catholic Central – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – Quincy – 7:00 p.m.
When losing a football coach at the last minute, especially one that’s won a state championship recently, it usually makes it difficult to find a suitable replacement. Not the case for Centreville. Centreville Coach Jerry Schultz left the Bulldogs to take the open position at Mattawan. Schultz led Centreville to the state championship in the 2020 Covid season, with a perfect 11-0 record. So Centreville hired James Phillips as head coach, and wile Phillips hasn’t won a state title as a coach, he won two state titles while playing for Mendon and multiple state title winning coach John Schwartz, so not far off.
Philips will be calling the defense for the Bulldogs this season and he has 6 starters returning both on defense and on offense. His 23-man roster has 10 seniors on it.
Centreville’s defense lines up in a 4-2-5 setup. With senior Max Yoder (5’8, 165) at free safety, a pair of strong safeties include senior Owen Taylor (5’10, 190) and junior DeAndre Stout (5’10, 150). Senior Carter Cartier (5’10, 180) will play linebacker, with senior Kaeden Wells (5’8, 185) at defensive end.
The 4-2-5 defense is new to the Centreville program this season, so much of Centreville’s early success should depend on how fast they learn, understand, and put it into game situational awareness as the season progresses.
Centreville will utilize a flexbone offense under offensive coordinator Jonathon Eicher. With Yoder at quarterback, Cartier and Stout at a wingback, Wells at fullback, and Taylor at Guard. They’re joined by senior offensive tackle Aiden Kohlhoff (6’0, 200), who is also the Tigers kicker/punter.
Phillips says the team would like to improve on their 5-5 record from a year ago under Schultz, and he says they would like to “Successfully implement the new 4-2-5 defensive scheme & continue to build on success of offense from previous years.”
Philips says that White Pigeon is the favorite in the Southwest 10, but they would like to compete for the conference championship and make a deep run in the MHSAA Playoffs.
Centreville opens the season at home against Union City on Thursday, August 29th before playing the next three games on the road.
Comstock Colts
2023 Record: 0-9 (0-4 Southwest 10)
Head Coach: Spencer Tuggle (3rd season, 1-17)
2024 Schedule
08/29 – at Parchment – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – at Allegan – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – Decatur – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – Centreville – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – at White Pigeon – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – Cassopolis – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – Morley Stanwood – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – Hartford – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – at Vermontville Maple Valley – 7:00 p.m.
Comstock did not reply to our request for a season preview.
Decatur Raiders
2023 Record: 4-5 (1-3 Southwest 10)
Head Coach: Scott Burwell (4th season, 14-15)
2024 Schedule
08/29 – Galesburg-Augusta – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – Petersburg Summerfield – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – at Comstock – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – at White Pigeon – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – Hartford – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – Centreville – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – at Cassopolis – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – at Hopkins – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – Brandywine – 7:00 p.m.
While it may be an old cliché, for the Decatur Raiders football team, it’s not about how you start but it’s how you finish. After beating Galesburg-Augusta 14-6 in the season opener last year, Decatur went on to drop their next four straight games. But the Raiders were able to win three of their last five games to close out the year. The two losses were by one score each. Now Decatur has to ride that wave into the 2024 season and build on it.
It’s now Scott Burwell’s 4th season with the Raiders, so this is the senior year for his first group of players since taking over for Joe Groh in 2021.
Burwell is also the Raiders offensive coordinator and the team will run the Wing T offense. An offense that takes a little time an practice to run, but game experience is the best way to learn it, and Decatur has plenty of experience. Decatur returns 9 starters on offense from the team last year. The team also has 9 starters on offense and 9 seniors.
Burwell lists his key players on offense as seniors Terry (Landon) Rose (QB, 6’1, 190), up front on the line are Brody Rose (6’3, 315), Frank Conforti (6’2, 320), Landen Swetz (6’0, 220) and Zavior Bishop (6’1, 260). At Running Back are Danny Camarillo (6’3, 210) and Cameron Cropsey (5’11, 190). Carson Shugars (6’1, 180) lines up at tight end. Decatur has a pair of junior running backs as well, Brody Mead (5’11, 170) and Rylie Mead (5’10, 170)
The same group of players will also be on the defensive side of the ball with Decatur only having 20 players on the varsity roster. Swetz, Camarillo, and the Mead’s at linebacker, Cropsey at free safety. Ross, Conforti, and Bishop on the defensive line and Shugars at defensive end. Decatur will play a 4-4 defensive set under Jay Newell as the defensive coordinator.
There is one more Mead, Linken Mead will handle kicking and punting duties. (we’re not sure if they’re triplets).
While Burwell expects White Pigeon as a favorite in the SW10, he says, “We expect to be in contention for a conference championship and making a playoff run.”
Decatur opens the season at home on Thursday, August 29th against Galesburg-Augusta.
Hartford Huskies
2023 Record: No record, season was cancelled
Head Coach: Joseph Morsaw (3rd season, 0-0)
2024 Schedule
08/29 – Brandywine – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – at Delton-Kellogg – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – Centreville – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – at Cassopolis – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – at Decatur – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – at White Pigeon – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – Buchanan – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – at Comstock – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – at Berrien Springs – 7:00 p.m.
After a one year hiatus of the program and another year playing a JV season, the Hartford football program has returned to varsity competition.
Not only is this the first time Hartford has played varsity football since the 2021 season, it’ll be the first time Hartford has played varsity football under the Huskies nickname. In fact, the finishing touches have been made at Hartford’s stadium, removing the old “Indians” nickname from the pressbox and a newly updated sign with Hartford Huskies welded on.
The fact that Hartford returns is outstanding news, but they are returning to the full 11 man football level, and not 8-man.
With Hartford back in 11-man football it also means their return to the Southwest 10 Conference, and a balanced conference schedule. Of the 10-member league. Bangor, Bloomingdale, Lawrence, and Marcellus playing 8-man football, leaving Decatur, Centreville, Comstock, White Pigeon and Cassopolis playing traditional 11-man football, there was always one conference opponent without a league game. Hartford’s readmittance solves that issue.
Hartford will be running a pro set offense this season with Morsow also serving as offensive coordinator. Hartford has 18 players out for the team this season with three seniors.
Morsaw considers these as his key players on both sides of the ball. Sophomores–Mason Mireles(QB/LB), Jeff Littlefield(QB/DL), Rowen Littlefield(OL/DL). Juniors–Brian Sewell (RB/S), Linken Birkhead(RB/LB), Alex Morsaw(TE/LB), Isaiah Lovell(WR/LB), Shane Phillips(OL/DL), Ryder Birkhead(TE/DE). Seniors–Alex Johnson(WR/DB), Jonathan Moreno(OL/DL), Sianelli Rodriguez(RB/LB).
Hartford will use a 6-2 defensive alignment, which will force teams to try to throw to beat them.
According to Morsaw, “We should have a winning season for 2024. Our players need to handle the ups and downs of a season and be ready on game night by working hard throughout the week of practice.”
While Hartford has been away from the Southwest 10 conference for two years, Morsaw says about the SW10, “Each school has had key departures on their team, I think the conference is up in the air who takes control. It will be an interesting question after the first 3 weeks in conference play.
Hartford’s first game will be against Brandywine on Thursday, August 29th at Hartford. It will be a grueling part of the schedule when the Huskies open conference play, they’ll host Centreville in week 3 before playing the next three games on the road, at Cassopolis, at Decatur, and at White Pigeon.
White Pigeon Chiefs
2023 Record: 11-1 (4-0 Southwest 10)
Head Coach: Shawn Strawser (7th season, 45-16)
2024 Schedule
08/29 – Reading – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – at Buchanan – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – at Cassopolis – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – Decatur – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – Comstock – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – Hartford – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – at Centreville – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – Ottawa Lake Whiteford – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – at Bronson – 7:00 p.m.
Last season, White Pigeon Coach Shawn Strawser thought Centreville was the favorite in the Southwest 10 Conference race. Looking back, he may have wanted to change his thinking a little more internally.
White Pigeon went undefeated in the regular season, which included at 24-8 win over Centreville. To top it off White Pigeon defeated Centreville again in the first round of the playoffs 40-12.
White Pigeon’s season ended two weeks later with a loss to eventual state runner up Ottawa Lake Whiteford 54-8 in the regional finals. An unexpected and surprising end to what was an 11-0 season up until that point. White Pigeon’s first undefeated regular season since 1984.
The Chiefs will field a varsity team of 20 players with 7 seniors on the roster this season. White Pigeon has 5 starters on offense and defense back this season.
The White Pigeon offense will be a Wing T formation with Strawser calling the plays. They will line up in a 5-2 set on defense with Mike Gropp as defensive coordinator.
The key players for White Pigeon on both sides of the ball according to Strawser are, Taylor Stewart FB 5’10 215 Junior, Josh Davidson QB 5’9 150 Senior, Chaz Underwood LT 5’10 275 Senior, Jordan Pisco RB 6’3 175 Senior, Mekhi Singleton RB 5’9 145 Senior, Wes Roberts TE 6’5 240 Senior, and Jared Luna G 5’8 160 Senior
Junior Norberto Monroy is the specialist on special teams.
According to Strawser, White Pigeon has a tough 2024 schedule, and they are looking to make their 7th playoff appearance in a row.
As for the rest of the Southwest 10, Strawser again shifting the attention away from his team and says, “Decatur and Centreville will be tough this year.”
White Pigeon will open the season at home on Thursday, August 29th against Reading.
Tomorrow’s preview: Southwestern Athletic Conference (SAC)