We have spent the last week working our way from bottom to top in an effort to predict who would win the Huron League. I have been cheered, jeered, booed and praised. None of it really matters including my predictions because high school football doesn’t start until Friday night. This blog along with these predictions were just one fan’s effort to add to what is one of the greatest times of the year.
SMCC has been a power in the Huron League for the better part of the last 22 years winning 8 Huron League title. Prior to that the school was known as Monroe Catholic Central and the Falcons won 10 league titles in a span of 20 years. No team even comes close to matching the dominance that the Catholics from Monroe have shown.
This years team has been chosen to win the league because they have every thing it takes to win the Huron League. I don’t know if they have what it takes to win a state title because I don’t know if SMCC has been working on the passing game.
SMCC returns a host of veteran players including 8 juniors who started at one time or another on varsity last year as sophomores. The Falcons have only 13 seniors but will rely on most of them in order to achieve football glory this fall.
Offensively the Falcons will run the ball right at you, although they will use some deception. As many as 5 or 6 backs could carry the load on any given Friday. Fullback TJ Lovell is perhaps the best player in the league. His bruising and determined running style make the Falcons physical. When you focus too much on Lovell, they will hit you with their speed.
Defensively, the Falcons will be led by Lovell at LB, Nick Wilson at DE and Mike Pannone who was an all-league defensive back as a sophomore. Scoring on the Falcons will be tough to do on the ground and teams may have better luck throwing on them instead.
I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t mention the coaching at SMCC. Jack Giarmo has been an excellent coach since he took over in 1998. He has gone an impressive 83-39 since taking the position while winning two league titles. Perhaps the most impressive part of Giarmo’s tenure has been the special teams play. Year in and year out the Falcons have had an advantage in field position because of their special teams. Last year alone Martellis Simon scored 6 times on returns.
Look for SMCC to finish the league season undefeated at 7-0. I do believe they will be challenged by Airport who skunked the Falcons 21-0 last year. Jefferson has won 2 in a row against their rivals and may have something to say about an undefeated league season. Riveview played SMCC tough last year and Jeff Stergalas should be able to match wits with Giarmo. A game that intrigues me is on September 18th when Huron host the Falcons. Huron will not be able to stop SMCC’s ground game but will the Falcons be able to stop the Chiefs?
I see SMCC finishing 8-1 overall this season. I think that loss will come opening night against a Detroit Crockett team that has an excellent run defense and will be able to match the Falcon speed. The Rockets were playoff qualifiers last year and lost to state finalist Detroit Country Day 17-7 in the opening round of the playoffs.
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The comment about too many sports in the GI sports program is SPOT ON!! Whoever wrote that is 100% correct and it's a problem that won't go away soon (kinda like taxes, once you start them they never go away). The Football program is beginning to show the fruits of a good Jr program. GI still needs better coordination with the Jr. High too. Bottom line is Football needs to instill a want/desire in the kids early and compete/recruit kids and parents early so they choose football. Gone are the days where a typical football player just shows up because it's "Football" on GI. Soccer/Tennis/Golf/Hockey (all varsity sports at GIHS) are big draws on small island full of country clubs for sure.
Heard that Redmond said this is probably his best team in a long time. We will see.
Even though I do not agree with all your comments, I enjoy the site and look forward to reading it each day. Couple of comments on your predictions:
#1Airport will will he league. I saw their scrimmage and they did very well against all larger class A schools. They did not lose much and kicked SMCC butt last year.
#2SMCC will be very good, numbers are fantastic and I hear they may 2 platoon the majority of the kids, that is huge for a school of 423 kids. Great coach, and tradition.
#3Milan, maybe a little down, but still has great numbers and a great coach, I look for them to be tough but beatable.
#4Jefferson will be tough as long as Cisco is alive, they are beatable, however, you always have to be ready tostrap it up against them.
#5Flat Rock has best numbers in years with maybe the best back in the league. I read only 5 kids playing both ways. That is huge in the 4th quarter, where FR lost some games, they are the surprise of the league this year,
#6Riverview, not sure, very proven coach but a young team, give them another year,
#7Huron, I hear the same stuff every year, their QB abd O stats are way over blown, they throw the ball alot when they are down 5 scores and going aginst the other teams 2s and 3s. Look at their stats in close games.
38Groose Ile, Great back, period. They offer too many sports for a school of 640 kids, it hurts their football program.
Can't wait for Friday!!!