By Frank Vajcner
It’s now time to head to Jeff Grodi’s alma mater. It will be a new era at Jefferson again, as Rob Beaudrie will look to bring “Da Bears” back to being respectable. What does the schedule look like for the coming season?
2023 Schedule:
Aug 25 Erie Mason
Sept 1@ Milan
Sept 8 Riverview
Sept 15 @ Flat Rock
Sept 22 New Boston Huron
Sept 29 @ Grosse Ile
Oct 6 Airport
Oct 13 SMCC
Oct 20 @ Melvindale
Gut-Check Game: Hello from the other side. Beaudrie turned Erie Mason from a doormat to respectable in four years there, and the Bears’ first game just happens to be against the Eagles. The Eagles went 6-4 last season, including a 14-6 win over the Bears in Week 9. There will be more about this game in a much later post, but if the Bears get a win here, expectations will be sky-high. They will be even higher if the Bears are 2-0 when Riverview comes to town. Getting a win there will be too much to ask for, but a respectable showing will still have the Bears believing.
Trap Game: I can’t really mention any game as a trap game when a team goes 0-for in their conference the previous year.
Snoozer: In these cases, there aren’t games that qualify as snoozers, but one that could fit the bill is Melvindale. The Cardinals went 3-6 with wins over a 3-6 Robichaud, and two woebegone teams in Dearborn Heights Annapolis and Redford Thurston.
Non-Conference Challenge: See Gut-Check Game.
Notable: This will be the first meeting between the Cardinals and Bears on the football field…Beginning a season against the same opponent which they ended is nothing new for the Bears. They opened the 1996 season against Robichaud, whom they ended the 1995 season against. Oddly enough, both games were 27-0 wins for the Bears.
Final Thoughts from Frank: I won’t say whether ‘Da Bears” will be back or not. However, if they get wins in both non-conference games, plus spring an upset or two against Huron League competition, then I will be willing to have the conversation. This year will be about laying the foundation for Beaudrie and company.
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Wonder if this coach will get more than a year to lay the foundation? Guess by all the “recruits” he is bringin in he will get more than his predecessor.