Hanover-Horton Hopes to Repeat as Conference Champs as They Keep Momentum Rolling

Photos by Hannah Tacy & Henry Black, JTV Sports

Trey Richmond | JTV Sports

Monday August 10th

(8-10-2026, 4:00PM): After a historic season for the Comets including the program’s first conference title, two playoff wins, and a 9-3 record; David Messer is leading a Hanover-Horton team fueled by last season and they look to keep the momentum moving into this season.

“You don’t know what adversity looks like until you’ve faced it, they (the Comets) have been there, done that,” said David Messer.

Messer is entering his fifth season at the helm for the Comets. The historic season puts a target on Hanover-Horton’s back, but that “pushes us to be better.” Messer is retaining Clark Vinton as his offensive coordinator, his second year in the role. His offense will be running (again) a Wing-T scheme with explosive speed.

The biggest improvement for the offense is the line. They have made great improvement in the weight room, with footwork, they’ve increased their speed, and gotten to blocks better. This will help the brand of “smashmouth football” that is built upon wearing the opponent down, and breaking big runs in the second half. Leading the line is senior and all-state lineman, Connor Willbee. Parker Glover will also be making an impact on the offensive line; he missed the entirety of last season due to injury. Messer said that, “he is one of the top guys on the team as far as raw strength,” and that this is a, “strong football team.” Those two and the rest of the Comet line will be paving the way for the junior all-region running back, Austyn Hocter. Even with their powerful run game within the Wing-T, that doesn’t mean the Comets can’t throw the ball. They can, “bring some excitement to their offense,” when they need to. “We’re not a one dimensional team.”

Coach Dino Deliyanne will be taking over as the defensive coordinator this season for Hanover-Horton, leading a physical defense. “Physicalliity is what catapulted us from being an average defense to what I feel is one of the better defenses,” said Messer about last season’s team. It is also opportunistic; Kolin Griffiths set a school record for career interceptions in just last season alone. That historic season helped earn him the honor of being an all-state linebacker. He is entering his senior season and is ready to add to his record.

Some goals for the team this upcoming season are to just keep getting better and to make it further then they have been before. “The run started with hard work and it must continue with hard work,” and “play the next play as hard as you can,” are Messer’s goals for the team.

The Comets open the season against Hudson. Coach Messer is from and coached in the Hudson system for nearly two decades. It is a early homecoming for him in his home stadium on August 28th.

2026 Hanover-Horton Football Schedule:

(all games 7pm unless otherwise noted)

Friday 8/28 vs Hudson

Thursday 9/3 @ Vandercook Lake

Friday 9/11 vs Addison

Friday 9/18 @ Napoleon

Friday 9/25 vs Columbia Central

Friday 10/2 @ Jonesville

Friday 10/9 vs Leslie

Friday 10/16 vs TBD (Cascades Conf. Crossover)

Friday 10/23 vs Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central