Key performers for Jonesville High School are expected to be, from left, Jayden Duque, Brady Stanton, Coach Frank Keller, Makinlee Packer, Connor VanBuskirk, and Fisher Potts.
By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports
(August 19, 2023 8:00 AM ET) After making the Michigan High School Athletic Association football playoffs for three consecutive seasons, Jonesville struggled out of the gate a year ago.
The Comets lost three games to start the season but rallied to win four-of-six games to end the season.
It was not enough to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
“We were 14 points away from being a 7-1 team last year,” Coach Frank Keller said of the 2022 season. “It put a bad taste in the mouths of our players as we expected more.”
Jonesville switches from the Big Eight Conference to the Cascades Conference Western Division.
“It is a new league so we will have to learn about some new schools,” Keller said during JTV Media Days. “We have played a number of Cascades Conference teams over the years and scrimmaged Columbia Central for a few seasons.”
Quarterback Connor VanBuskirk will be one of the key players for the Comets in 2023. He is considered the fastest player on the team.
Seniors Kyler Harrington (WR/S) and Austin Bowers (RB/LB) are two players Jonesville will count on this season.
Juniors Scotty Aube (OL/DL) and Cooper Stevens (OL/DL) are linemen Jonesville look to provide leadership this season.
Carson Playford (RB/LB) and Jayden Duque (TE/DE) look to fill positions for Jonesville.
Harrington, VanBuskirk, Bowers, and Stevens will serve as team captains for the Comets.
Keller said Jonesville will look to “getting back to basics by running the football” in 2023.
“We are working on being more physical,” he said.
Jonesville High School 2023 Football Schedule
Aug. 25 Hillsdale at Jonesville 7 p.m.
Aug. 31 Jonesville at Michigan Center 7 p.m.
Sept. 8 Grass Lake at Jonesville 7 p.m.
Sept. 15 Jonesville at Hanover-Horton 7 p.m.
Sept. 22 Addison at Jonesville (Homecoming) 7 p.m.
Sept. 29 Jonesville at Columbia Central 7 p.m.
Oct. 6 Pewamo-Westphalia at Jonesville 7 p.m.
Oct. 13 Jonesville at Homer 7 p.m.
Oct. 20 Cascades Conference Crossover TBA
