Leslie Football Looks For Winning Season

Key participants for the Leslie High School varsity football team include, from left, Jacob Phillips, Jayden Colby, Tanner Craft, Evan Dexter, and Coach Tim McCann.

By Jeff Steers | JTV Sports

Tuesday August 27th

(8-27-2024, 12:00PM): Leslie High School varsity football Coach Tim McCann begins the 2024 season with high hopes.

With some veteran players in key positions, the Blackhawks hope to break a drought of 11 consecutive sub .500 seasons.

Leslie was close to getting over the .500 mark last year posting a 4-5 record.

“We are in better physical shape, and we have experience in key positions,” McCann said of the start of the 2024 season.

Leading the way will be senior Jayden Colby. He will start at quarterback and is a four-year starter on defense at the defensive back position.

Tanner Craft was a first-team all-conference offensive lineman for the Blackhawks in 2023 and is the strongest on the team with combined lifts of over 1,200 pounds.

“The experience is there for us this season,” Colby said of the Blackhawks in 2024.

Craft made a bold prediction in stating Leslie is going to “smoke Stockbridge in week one.”

Leslie has defeated Stockbridge the last five seasons in the annual rivalry contest.

Senior Jacob Phillips (WR/DB), juniors Braedon Romero (RB/DB), Evan Dexter (RB/LB), and Hudson Phillips (OL/DL), and sophomore Jackson Fossitt (TE/DL) are returning players for Leslie.

Newcomers expected to battle for starting positions are sophomores Joel Cranmore (QB/DB), Braydin Johnson (WR/DB), Mike March (TE/LB), and Carter Foster (WR/LB).

Leslie is expected to play in a triple option/spread offense. They expect to move to a no-huddle offense at points in a game.

Defensively, they will play a 3-4 defense with outside linebackers moving around to stop the run or drop back in coverage.

The Blackhawks will be young at several offensive and defensive positions starting a projected four sophomores or younger on both sides of the football.

They expect to have 45 players in the high school program.

Leslie High School Football Schedule 2024:

Aug. 29 Leslie at Stockbridge 7 p.m.

Sept. 6 Homer at Leslie 7 p.m.

Sept. 13 Leslie at Vandercook Lake 7 p.m.

Sept. 20 Leslie at Michigan Center 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 Manchester at Leslie 7 p.m.

Oct. 4 Napoleon at Leslie 7 p.m.

Oct. 11 Leslie at East Jackson7 p.m.

Oct. 18 Grass Lake at Leslie 7 p.m.

Oct. 25 Leslie at Cascades Crossover (TBD) 7 p.m.