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Longtime Michigan Center High School football Coach Troy Allen, center, will count on seniors, from left, Joe Adkins, Logan Heath, Dylan Villarreal, and Jordan Burch to be key players for the Cardinals in 2021. Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(August 4, 2021 10:02 AM) With the recent tragic deaths of three former Michigan Center High School football captains, residents need a reason to stand up and cheer.

MCHS Coach Troy Allen believes the varsity football team can provide that relief in the community.

The Cardinals won the school’s first district title in football in 2020 and won six of eight games in a COVID-19 shortened season that went from September to January. 

Michigan Center lost its first game of the season, spent 10-days in COVID-19 quarantine, and beat Grass Lake to start a six-game winning streak. The Cardinals lost to Constantine in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 6 regional football final

“Ultimately this is a community looking for positives,” Coach Allen said of the 2021 season. “We owe it to them to play as hard as we can. 

“MCHS fans want to be behind something and smile again.”

Fans may smile when Kaydin Hiland touches the football this fall. He averaged 10-yards-per-carry, scored 13 touchdowns, and is the fastest and strongest player on the team – according to teammates.

Other returnees for MCHS include Mitchell Corwin (FB/LB), Dylan Villarreal (WR/LB), Jordan Burch (OL/DL), Noah Mast (OL/DE), Zach Levy (RB/DB), Joe Adkins (OL/DL), Logan Heath (OL/DL), and Chris Martin (OL/DL). 

Martin is a three-year starter for MCHS, Adkins and Heath are two-year starters, and Villarreal had 57 tackles for the Cardinals in 2020. 

Some newcomers expected to make a difference for the Cardinals are Daylen Hinkle (QB/S), Carter McBride (WR/DB), Verlandez Williams (WR/DL), Dawson Swetland (RB/LB), Ruben Limon (OL/DL), and Carter McCave (WR/LB).

The Cardinals have a treasure chest full of seniors on the 2021 squad.

“We wanted to have a season so bad last year because we had such a good junior class,” Coach Allen said. 

Cardinal seniors have learned what it means to be MC Strong following the deaths of former players Dawson Brown, William Mays Jr., and Kole Sova. The community support has not gone unnoticed by senior players. 

“It’s crazy how close this community has become,” senior lineman Burch said. “I’ve had people – some I don’t know – telling me if I need something come over to their house.”

Adkins said the bar has been raised for MCHS future football players.

“Winning a conference title is not the goal anymore … we want more,” Adkins said. “Somewhere along the line we developed a crazy mentality to work harder.”

Adkins said the Cardinals now have a reason to work harder. 

Michigan Center High 

School 2021 football schedule

Aug. 27 Michigan Center at Homer 7 p.m. 

Sept. 2 Michigan Center at Hanover-Horton 7 p.m. 

Sept. 10 Bronson at Michigan Center 7p.m.

Sept. 17 Michigan Center at Addison 7 p.m. 

Sept. 24 Michigan Center at Grass Lake 7 p.m. 

Oct. 1 Manchester at Michigan Center 7 p.m. 

Oct. 8 Napoleon at Michigan Center 7 p.m. 

Oct. 15 Michigan Center at East Jackson 7 p.m. 

Oct. 22 Big 8/Cascades Conference crossover 7 p.m. 

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