Napoleon Has Plenty of Returning Players in Football

Napoleon High School football Coach Derek Shell, center, will count on players, from left, Javen Tumey-Patterson, Hartley Marvin, Max Gamez, and Trent Jester in the 2021 football season.

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(August 17, 2021 10:02 AM) Napoleon High School football Coach Derek Shell said this is the first time he has a number of experienced players returning.

The fourth-year coach has a majority of returning players on each side of the football for the 2021 season.

Napoleon won its first game of the season but lost six consecutive games to end the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season.

“We have an excellent group of seniors who were not happy about the 2020 season,” Shell said. “Our kids have put in the work in the weight room this summer.”

Shell expects the Pirates to return to the rough and tumble team that is physical on both sides of the football.

“We have had 20 to 25 players in the weight room each time,” Shell said. “They are going to be physical and tough.”

Seniors Javen Tumey-Patterson (WR/LB) and Hartley Marvin (TE/LB) are two seniors expected to lead the Pirates as co-captains. Both are third-year varsity players for Napoleon.

Other players expected to lead the Pirates are Grant Bradley (QB/DB), Bart Laretz (RB/DL), Max Gamez (OL/DL), and Nick Marienfeld (RB/LB).

Gamez believes the Pirates will be better by just concentrating on being physical on both sides of the ball.

“We just have to concentrate on doing your job and being the hammer and not the nail,” Gamez said. “Our goal is to hit them (the opponents) before they hit you.”

Trenton Jester (TE/LB) and Holden VanPoppel (WR/DB) are two players the Pirates will count on this season.

Others expected to battle for starting positions are Gage Deland (OL), Mike Humphreys (OL/DL), Perry Lewis (WR/DB), Brendan Helfrich (WR/DB), Perry Lewis (DB), and Logan Lockwood (DB).

The Pirates will kick off the 2021 season at Columbia Central – a team Napoleon has not beaten since 2014.

Napoleon High School

2021 Football Schedule

Aug. 26 Napoleon at Columbia Central 7:00

Sept. 2 East Jackson at Napoleon 7 p.m.

Sept. 10 Manchester at Napoleon 7 p.m.*

Sept. 17 Napoleon at Springport 7 p.m.

Sept. 24 Napoleon at Hanover-Horton 7 p.m.

Oct. 1 Grass Lake at Napoleon 7 p.m.

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

Oct. 15 Addison at Napoleon 7 p.m.

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