Homecoming Games Highlight Area Football Action
By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports
(September 30, 2023 7:25 AM ET) It was a good week to be a home team playing a homecoming game.
Addison, Hanover-Horton, Northwest, and Napoleon won homecoming contests in familiar surroundings.
There were probably others that were not listed as homecoming games on school schedules.
Addison, Lumen Christi, Napoleon, and Western remain undefeated for the season heading into week seven.
The Titans have a state championship matchup with Traverse City St. Francis on the road Saturday while Western faces a tough Hastings team at home Friday.
Here are additional details about most all of the local games in the Jackson area.
Some coaches forgot to send, were celebrating wins, or were making long trips back on Friday night.
Cheers to those who remember JTV every week.
Sept. 28
Addison 54, Homer 20: It took the Panthers a little bit of time to get going, but they improved to 6-0 with the win. Addison has now defeated all four of the new Cascades Conference schools – four weeks in a row. Spencer Brown scored four touchdowns and ran for 152 yards against the Trojans. Jaxen Sword threw for 92 yards and three touchdowns for Addison. Byron Creech caught two of the touchdown passes including a 53-yard reception to begin the fourth quarter. Parker Chamberlin threw three touchdown passes for Homer (0-6) in the loss. Addison will travel to Hanover-Horton for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday. Homer will host Columbia Central next Friday.
Sept. 29
Gobles 66, Concord 42: A week after earning a shutout, Concord High School gave up 66 points on the road Friday. Gavin Riske threw for 402 yards and five touchdowns in the Concord loss at Gobles. Mekhi Wingfield caught touchdown passes of 15, 36, and 65 yards for Concord. He finished with 11 catches on the night and T.J. Allen added eight catches for 109 yards. Collin Thompson finished with 14 tackles and Allen added 12 stops for the Yellow Jackets. Concord (3-3) will host Morenci next Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Gobles improves to 5-1 on the season with the win.
Manchester 55, East Jackson 8: The Flying Dutchmen stay alive for a possible Cascades Conference Eastern Division title with the big road win. Blake Sloan set a Manchester High School record with six touchdowns in the win. He finished with 332 rushing yards in the contest for the Flying Dutchmen. Defensively, Phoenix Hulswitt finished with two interceptions and 70 return yards. Austin Tingley threw for 202 yards and one score for East Jackson. Amaree Padgett caught an 80-yard touchdown pass for the Trojans only score of the game. Manchester (5-1) will host Grass Lake next Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. East Jackson (2-4) will travel to Leslie for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday
Hanover-Horton 34, Reading 18: The Comets make it two wins in a row with a home win against Reading. Luke Soper threw for two touchdowns to Logan Blackledge and Graham Gumper for the Comets. Davon Ackley ran for two scores and Gumper ran for 85 yards for Hanover-Horton. The Comets (2-4) host Addison on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Reading is now 1-5 on the season with the loss.
Michigan Center 32, Grass Lake 27: The Cardinals won a key Cascades Conference victory Friday. Michigan Center (5-1) hosts Napoleon Friday and Grass Lake (4-2) travels to Manchester Friday for 7 p.m. kickoffs. Both Napoleon and Michigan Center are undefeated in Cascades Conference football. See our story on the MC/GL matchup at JTV.tv.
Adrian 22, Jackson 9: The Vikings lost a battle of 4-1 teams on the road Friday. The high-scoring Vikings – averaging more than 40 points in its last four games – were held to nine points and 204 total yards offensively on the road Friday night. Jackson (4-2) travels to Chelsea Friday at 7 p.m. for a key SEC contest. Adrian is now 5-1 on the season and still alive for a conference title.
Lumen Christi 42, Detroit Loyola 6: The Titans improved to 6-0 with a road win in Detroit. Isaac Rehberg had a big game with 51 yards rushing and three scores. Kadale Williams added 52 yards rushing at two touchdowns. Freshman Lundon Hampton scored the other touchdown for the Titans. Timmy Crowley threw for 132 yards through the air for LCCHS. Lumen Christi travels to Traverse City St. Frances for a 3 p.m. kickoff next Saturday while Detroit Loyola falls to 2-4 on the season.
Napoleon 51, Leslie 22: After a slow start the Pirates turned it on for a homecoming win. Leslie jumped out to an 8-0 lead on a safety and a touchdown by Brogan Dodge in the first nine minutes of the contest. But Napoleon responded as Grant Bradley finished with four rushing touchdowns and Mason Roth ran for 205 yards. Bradley also threw for 153 yards in the Pirates win. Freshman Ashton Warner recorded nine tackles for Napoleon in his first varsity game. Jayden Colby threw for 160 yards and two touchdowns for Leslie. The Blackhawks (2-4) host East Jackson next Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Napoleon (6-0) travels to Michigan Center for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday.
Northwest 23, Gabriel Richard 14: The Mounties earned a homecoming win over A.A. Gabriel Richard. Northwest trailed 14-0 at one point but came back to take a 15-14 lead at halftime. Douglas Putnam scored the winning touchdown for NW in the game. Northwest gets back to the .500 mark at 3-3 and travels to Coldwater Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The loss is Gabriel Richard’s first of the season.
Western 21, Harper Creek 6: The perfect season continues for the Panthers with an Interstate-8 Conference road win. Reed Myers was 9-for-14 passing for 97 yards, one passing, and one rushing touchdown for Western. Alex Trudell was the workhorse on the ground with 152 yards rushing and one score. Ben Parrott caught six passes for 80 yards and Maverick Hammond caught a touchdown pass for the Panthers. Defensively, Mitchell Williams finished with seven tackles and one sack and Parrott intercepted a pass. Western (6-0) hosts Hastings in an I-8 showdown Friday beginning at 7 p.m. Harper Creek is now 4-2 on the season.
Stockbridge 28, Saranac 8: The Panthers improved to 2-4 with the road win. Jalen Rogozinski threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Panthers surprised Saranac on the road Friday. Drew Robinson ran for one score and caught another touchdown pass. Rogozinski passed for 210 yards on the night. Gary Killinger finished with 17 tackles and a sack on the defensive side for the Panthers. Stockbridge (2-4) travels to Perry Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff while Saranac is now 4-2 for the season.
Hillsdale 54, Adrian Madison 36: Hillsdale won a battle of 1-4 teams Friday with more than 500 yards of offense. Hillsdale (2-4) will travel to Dundee Friday for an LCAA contest beginning at 7 p.m. Adrian Madison is now 1-5 on the season following the loss to the Hornets.
Springport 32, Bronson 16: The Spartans have won two in a row with a victory Friday night on the road in the Big Eight Conference. Gavin Lightner threw for 158 yards for two touchdowns and ran in another for the Spartans. Rylinn Hale scored two touchdowns and ran for 78 yards for Springport. He also finished with 11 tackles for SHS. The Spartans are now 2-4 and will host Sand Creek next Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Sept. 30
Jonesville at Columbia Central 7 p.m. – This is another game rescheduled due to a lack of officials.