2024 High School Football Preview – Lakeland Conference

2024 High School Football Preview – Lakeland Athletic Conference

The Lakeland Conference begins its third season since its rebirth year. Buchanan and Berrien Springs will continue to battle for the top of the Lakeland Conference standings, but you can never count out Benton Harbor, Brandywine or Dowagiac.

On to the rest of the preview

The Lakeland Conference

Benton Harbor Tigers

2023 Record: 4-6 (2-2 Lakeland)

Co-Head Coaches: Brandon Hurst and Mike Durham (1st seasons)

2024 Schedule
08/29 – at Lawton – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – at Constantine – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – at Muskegon Catholic Central – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – at Buchanan – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – Dowagiac – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – at Wyoming-Kelloggsville – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – at Brandywine – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – Berrien Springs – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – at Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills – 7:00 p.m.

It may be a cliché, but in the case of Benton Harbor football, things change. However for the Tigers this season, not only did things chance, but things changed quickly.

Sheldon Nelson was slated to come back for his 4th season on the Tigers sidelines, but change happened quickly, so Benton Harbor will go with Co-head coaches for this season Brandon Hurst and Mike Durham.

In fact the change happened so quickly that the transition was done so quickly, the Tigers weren’t able to play in a preseason scrimmage.

When asked about who the Tigers key players on offense, defense and special teams were, Hurst simply said “Everybody.” Which is the truth for the Tigers. The Tigers do have 30 players on the roster this season, but they lack experience with only 4 seniors on the roster.

The Tigers will run a pro style offense and will line up in a 3-3-5 defensive alignment. Hurst indicated that Benton Harbor does not have any returning starters on offense or defense, adding more to the inexperience factor of the team.

The Tigers couldn’t have scheduled a rougher start for the season. Benton Harbor’s first four games are all on the road, starting with games at Lawton, Constantine, Muskegon Catholic Central before opening Lakeland Conference play in week 4 at Buchanan.

The Tigers don’t see Filstrup Field until week 5 with a game against Dowagiac, then back on the road for the next two weeks.

Benton Harbor only has 3 home games this season. Hurst tells us that the Tigers will play “Quarter by quarter and play by play”

Hurst says Dowagiac and Berrien Springs are the favorites in the 5 member Lakeland Conference.

Benton Harbor opens the season on Thursday, August 29th at Lawton.

Berrien Springs Shamrocks

2023 Record: 6-4 (4-0 Lakeland)

Head Coach: Ben Iliff (2nd season, 6-4)

2024 Schedule
08/29 – at Kalamazoo United – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – at Paw Paw – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – Traverse City St. Francis – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – Brandywine – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – Central Montcalm – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – at Buchanan – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – Dowagiac – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – at Benton Harbor – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – Hartford – 7:00 p.m.

Going unbeaten in a conference is something worth noting, even if the conference only has teams, but a conference championship is a conference championship and Berrien Springs are the defending Lakeland Conference Champions.

The good news is that the quarterback who helped them win that conference championship is back for his senior year. Micah McFarland (6’3, 200) is back for 2nd year head coach Ben Iliff. Iliff will be running the Berrien Springs offense, after previously serving as a defensive coach while at St. Joe and Berrien Springs, both under Elliot Uzelac. Iliff plans to use McFarland in the Shamrocks spread option offense. Berrien Springs has junior Calvin White (5’9, 180) and senior Andru Gonzalez (5’10, 200) at running back. Up front on the line are senior tackles Brody Brewer (6’4, 220) and Alex O’Dell (6’7, 230). With junior Walter Williams (5’8, 140) also on offense.

Ryan Garton will run the Shamrocks defense, who also served with Uzelac at St. Joe and Berrien Springs, will run a 4-4 alignment. The defense returns just 4 starters from last season. McFarland will also play strong safety, with Brewer and O’Dell on the defensive line, Williams at cornerback and Gonzalez at inside linebacker.

Special teams include Efren Pedroza as the kicker and punter.

Iliff says that the numbers are good for both the varsity and junior varsity teams, the varsity will suit up 28 players, with 12 of them seniors.

He says his players have been working hard and they plan to be competitive in every game and will compete for the Lakeland Conference championship once again, and will be competitive in the MHSAA playoffs. Iliff tells us the Shamrocks biggest goal is to make it past the 2nd round. Berrien Springs has lost in the 2nd round each of the last two seasons to Grand Rapids Catholic Central, by the combined score of 105-7. The last time the Shamrocks made it to the regionals was 2016.

Despite being the defending Lakeland Conference Champions, Iliff sees Buchanan as the favorite of the five member Lakeland Conference.

Berrien Springs begins the season on Thursday, August 29th at Kalamazoo United, with the Shamrocks first home game on September 13th against Traverse City St. Francis.

Brandywine Bobcats

2023 Record: 3-6 (1-3 Lakeland)

Head Coach: Justin Kinzie (3rd season, 7-12)

2024 Schedule
08/29 – at Hartford – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – Watervliet – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – at Saugatuck – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – at Berrien Springs – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – Buchanan – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – at Dowagiac – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – Benton Harbor – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – Lansing Eastern – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – at Decatur – 7:00 p.m.

Brandywine coach Justin Kinzie and pretty much the entire Brandywine varsity team was eager to get out on the practice field as soon as possible to get ready for this season. In fact, the Bobcats were on the field at Brandywine high school at 12:00 am on Monday August 12. There is a winning atmosphere at Brandywine these days after the girls and boys basketball teams each played in the state finals earlier this year. However, the winning and deep playoff runs hasn’t filtered down to the football program just yet.

Brandywine has not had a winning season since 2019, when that squad went a perfect 9-0 in the regular season, before being blown out in the first round of the playoffs by Constantine. But a lot of time has passed since then and Kinzie will have to overcome the loss of a large group of seniors in his efforts to bring the Bobcats football team in the neighborhood of both the boys and girls basketball teams recent success.

Brandywine will return only four starters on offense and four on defense, and of the Bobcats 25 man roster, only 5 of them a seniors.

Kinzie himself will be calling the offense AND the defense this season as both offensive and defensive coordinator. On offense Brandywine will run a triple option offense, led by senior quarterback Kaeden Warfield (6’1, 180), behind him at running back is senior Carter Sobecki (6’0, 190). The three in the middle of Brandywine’s offensive line show some size with junior Drew McKee (6’2, 270) at center, bookended by senior guards Tommy Killelea (5’11, 250) and Carter Hayes (5’10, 280).

On defense, the Bobcats will line up in a 4-3 formation with Sobecki at middle linebacker, Warfield and Sophomore Kaden Santana (5’11, 150) at safety. Senior Maurice Hoskin (6’0, 185) at outside linebacker and junior Jase Serdel (6’2, 180) at defensive end.

Warfield will be handling the responsibility of punting, and McKee as the place kicker. Warfield and Santana will be returning kicks as well.

The Lakeland Conference has been a little rough for Brandywine. Brandywine was the largest school when they were in the BCS Conference, now in the Lakeland, they are the smallest in the all Class B level league along with Benton Harbor, Berrien Springs, Buchanan, and Dowagiac.

Kinzie says, “After graduating a huge Senior class, we’re looking to lean on the experience of some returning veterans from last year to help get some underclassmen ready. We have a large number of multisport athlete underclassmen and we will be relying on our overall athleticism to help make up for a lack of varsity experience. Will be hoping to get as many underclassmen on the field early – and as often as possible – to start building experience before we get in to our conference schedule.:

As for the Lakeland conference, Kinzie tells us, “I think every year you have to assume Berrien Springs is the defacto favorite because of their size and numbers, though Buchanan is right up there with them on a year-to-year basis.”

Buchanan Bucks

2023 Record: 7-4 (2-2 Lakeland)

Head Coach: Mark Frey (6th season, 29-19)

2024 Schedule
08/29 – Saugatuck – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – White Pigeon – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – Ottawa Lake Whiteford – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – Benton Harbor – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – at Brandywine – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – Berrien Springs – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – at Hartford – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – at Dowagiac – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – at Union City – 7:00 p.m.

Buchanan’s run of two straight Lakeland Conference Championships ended last year, but it hard to count them out as a favorite to make it three out of four years.

The Bucks finished 7-4 a year ago, going 2-2 in the Lakeland, falling to Benton Harbor and eventual conference champion Berrien Springs. But for Buchanan, there is strength in numbers. As in the size of their roster.

Buchanan coach Mark Frey tells us that he will have 62 player on the varsity roster this season, and only 12 are seniors.

Frey said one of the problem he faces this season is trying to get everyone involved. The Bucks have 7 starters back in their pro style offense, but it will be tough for the Bucks to limit themselves to 11 players.

Frey lists 13 different players that will see plenty of time on offense, which he will be calling. Notably his senior quarterback, Jake Franklin. Three running backs, seniors Leland Payne and Gabe Thompkins, and junior Ryan Hickok. Three wide receivers, seniors Tyler Baker and Tristan Nesbitt, and sophomore Brody Reed. Junior Owen Thompson will line up as tight end. Up front on the O-Line are senior Tyler Pelletier, juniors Collin Pinkerton and Lucas Zeiger, and sophomore Charles Burns. Frey even says he has a freshman, Elijah Camille-McLoud that will see time on offense.

Buchanan lines up in a 4-3 defensive alignment with 6 starters back, under defensive coordinator Erik Johansen. The Bucks have many players going both ways. Including Thompson and Zeiger at defensive end, Pelletier and Pinkerton at defensive tackle. Thompkins and Hickok at middle and outside linebacker respectively. Also, junior Jameson Pleasant at OLB. Nesbitt, Baker, Reed and junior Isaiah Nelson at DB.

On special teams, senior Mason Frontczak will be the kicker/punter, and Payne and Baker returning kickoffs and punts.

According to Coach Frey, “We are excited for the 2024 season. We have many players who can do something special with the ball. We will just need to find many different ways to get everyone involved. Defensively, we have many new names, but multiple players who have been key rotators last season and have had a great offseason in preparation for this upcoming fall. We do not have an easy schedule, but we are excited for the challenge and hope that these games could lead to further success down the road. Go Bucks!”

As for what he expects from the rest of the Lakeland conference, “Given that the Lakeland is not a large conference, there is always a chance someone unexpected could take the top spot. Looking at returners, it will be important for us to not overlook anyone, especially Berrien Springs.”

Buchanan has their first four games at home starting with Saugatuck on Thursday, August 29.

Dowagiac Chieftains

2023 Record: 5-4 (1-3 Lakeland)

Head Coach: Duane David (4th season, 7-20)

2024 Schedule
08/29 – South Haven – 7:00 p.m.
09/06 – at Hudson – 7:00 p.m.
09/13 – Parchment – 7:00 p.m.
09/20 – at Marshall – 7:00 p.m.
09/27 – at Benton Harbor – 7:00 p.m.
10/04 – Brandywine – 7:00 p.m.
10/11 – at Berrien Springs – 7:00 p.m.
10/18 – Buchanan – 7:00 p.m.
10/25 – Cassopolis – 7:00 p.m.

A little bit better that the last time is the best way to describe Dowagiac’s football team coming into 2024. After an 0-9 season in 2021, which was Dowagiac’s last in the Wolverine Conference, Duane Davis got the program rebuild going in 2022 with a 2-7 campaign, before a winning 2023 season at 5-4.

While the Chieftains did miss the playoffs in 2023, despite the 5-4 record, the next step for Dowagiac is a berth in the playoffs once again.

Davis is back for his 4th season patrolling the home sideline at legendary Chris Taylor Alumni Field. Dowgaiac will field a varsity roster of 26 players with exactly half of them graduating later this school year.

Davis will also benefit from 6 players returning on offense, under the Chieftains Wing T offense under former Dowagiac player Nick File as the offensive coordinator.

Key players for Dowagiac on offense are all seniors, including; Isiah Fitchett QB, Avery Amundsen RB, Kaleb Smith RB, Moone Moore RB, Hayden Groth TE, Cal Chapman Center, Devean Whitaker LT, and Payton Brown LG.

Dowagiac 4-3 base defense falls under the direction of Pat Lyle. The Chieftains return 7 starters from last year, with key players, senior Austin Farley DE, and then juniors, Quentin Hill DE, Tim Masterman LB, Devin Rock DB, and Jamal Williams at DB.

Masterman is also Dowagiac’s punter and placekicker.

Davis tells us “This football team is excited to start the season and I am proud of the work that they have put in this off season.”

As for the Lakeland. “Berrien Springs is going to be tough football team but to be honest we are focused on week 1 and only one week at a time.”

Tomorrow: Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference (SMAC)