Howard City Tri County is 6-0 this season and 4-0 in CSAA Gold play. With a win over Big Rapids on Friday night, the Vikings could clinch at least a share of the conference championship.
But Big Rapids and Reed City are right behind Tri County with 4-1 conference records. If the Cardinals beat the Vikings on Friday night, they would take the lead atop the conference standings at 5-1. Reed City and Tri County would be right behind at 4-1 and could force a three-way tie for the conference title if both teams win next week.
This is the final conference game of the season for Big Rapids.
Big Rapids and Tri County have both relied on a lot of young players this season.
“Being the younger opponent, it’s a good thing, but it is also a tough thing sometimes,” said Tri County senior Trent Behrenwald. “The good thing is that they are being able to grow now so that when they are the older team they can just run over teams. ”
“We for sure have a younger team,” said Big Rapids junior Riley Vennix. “We lost a few guys last year that were pretty big to our team but I feel like we replaced those guys pretty solidly.
For Big Rapids, the young players have filled in at the skill positions. The Cardinals have three new starting splits and slot receiver. They also had a freshman starting at running back last week against Grant.
On the Tri County side, the young players are stepping up in the trenches.
“We have a lot of young lineman. They showed up and they had to show up because they had to fill in big shoes and they did,” said Vikings senior Stuart Gould. “It’s amazing because these guys got so much more to go and they are already this far, it’s insane.”
The two head coaches have seen the upperclassmen bond quickly with the younger players and both feel that has helped them achieve the success they have this season.
“They really enjoy being with each other, not only on the field, but off the field,” said Big Rapids head football coach Mike Selzer. “That helps with that energy level as well as the game of football. They get they get to amp each other up and, you know, they get to get after each other a little bit and and hold each other accountable.”
“The guys love each other and we play with emotion. I think we give relentless effort,” said Tri County head football coach Phil Butler. “It’s going to be fun. We’re going to we’re going to be physical, we’re going to hit.”
The big game kicks off Friday night at 7 p.m.
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