Brighton looking to get back on title track — with broadcast link

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BRIGHTON — It’s been a roller-coaster whip-saw kind of season for Brian Lemons and the Brighton football season.

First, the football season started, then was shifted to spring for a couple of weeks before moving back to the fall.

Then the Bulldogs didn’t play the first weeks of the season due to a Novi forfeit, and they paid the price when they came out a little flat against a Northville team that already had a game under its belt.

Last week, Brighton missed a two-point conversion and a late field goal in a 21-20 loss to Canton.

But Lemons isn’t feeling sorry for himself and doesn’t expect others to.

“I think a lot of coaches are in the same boat,” he said. “Keeping kids safe at practice and getting them better every week. When the playoffs get here, let’s get after it.”

Brighton (1-2) is halfway through the 2020 regular season, and plays host to Plymouth (1-2) in a game that last year determined the KLAA West Division champion.

This year, the winner will keep its slim championships hopes alive. The game will be broadcast on The Livingston Post starting at 6:50 p.m.

“We want to win every game, and we have to do the right things to make that happen,” Lemons said. “We’re young in some places, and it’s a learning curve, for sure. But the toughness we gained (last) Friday night is only going to make us better this week.”

The offense is led by quarterback John Aurandt, a junior, and senior Nick Nemechek, who among other things caught the winning touchdown pass against Belleville in the Division 1 semifinals last season. Brendan Mercier led the defense with a total of 17 tackles, 16 of them solos with one tackle for loss.

“We have to play better in all three pieces, offense, defense, special teams,” Lemons said. “If we continue to get better at the rate we’re working now, we’re going to be fine. This is the week it’s got to show.”

Tonight’s game will be the first since restrictions on attendance were eased earlier this month. Beginning tonight, schools may have 1,000 spectators, with the usual mask-wearing and social distancing.

“Adding pom, adding the band, that’s going to bring in some more fans in the stands,” Lemons said. “The environment, the feel of everything is going to be much different. It’s going to be a lot different than last week.”

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