The Howell football team had a memorable night, to say the very least, in its season opener last week at Hudsonville.
It was the first day of school, which began earlier than what many students were used t0, followed by a two-plus hour bus ride to Hudsonville.
Due to the same series of storms that wreaked havoc later in the evening in Livingston County, the game didn’t start until 10 p.m. The Highlanders lost 28-2, then rode the bus home, arriving in the wee hours of last Friday.
It was an interesting day, to say the least, one that Howell coach Brian Lewis is done talking about.
“It was just Hudsonville,” he said. “They were a very well-prepared team that did a great job.”
Lewis was impressed this week by his team’s resilience.
“This team has high character,” he said. “They didn’t feel sorry for themselves this week. They got right back after it and wanted to get back after it. Does that create perfection? No. But we’ve got guys who want to work, and hard work makes up for a lot.”
How much will be the question tonight when the Highlanders play host to Canton in a game that will be broadcast on The Livingston Post starting at 6:50 p.m. Click here for the link.
The Chiefs are coming off a 35-17 win at Temperance Bedford. Running back Devon Pettus led the way, rushing for 214 yards and four touchdowns. He and quarterback Devvin Calhoun will be players the Highlanders will contend with.
To that end, Lewis and his staff did some tinkering with lineups for this week.
Will they work?
“We’ll find out (tonight),” he said, grinning. “We’re always trying to put our guys in situations to succeed. Have we improved? I think so, but we’ve got to show that on the field (tonight). The proof will be in the pudding.”
The recipe for said pudding is pretty basic.
“Definitely the big guys up front,” offensive left guard Will Stewart said. “We just really have to make some waves and move some guys around and open up running lanes for our RBs (running backs). We know they’re playmakers, and they can do it, but we’ve got to make it easier on them.”
Unlike last week, the Highlanders won’t be dealing with a long bus ride or a wether delay.
“I love, I love playing at home,” middle linebacker Brady Robison said. “I love our student sections and we have great fans. We have to stick to the fundamentals, play football and get to the ball.”
