Harrison ready to take on Charlevoix with district title on the line

 By BEN MURPHY

Cleaver Sports Writer

After last week’s wild playoff opener, the Harrison football team now turns their attention to their Division 7 district championship opponent; Charlevoix. The Hornets (8-2) overall head to play on the Rayders (7-2) on Friday, when the two will battle it out for the district trophy.

“I think it says a lot about the kids,” Harrison head coach Jamie Lipovsky said about his team getting this far. “We’ve got some great kids in Harrison and our senior class, this is their second year in a row of having the opportunity to play for a district title. We talk to the kids all the time that there’s no guarantee that they make the playoffs, let along get to a district title game. In our history we’ve never won a district title.”

The Hornets were at home against Shelby last year in their district championship game; when they lost 30-16. One year later, that game is still on the team’s mind.

Last year we had a golden opportunity, playing a home game for the district title and we let it get away,” Lipovsky said. “This year, nobody is looking ahead, we’re just thinking about Charlevoix and getting the job done.”

The Rayders of course are not going to be an easy opponent. They are coming off a 35-0 win over Oscoda last week, when they dominated the Owls and scored all their points in the first half. They are led by quarterback Collin Jess, who threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for 85 yards and a score in that victory. Conor Vondra and Greyson Warchol are two other skill players to look out for.

“Charlevoix is good, they are just like McBain in that they are a historic program that they have seven, eight or nine wins year after year,” Lipovsky said. “They are a quality program, they are coached well (head coach Don Jess) and I am real impressed with their quarterback and they have some good running backs. One thing that sets them apart is just that they are so fast all over the field. Their lineman are fast, their running backs are fast, everybody is fast. When you are a fast football team you can win a lot of games. We have our work cut out for us, but we are putting a game plan together just like we did for McBain and we want to go out and do the best we can.”

McBain is actually a common opponent for these two teams this season. Charlevoix lost to them 28-27 back in week five, and Harrison of course just topped the Ramblers in last week’s playoff opener.

“We know that they are going to be good, I just want my kids to be fluid defensively and offensively,” Lipovsky said. “Defensively, we didn’t have a very good game last time out, I’m hoping they do a better job of formation recognition and just tackle and get the job done. Offensively, I want more of the same, we’ve been able to score a lot of points this year and the hope is we continue to excel on the offensive side of the ball. Really, I’d just like to see a complete game by both the offense and defense.”

For Lipovsky and the Hornets, Friday night can’t get here soon enough.

“I don’t want to get into another 60-52 shootout, because I think last week took years off my life,” Lipovsky said. “If we have to win that way we will though, I can tell you that. I know it’s going to be a good game.”