With a small roster, staying healthy will be crucial for Mt. Morris football team
MT. MORRIS – Like any other high school football team, Mt. Morris will have to make plays and execute the game plan the coaches devise to be successful this season.
But perhaps more than anything else, the Panthers have to stay healthy.
Unlike teams with large rosters – Grand Blanc has 40 seniors alone – Mt. Morris has only had between 18 and 20 players for preseason workouts. Since 11 players are on the field at all times, well, you get the picture.
“With our numbers, just staying healthy” is the key, said first-year coach Mike Miller. “And obviously the whole execution and being able to adjust to any adversity. We do have a lot of new kids playing and how are they going to handle that?”
To make up for the small roster, Miller said the Panthers will likely recall some players from the junior varsity to take advantage of the MHSAA’s fifth-quarter rule, which allows players to suit up on different levels as long as they don’t play more than five quarters in one week.
It was something the Panthers did last year to get experience for some of the younger players in the program.
“With the fifth quarter, we’ll be able to finagle that the best we can,” he said.
Miller spent the last three seasons as Mt. Morris’ JV coach. Prior to that, he spent 13 seasons coaching Powers Catholic’s JV team and one year at Genesee.
When the head coaching job opened up at Mt. Morris, Miller knew exactly what kind of roster he could expect to have and he was intrigued by the idea of trying to lead the Panthers to a third straight playoff berth for the first time in school history.
The Panthers have twice previously reached the playoffs in back-to-back years but they’ve never advanced to the postseason three straight times.
“With the experience we have, especially in the skilled positions, we’re pretty athletic,” Miller said. “I’ve tried to keep it simple for these guys, especially with a new coach coming in. They were comfortable with what Jared (Noel) did last year. So, I tried to keep it somewhat similar while adding my own wrinkles to everything.
“The main reason I came back (is) I felt I had a pretty good rep with the returning players.”
The Panthers return four starters on each side of the ball.
That group includes junior quarterback Landon Schoens (6-0, 130); offensive lineman Ray Gatica (5-9, 215); two-way linemen Lavante Simms (6-2, 195) and Emerson Bone (6-2, 225); and defensive lineman Travis Reseigh (6-0, 225).
Schoens and Sims made the All-MMAC second team last year.
“We have a lot of experience on the defensive line,” Miller said. “With having that experience up front, that will be real beneficial for us.”
Although the Panthers had a 3-5 record last year, they beat Pinconning 48-18 in the first round of the playoffs before losing 36-28 to Millington, which was in the playoffs for the 17th straight year and reached the Division 6 semifinals in 2016.
Mt. Morris opens the season Thursday at home against Bath, travels to Chesaning in Week 2 and then hosts defending Division 7 state champion New Lothrop Sept. 10.
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