TEAM OUTLOOK

Ralph Munger, the storied high school football coach, returned to coaching last fall with the Newaygo Lions. His first campaign in the CSAA Gold had some highlights (a shootout victory over Chippewa Hills, a strong defensive showing against Grant), but the Lions finished with just three victories. This fall, in Munger’s 42nd campaign as the head ball coach, he will look to get Newaygo to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 campaign.

This Lions’ team has a strong core to start, and Munger praises their intelligence and coachability. Blake Kerr is back at quarterback, and he will have four returning blockers up front in Jacob Eager, Noah McLaughlin, Tyler Borden and Xavier Stroud. Kerr will also benefit from having three key weapons in Running Back Damone Moore, Wide Receiver Hunter Yearsovich and Tight End Henry Wood.

Wood is also a key figure on the defensive side, as he started at linebacker in 2023, alongside Stroud and senior Luis Ceja Alverez. Yearsovich anchors the defensive backfield, joined by newcomers Sebastian Belanger, Nathan Watson and Cam Reyburn.

If this time can stay healthy, they will compete against the best the CSAA Gold has to offer. They have an abundance of speed, and the most experienced coach in the conference. The biggest concern will lie in the emergence of younger players, as the team lacks proven depth. As the season goes on, the growth of this team will determine their ceiling and postseason potential.