BATTLE CREEK, Mich — The Harper Creek football team is only 2 days into fall practice, but their expectations are already high. The Beavers are coming off consecutive trips to the division 3 state semifinals and 3 straight Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference East division titles. “Something we are hitting hard with our kids this year, is we’ve never in school history won 4 league championships in a row, so that is kind of our mantra right now is let’s get 4” head coach Ed Greenman said.
Harper Creek returns some talented players to lead them in their chase for another league crown, quarterback Trevor Johnson returns to lead the offense and he expects big things out of his team this fall. “We have big shoes to fill so obviously our expectations are really high, we want to win the SMAC East again try to get back to the semifinal game and try to reach the state final” Johnson said.
While the Beavers try and replace talented 2-way starters like Kasey Carson, Connor Bauserman and Josh Baas, the do return some guys who started both ways like tight end/defensive end Zach Testolin, Anthony McNichols who played cornerback and wide receiver last season but has been moved to tailback this season and Brennan Leson who started at center and linebacker but will play guard this year. “Being a senior I have to step up being a captain, having bigger shoes to fill, growing up, I have big shoes to fill.
Harper Creek has lost to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in the semifinals each of the last 2 seasons. There quest to get back there starts August 29 when the play at Mattawan. “We’ve been knocking on the door the last couple years, it would be nice to get by St. Mary’s or whoever it might be at that level and get to a point that we are playing and winning a state championship” Greenman said.
