JENISON, Mich. — South Christian will defend its state champions in division four, but the Sailors road to Ford Field was much bumpier this season than last.
Sailors were undefeated in 2022 and a favorite along the way.
This season, South lost three games including the final two of the regular season.
"This team has gone through a lot more adversity than we did last year with three losses," senior receiver and cornerback Jake Vermaas said. "I think that has made us who we are and has really helped with the journey and helped us learn what this team really needs and how we operate, so I think it has been good for us."
The defense has been much better in the postseason after allowing a lot of points during the regular season.
"I think to enter the playoffs losing two games in a row, I think you don't know what is going to show up that first week of playoffs and you would have never known that we lost the last two games," 5th year South Christian head coach Danny Brown said. "Kids were ready to attack playoffs, kind of revamp, new season, you are 0-0 and they have done a heck of a job the last four weeks."
The Sailors have several guys with big game experience like senior offensive and defensive lineman Cam VanSolkema, Vermaas and junior quarterback Carson Vis, that has show up during this playoff run.
"We have been in some big time moments this year," Vis said. "Just a few weeks ago, Forest Hills Eastern the last drive, a lot of people would expect that is a big time and people get nervous, but we've been through that a lot and that is just kind of what we do at this point as a team."
South Christian (10-3) will face Harper Woods (10-3) on Saturday at 1pm.
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