09/05/2026
Saturday Afternoon Sideline Report
Columbia Central earns road win in Cascades football
By Jeff Steers
Jackson Area Sports Scoreboard
Columbia Central High School earned a key win in Cascades Conference football Thursday.
The Golden Eagles won 34-14 on the road against Michigan Center.
CCHS is now 2-0 on the season and hosts Grass Lake next Friday with a chance to go 3-0 for the first time since 2019.
Here are scores and highlights from high school football action on Thursday and/or Friday.
Concord 42, St. Philip 12: After scoring only eight point in the first half, Concord exploded for 34 points on the Smurf Turf at Battle Creek Central High School’s field in the second half. Wyatt Mandrelle threw for 139 yards and three touchdown passes in the win. Culley Sprague finished with 65 receiving yards and one score and Luke Burrow caught two touchdown passes in the win. The Yellow Jackets scored three times in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Mandrelle and a pair of touchdown passes to Burrow. Karson Frazer scored on a 72 yard run and Hunter Watts returned a kickoff for a score for Concord. Landen Lynn led the defensive charge for Concord with 18 tackles and Austin Taylor added 14 stops for Concord (1-1). The Yellow Jackets host Mendon Friday at 7 p.m.
Lumen Christi 43, Harvest Prep (Ohio) 22: The Titans won its longest road trip game of the season - near Columbus, Ohio - in convincing fashion. Lumen Christi scored three times in the first half – the first three scores of the game – on a pair of touchdown passes to Wes Learned from Benny Gaston of 34 and 47 yards. Braden Burgess scored on an 18-yard run in the second quarter putting the Titans ahead 21-0. Harvest scored late in the half giving LCCHS a 21-8 lead. Learned caught another 41-yard touchdown pass to begin the third quarter. Brodric Martinez caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from Gaston late in the third quarter. Ayden Gatewood ran 49 yards for a score and Ethan Falahee capped off the scoring with a 23-yard field goal for the Titans. Gaston finished 9-for-11 for 235 yards and four scores. Learned tallied 145 receiving yards and Ayden Gatewood ran for 109 yards for the Titans. Defensively Jake Contat recorded five tackles and an interception, Brennan Brogan had five stops, and Kyle Felts recovered a fumble for Lumen Christi (2-0). The Titans begin a five-game homestand starting with Traverse City St. Francis Friday at 7 p.m.
Manchester 44, Addison 0: The Panthers fell to 0-2 on the season with a loss on the road Thursday. Michael Beard led Addison with 97 yards on 15 attempts. “We showed flashes offensively led by Michael Beard’s productive rushing night and several well-executed power runs,” Coach Casey Rutherberg said in a press release. “Addison’s focus moving forward will be assignment discipline, leverage, physicality, and finishing every play.” The Panthers travel to Hanover-Horton Friday at 7 p.m. in Cascades Conference action.
Columbia Central 34, Michigan Center 14: Columbia Central improved to 2-0 on the season while Michigan Center is 1-1 following the Cascades Conference contest. CCHS running backs Julian Boardman and Bauston Pilaczynski combined for more than 200 yards on the ground. Boardman finished with 120 rushing yards and three scores and Pilaczynski added 97 yards and one score. Elias Losey had five catches for 136 yards for CCHS including a 92-yard score. Columbia Central quarterback Sammy Truax was 9-for-15 throwing the football for 167 yards and one score. Defensively Dylan Penix tallied two interceptions, Liam McMurtry recorded eight tackles, and Avery Soto was a beast with three sacks on the night for Columbia Central. The Golden Eagles host Grass Lake on Friday at 7 p.m. while MCHS travel to Manchester in Cascades Conference action.
Napoleon 62, Grass Lake 22: The ground game of Napoleon swallowed Grass Lake in the Cascades Conference. Napoleon ran for 516 yards as Zavior Skog rushed for 295 yards on 15 carries and scored five touchdowns. Richie Crane, Marcello Flores and Carson Warner also scored touchdowns for the Pirates. Grass Lake earned its offensive yards through the air as Wesley Reul threw for 287 yard and two touchdowns. Gage Salts caught five passes for 104 yards and Braden Snyr and Will ford each caught touchdown passes. Aryn Hensen ran for 59 yards and one score for GLHS (0-2). Napoleon travel to Jonesville Friday for a key matchup in the Cascades Conference beginning at 7 p.m. Things don’t get easier for Grass Lake as they travel to Columbia Central for a 7 p.m. kickoff next Friday in conference action.
Hudson 54, Onsted 6: The Wildcats could only muster 46 yards rushing against Hudson. Brenden Cannon scored on a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter for Onsted. Cade Symington ran for 19 yards with a team-high long run of 23 yards. Hudson – normally a grind it out kind of team – threw for nearly 200 yards in the win. Caleb Savage led the Onsted defense with six tackles. Carson Garrison and Connor Kish both finished with five stops for Onsted (0-2). The Wildcats travel to Ida next Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Lenawee County Athletic Association play.
Hanover-Horton 43, Vandercook Lake 21: Vandercook Lake tied the score late in the second quarter at 14 all, but then the second half happened. Hanover-Horton took advantage of good field position to pull out the Cascades Conference win. Brady Pond caught a flea-flicker pass from running back Austyn Hocter early in the third quarter to turn the tide. Pond also had a punt return for a score. Kolin Griffiths, J.J. Russ, and Hocter all had rushing touchdowns for Hanover-Horton (1-1). Griffiths finished with 101 rushing yards and Pond tallied 52 receiving yards. Blake Cogan finished with nine tackles for HHHS and Russ and Carl Maynard each created seven tackles in the win. Landon Holloway threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns for Vandercook Lake (1-1) in the loss. Deshawn Roper tallied 86 rushing yards and one score and Hunter Kurzynowski caught both touchdown passes and finished with 103 yards receiving. Micah Crenshaw caught five passes for 73 yards for the Jayhawks. Carter Richmond recorded an interception for VCL. Hanover-Horton hosts Addison next Friday at 7 p.m. and Vandercook Lake travels to Leslie for a Cascades Conference battle at the same time.
Quincy 39, East Jackson 0: The Trojans came up short against Quincy in Big Eight Conference action. Lucas Richardson ran for 27 yards, caught three passes for 33 yards, and made six tackles on the defensive side of the football. Kayson Lovett was 8-for-17 passing for 103 yards. Ayden Crandall caught two of those passes for 26 yards. Brandon Griggs had five stop on defense for EJHS. “This was obviously not the outcome we want but there was improvement from week one to week two,” EJHS Coach Josh Kubiak said. “We have to continue to work and baby step our way to success.” The Trojans go on the road for the first time this season as they travel to Maple Valley next Friday night for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Big Eight Conference play.
Springport 41, Homer 12: Easton Merrill scored three times for Springport in Big Eight Conference action. Merrill finished with 137 rushing yards on 16 carries. Touchdowns were also scored by Tucker Wiginton, Rip Overweg, and Andon Zienert for SHS. The Spartans had more than 400 yards of offense with 268 yards on the ground and 137 passing yards. Overweg threw for 137 yards on 5-of-7 passing. Jake Kregel finished with nine tackles and one interception and Zienert finished with 15 stops for Springport (2-0). “Our offense continues to do well … spreading the ball around to different players has helped keep opponents off balance,” SHS Coach Ben Pack said. Homer is now 0-2 and will host Reading next Friday at 7 p.m. in conference action. Springport hosts Beal City in non-conference action Friday at 7 p.m.
Chelsea 56, Jackson 27: The Vikings lost on the road in Southeastern Conference action. No stats were available. The Vikings host Pinckney next Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff in SEC action.
Marshall 30, Waverly 14: Jacob Riser ran for three scores as Marshall improved to 2-0 on the season. Riser scored on runs of 2, 7, and 14 yards for Marshall. Matthew Waito threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Zack Hudson in the fourth quarter to ice the contest. Riser finished with 120 rushing yards on 26 carries. Waito was 6-for-13 passing for 145 yards and the one touchdown. Hudson caught three passes for 96 yards for MHS in the non-conference game. Cruz Saldana intercepted a pass for Marshall and Andersen Trice recorded a safety. Colin Stealy led Marshall with six tackles in the win. Marshall hosts Hastings in a key Interstate Eight Conference game Friday at 7 p.m.
Adrian 53, Northwest 25: The Mounties fell on the road in non-conference action last Thursday. The Mounties scored twice in the second quarter and once in the third and fourth quarters. No stats were available. Northwest (0-2) travels to Pennfield Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff to begin Interstate Eight Conference play.
Camden-Frontier 50, Tekonsha 14: Tekonsha/Marshall Academy scored for the first time this season in the loss. No stats were available for this game. The Indians (0-2) travel to Pittsford next Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Paw Paw 42, Western 7: The Panthers fell on the road Thursday in non-conference action. Lincoln Levy led Western with 31 yards rushing and the Panthers’ only score of the game in the fourth quarter. The Panthers host Harper Creek Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Interstate Eight Conference play.
Hunter Kurzynowski, left, of Vandercook Lake High School scored a pair of touchdown catches against Hanover-Horton. Columbia Central running back Julian Boardman, right, rushed for 120 yards and three scores against Michigan Center.
