Posen hosts Cedarville in pigskin opener, looking for fifth straight win against the Trojans

It’s the opener of another high school football season for the Posen Vikings who start the 2004 campaign Friday at home against the Cedarville Trojans. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The Vikes (8-2, 2003) have defeated Cedarville in five of the last six meetings between the schools. The last victory for the Trojans was in 1999 when they shut out Posen, 8-0.

Over the years, Cedarville has played some competitive football against the Vikings and would like nothing more than to spoil the home opener for Posen. The Trojans scored the first points in the 2003 season-opener in the UP, but the Vikings came back with 28 unanswered points. Cedarville has some players with size this season, but unlike the last few years, so do the Vikings.

“THIS YEAR is one of the biggest football teams we’ve had, body-wise, in a long time,” said head coach Glenn Budnick, who begins his 11th season on the Posen sideline. “Hopefully that will help us out down the road, where we don’t wear down against somebody who’s physically larger than us.” Five linemen, including offensive tackle and senior captain Aaron Hincka, tip the scales at more than 200 pounds, while eight players measure over six foot. Junior Shawn Burgess is listed at close to 300 pounds. The roster says he is 294 pounds.

Two fullbacks, senior Matt Schuch (201 pounds) and junior Richie Kroll (226 pounds) provide size in the backfield, but it’s Kroll who may become the offensive weapon opposing defensives will be keying on. It’ll take more than one or two defenders to bring Kroll down, if he’s got a full head of steam. Last year, in Kroll’s debut in a Posen uniform against Cedarville, he rushed for 59 yards, caught a pass, and scored a touchdown.

BUDNICK WILL run the ball first, of course out of the wing-T formation, with the three backs side-by-side, arms lengths apart, and pass second. When the Vikings do throw, they have three-year starter and senior captain Matt Ponik to fire the ball. Ponik will miss his favorite receiver from a year ago early in the season, as junior Matt Szczerowski suffered an injury in the scrimmage last Friday against Hillman. It may keep him out of action for the first half of the season. Depth is the only question mark, as reserves don’t have a lot of experience. “I only returned 12 from last year’s team, but I return 15 that have played for me,” Budnick said, referring to players that haven’t played on the squad for a year or two, but are now back.

The front runners in the North Star League will be Au Gres (September 17) and Mio (October 1) “If you are not including us,” Budnick said, “Au Gres returns the two fastest guys in the North Star League in the backfield.

“MIO HAS a great football program. Just in sheer numbers, it̵

7;s hard to compete with them, the bodies they can throw at you. Au Gres is another one. They have a lot of kids out for varsity and JV football also. Budnick said, “if you are taking into account all of those things, they are the two front runners in my mind, but give us time and when we get through our non-conference games, I think we’ll make some noise in the North Star League.” Along with Cedarville, the tough non-conference schedule of UP teams includes Pickford, which put up one heck of a fight last year before the red and white stole the victory away from the Panthers in the fourth quarter.

Going into the season, Posen still has a regular-season, road-winning streak, dating back to 1999. That should be challenged September 17 at Au Gres.