High school teams begin football practice

With the onset of mid-August, high school fall sports began with football practices. Rogers City officially started practice Monday morning while Posen had their annual Midnight Madness practice at midnight Sunday. Rogers City has an increase in numbers with 24 on the varsity and 16 on the junior varsity. Coach Mike Kosiara believes practice is going well as the kids are enthusiastic, on-task and doing what they are supposed to be doing, making this group very coachable in his eyes. It became official at Monday evening?s school board meeting that Chad Coolman will return as the JV head coach.

?We should

have a really good year. This is the group that went undefeated at the junior varsity level and we have added some bodies to that. With good numbers, we are looking at doing some platoons and keeping our kids fresh,? said Kosiara. In Posen 24 kids originally signed up for football, but coach Wayne Karsten only has 17 for sure as of Tuesday. He believes that some stragglers might still be out there and hopes to have around 20 come the beginning of the season. He had a good response in just the second year of the weight-lifting program and has added former Alpena High School head coach Jack Gebauer to the staff.

?We are looking at 11-man and getting out there and going after it. We?ve got the core, my skill positions are back with Shane Hentkowski returning at quarterback and several receivers back. We can add all the coaches in the world, but the kids have to go out there and do it, they have to do the work,? said Karsten. Rogers City will begin their season at home against Hillman, while Posen will begin away against Cedarville. Both games will be played August 28.