Broncos routed by Mt. Pleasant in pre-district; program headed in right direction

North Branch’s Dennis Natke made it into the endzone for a score against Mt. Pleasant at Central Michigan University last Saturday in pre-district football action. North Branch was eliminated by Mt. Pleasant, 47-12. MT. PLEASANT — Although their football season didn’t end the way the North Branch Broncos wanted after a 47-12 loss to undefeated Mt. Pleasant at Central Michigan University last Saturday, once the team has time to review its season, it will find many positives.

This 2009 team became the first since 2006 to complete a winning season, earning the much-needed sixth win to qualify for the postseason with a 21-20 win over Yale Oct. 23. Aside from the 2006 squad, the 1997 Broncos were most successful, finishing at 6-3. North Branch’s last playoff appearance was a home stand loss in 2006 against the then-ranked Flint Powers Catholic squad that went 8-4 under then-coach Eric Hyde’s direction.

That speaks volumes not just for coach Pat Forster, who worked under Hyde, but the tenacity of the team that has seen several coaching changes over the past three years, first with Hyde resigning to fight a personal lawsuit and then the release of Steven Ver- Burg. Forster, along with Lyle Jamison, was a steadying force amidst the turmoil that had nothing to do with football, but everything to do with tough personal conflicts that had to have affected the football team. The pair served as interim coaches in 2008 before Forster was put in charge for this season back in January.

“The kids knew what I was going to bring, reestablishing the spread offense,” Forster said. “Paul Stawicki as my off(ensive) coordinator, he was another calming influence. The sophomores didn’t know us well, just as a teacher, so I moved Aaron Cooper up from JV to keep that stability for those kids.”

The kids were prepared, but a strong defensive Mt. Pleasant squad turned the tables on North Branch after the Broncos had scored on a fumble recovery to lead 6-0 in the first quarter. The turnover was just one of three Mt. Pleasant made that allowed North Branch to jump out to a 12-0 first-half lead. Brian Gray put North Branch on the board first after scooping up the botched snap and subsequent fumble by Mt. Pleasant and running it 41 yards at 7:31.

“We came out right away and jumped on them with a fumble recovery by Bryan Gray, and started marching against them,” said Forster. “Our inexperience began to show, with underclassmen making mistakes and marching backwards with penalties. This is the best football team we have played in 10 years.”

The Oilers then scored on their next possession on a 20-yard run by Alex Horton and good extra point to lead 7-6 at 5:12. John Mc- Cann then scored three times in the second quarter for the Oilers to increase the cushion to 27-6.

Doug Griffin then connected with Dennis Natke for a 24-yard endzone run with 24 seconds left in the first half to make it 27-12. An onside kick by North Branch that went awry allowed the Oilers to score with 8 seconds left in the half on a 37-yard pass to increase the lead to 33-12.

A final touchdown in the third quarter by the Oilers put the game entirely out of reach for North Branch.

Griffin made 17 carries for 18 yards and was 11-of- 20 for 94 yards and one TD and two interceptions. Natke made three catches for 51 yards and one score. Gray made four tackles, one for loss, plus the fumble recovery. Mitch Brusie led in tackles with 10, while Jacob Armstrong and Kyle Cline each had seven.

“I’ve been here 10 years and way too many times had to keep saying season after season, ‘it’s a step, it’s a step’”. Forster said. “This is a tribute to Eric (Hyde). We took his system and made it our own with Paul Stawicki, my offensive coordinator and others. It feels good to look parents in the eye with how we finished and to make it more of what Mike Smith has West, the expectation for each season. We have a lot of good talent coming up and will make that happen.”

Forster added, “We knew we were going to have an uphill battle this season, but knew we were going to be a good football team even though some did not give us much of a chance with all the upheaval over the past couple years. The seniors get credit for getting the juniors on board with my program and my coaches. Their goal was to win the league and get into the playoffs. We’ll take one of two and I’m very happy with the way this season ended up and having the ability to play at CMU was amazing for everyone.”