Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2007 / Team spirit
Team spirit: Rivals join forces for football
Rick Schulte, Special to The Michigan Catholic
Published October 5, 2007
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Gregg McIntosh | The Michigan Catholic
First-year coach Hank Sower admits combining the football resources “makes us all better.” |
Taylor — Football sounds like a simple enough game. Just find 11 players a side, and you're all set.
If only it was that easy.
Because Mount Carmel High School, Wyandotte, didn't have enough boys to field a full football team, and the slim numbers at their Downriver rival school, Light & Life Christian School, Taylor, the two schools entered into a co-operative agreement to combine under the Light & Life name to field one football squad for the second consecutive year.
For many smaller high schools throughout the state, the issue of finding enough players to not only start, but to create enough depth to handle injuries and illnesses, is critical. However, the Michigan High School Athletic Association allows smaller schools to combine to field a common team.
Although Mount Carmel and Light & Life are rivals in most other sports, both schools saw a definite advantage to forming a football alliance — namely, giving students from both schools a chance to compete in football.
Mount Carmel's student enrollment at the start of the year was listed at 81. Light & Life, affiliated with the Taylor Free Methodist Church, was at 90.
The pairing of the two schools — ones that are only a few miles apart and natural rivals — was something that even had Light & Life coach Hank Sower questioning how well the two schools could work together.
"I wondered how it would go," said Sower, a first-year football coach who has coached Light & Life in a variety of other sports. "They're probably our biggest rival in everything.
"But as it turns out, it makes us all better. Actually, they're like best friends. There haven't been any problems at all."
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Gregg McIntosh | The Michigan Catholic
Troy Lafever (33) tries to tackle Shrine’s running back, Anthony Cade, with help from teammates Myke Canada (78) and Jeff Beonmie (24).” |
Co-op agreements have existed for many years and have helped all types of schools — Catholic and public, small and large. The agreement has allowed Mount Carmel to maintain a football tradition for a school that has been in existence since 1928.
"We have had a number of schools in co-op agreements," said Vic Michaels, director of athletics for the Catholic High School League. Examples he cited included an arrangement in swimming between Shrine High School, Royal Oak, and the Frankel Jewish Academy, West Bloomfield Township. "The co-op between Mount Carmel and Light & Life is an ideal arrangement."
Mount Carmel principal Tim Scanlon says his parish has been overwhelmingly supportive of the arrangement.
"You know, it's sort of like the old rivalry between Mount Carmel and St. Pat's here in Wyandotte," said Scanlon, referring to the other Catholic high school in Wyandotte that has been closed for more than 30 years. "But the thing is, everyone gets along great. Our parents get along well with theirs. Thankfully, we have had the opportunity to play with Light & Life, and that has given us the opportunity to play football. It's a great deal for everyone."
The schools play under Light & Life's name, since it is the larger of the two schools. However, said Sower, when they hit the field, the Mount Carmel and Light & Life players are not Comets and Crusaders, their respective schools' nicknames, but are all Crusaders.
"We're very grateful for the Mount Carmel kids, and I think they appreciate having the opportunity to play football," Sower said. "It makes a lot of sense and has worked well for everybody."
This is the second year the teams have combined for football. Previously, they have joined forces for boys' ice hockey. In addition, Mount Carmel has formed co-ops with various other schools Downriver over the years in hockey, football and track and field.
The advantage of this practice is obvious – it opens the door of opportunity for student/athletes who might not otherwise have a chance to play the sport of their choice.
"We're glad we get to play with them," said Mount Carmel senior Gabe Huerta, a Southgate resident. "It's not bad at all. They're cool guys. It wasn't at all like 'get off the field.' They're cool, and for football, we're one team."
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Gregg McIntosh | The Michigan Catholic
Gabe Huerta (50) of Mount Carmel assumes a leadership role as a lineman for the Crusaders, which include classmate Jacob Cale (68). “For football, we’re all one team.” | The Mount Carmel players take a short ride over to Light & Life's practice field in Taylor each day. Although most of the team's home games are in Taylor, there is one notable exception.
There is a Light & Life homecoming game Oct. 6 against Cardinal Mooney High School, Marine City in Taylor. That precedes an Oct. 13 Mount Carmel homecoming game at Roosevelt High School, Wyandotte, against a to-be-determined opponent.
"Everyone gets to maintain their traditions. They get to have their own homecoming game," Sower said. "That's important."
The co-op football team was still searching for its first win after a 20-14 loss Sept. 28 to Urban Lutheran High School, Detroit.
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